DHL Supply Chain has announced the expansion of its EV Centre of Excellence in Rugby, UK. The announcement included plans for setting up the biggest EV battery service centre in the country.
This new facility, which has been established in partnership with Cox Automotive, will provide battery servicing, repair, and recycling for the emerging UK electric vehicle (EV) industry as well as support sustainability through a circular economy model.
Major Step Towards Battery Circularity
As per DHL, the new centre is expected to process thousands of EV batteries in the course of the year, therefore helping manufacturers and fleet operators optimise management of the entire battery life cycle.
This new site will be integrated within an existing DHL 146,000 square foot EV Centre of Excellence located in Rugby, which is already dedicated to providing logistics solutions for batteries and vehicles. In addition, the facility will install an 800,000-pound battery energy storage system, where EV batteries can be safely discharged and recirculated into the manufacturing process.
“We have been listening to and working with all sectors of the industry to develop a much more robust end-to-end EV battery solution that really addresses the hurdles for the manufacturer and the fleet in an effective and reliable manner,” said Paul Stone, MD Manufacturing Logistics, DHL Supply Chain. “Today’s announcement with Cox Automotive sets a new benchmark for circularity in EV batteries, and this partnership really takes a significant step forward in building a scalable circular economy for batteries in the UK.”
All Under One Roof for EV Battery Servicing
Cox Automotive’s 35,000-square-foot battery repair service within the centre will serve as a one-stop shop for EV customers to offer vital battery maintenance services.
“We now have enough space with a 35,000-square-foot dedicated battery repair service to perform critical battery services all under one roof,” said Martin Forbes, President of Cox Automotive. “This is a unique service for our customers, distinct from our current vehicle services location, just 13 miles away in Bruntingthorpe.”
DHL’s Global Expanding EV Ecosystem
The UK EV Centre of Excellence is part of the global network by DHL with an EV logistics centre in China, Italy, Indonesia, the UAE, Mexico, and the USA. The centres offer warehousing, parts delivery management, customs support, and compliance solutions to EV manufacturers.
Recently, DHL announced a new Centre of Excellence in Shanghai to join its other centres opened in 2024 in China, Singapore, and Indonesia and thus boost DHL’s capabilities in EV logistics globally.
DHL intends, through compliance with increasing safety and storage regulations, to position manufacturers to fully embrace scalable logistics solutions for their business, a sustainable and efficient future for the EV industry in the UK and beyond.
