Cox Automotive, the industry leader in connected automotive services, and DHL Supply Chain, the world’s leading logistics provider, have teamed up to deliver in-life EV battery services for global manufacturers and fleet operators. This new cooperation will deliver the largest scale battery management and maintenance operation in the UK, with the opening of a dedicated space for battery services within DHL’s 146,000-square-foot EV Centre of Excellence in Rugby, UK.
Cox Automotive will provide specialist triage, repair and remanufacturing services at this unique battery facility, complemented where needed by DHL’s inbound and outbound logistics and storage expertise. The combined service will address the need for infrastructure to support EV battery servicing in and outside of the warranty period.
The announcement comes after Cox Automotive introduced its EV Battery Solutions business to the UK, following success in the United States and Europe.
Martin Forbes, President, Cox Automotive International, commented: “As the automotive industry attempts to balance government mandates, consumer concerns about the durability of EVs, and a lack of technical expertise, the market requires tangible solutions and infrastructure to address barriers to EV adoption. With 35,000 square feet of dedicated battery repair space, we can deliver vital battery services to customers under one roof. In addition, this new facility provides our customers with a unique EV handling service as it complements our existing vehicle services location just 13 miles away in Bruntingthorpe.”
Paul Stone, MD Manufacturing Logistics DHL Supply Chain, said: “Handling, transporting and storing EV batteries is a complex process, presenting some unique challenges. We’ve been listening and working with the industry to create a more robust end-to-end solution for the EV batteries that effectively and reliably addresses challenges for manufacturers and fleets. Today, alongside Cox Automotive, we are setting the new standard for EV battery circularity and this cooperation represents a major step forward in creating a scalable circular economy for batteries in the UK.”
The launch of EV Battery Solutions in the UK comes three years after Cox Automotive’s global acquisition of Spiers New Technologies (SNT) in 2021. The acquisition included SNT’s battery operations across eight US locations and its facility in Ede, Netherlands, which will continue to form an integral part of EV Battery Solutions.
The EV Centre of Excellence, located at DHL’s Valley Cross site in Rugby, includes 35,000 square feet of dedicated EV battery repair space and can handle thousands of batteries per year.