MobileBattery · Project

Portable 85 kWh Battery Packs That Charge EVs, Store Solar Power, and Extend Driving Range

energyPilotedTRL 7

Imagine a big rechargeable battery on wheels — like a power bank for your phone, but car-sized. You charge it at home from your rooftop solar panels, use it as backup power for your house during the week, then hitch it to your electric car on the weekend for a 600-kilometre road trip. Roadside assistance companies can also drive these battery packs to stranded EV drivers and fast-charge them on the spot. BVB Innovate built working prototypes with Fraunhofer Institutes and prepared them for mass production.

By the numbers

85 kWh

Battery capacity per mobile unit

600 km

Extended driving range for a small electric car

6 units

MES systems produced and ready for serial production

23 units

NIK systems produced and ready for serial production

2 units

NEM systems produced and ready for serial production

1 company

Single-SME consortium (100% industry)

The business problem

What needed solving

Electric vehicle drivers face range anxiety on long trips, and fixed charging infrastructure cannot cover every location. Meanwhile, homeowners with rooftop solar panels generate excess energy they cannot easily store or take with them. Roadside assistance operators and event organizers need portable high-power charging that does not depend on grid connections.

The solution

What was built

BVB Innovate built three product lines of mobile 85 kWh lithium-ion battery systems on wheels, all brought to serial production readiness: 6 MES units (mobile energy systems), 23 NIK units, and 2 NEM units, each with full production documentation.

Audience

Who needs this

EV roadside assistance and breakdown service providersFast-charging network operators expanding to underserved locationsHome solar installers offering energy storage add-onsCar rental companies building EV fleets for long-distance travelEvent and construction site operators needing temporary off-grid power

Business applications

Who can put this to work

EV Charging Infrastructure

mid-size

Target: Fast-charging network operators and roadside assistance providers

If you are a roadside assistance provider dealing with the growing number of stranded electric vehicles that run out of charge — this project developed mobile 85 kWh fast-charging units on wheels that can be driven to any location and recharge an EV without fixed infrastructure. The team produced 6 MES units ready for serial production, designed specifically for this mobile recharging use case.

Residential Solar & Energy Storage

SME

Target: Home solar installers and residential energy storage providers

If you are a solar installer whose customers want to store excess rooftop PV energy but find fixed home batteries too expensive or limited — this project built mobile battery systems that serve as intelligent backup power for the home with smart home functionality, then detach for road trips. The 85 kWh capacity covers household backup needs while offering flexibility no wall-mounted battery can match.

Automotive Fleet & Rental Services

enterprise

Target: Car rental companies and EV fleet operators

If you are a fleet operator struggling with EV range limitations on long highway routes — this project created rentable range-extending battery packs that attach to electric vehicles, adding up to 600 kilometres of range. The autobahn rental model was designed for deployment at major arterial roads, letting drivers rent rather than buy extra range capacity.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would a mobile battery unit cost to purchase or rent?

The project data does not include pricing information for the mobile battery units. As an SME-2 innovation project focused on market readiness, pricing would need to be discussed directly with BVB Innovate. The rental model for autobahn use suggests they planned tiered pricing for different use cases.

Can this scale to industrial production volumes?

Yes — all three product lines were brought to serial production readiness. The deliverables confirm 6 MES units, 23 NIK units, and 2 NEM units were produced with full documentation for manufacturing scale-up. The company projected growth to 200 million EUR turnover as part of their commercialization plan.

Who owns the IP and can I license this technology?

BVB Innovate GmbH, a German SME, is the sole consortium partner and likely holds the IP rights. The technology was co-developed with Fraunhofer Institutes and a Swiss mobile platform manufacturer, so licensing terms would need to account for those partnerships. Contact BVB Innovate directly for licensing discussions.

What regulations apply to mobile battery systems of this size?

An 85 kWh lithium-ion battery on wheels falls under transport safety, electrical equipment, and potentially vehicle homologation regulations in the EU. Based on available project data, the team reached TRL 7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment), which suggests regulatory testing was part of the development path. Specific certifications obtained are not detailed in the project data.

How does this integrate with existing EV charging networks?

The mobile batteries are designed to complement fixed charging infrastructure, not replace it. Fast-charging network operators can deploy these units at temporary events, construction sites, or locations where grid connections are unavailable. The system charges from standard grid, PV, wind, or CHP sources, making it compatible with existing energy infrastructure.

What is the current status of this technology?

The project ran from 2015 to 2017 and reached TRL 7 with units ready for serial production. The project website was mobat.me. Since the project closed in 2017, current commercial availability would need to be verified directly with BVB Innovate GmbH in Germany.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a single-company project led by BVB Innovate GmbH, a German SME that received SME-2 innovation funding. The 100% industry consortium with no academic partners signals a commercially driven effort — the research phase was already done in prior cooperation with Fraunhofer Institutes and universities, and this project focused purely on bringing existing technology to market readiness. For a business partner, this means you would deal directly with one decision-maker who controls the full product, not a fragmented academic consortium. The lack of additional partners also means fewer IP complications.

How to reach the team

BVB Innovate GmbH is a German SME — contact details can be found via their company website or German business registries. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction.

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore mobile energy storage solutions for your EV fleet or charging network? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the BVB Innovate team and provide a detailed technology brief tailored to your use case.

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