Partnerships
UNSW and DY New Energy Develop Rapid EV Battery Health Testing Platform in $1.3 Million Project
By News Desk ·
Key takeaways
- UNSW and DY New Energy are developing a rapid battery testing platform in a $1.3 million project supported by the Australian government's TRaCE Lab to Market Fund.
- The prototype estimates battery health in under three minutes per cell with more than 90% accuracy in lab testing, compared with about 10 hours and $120 per pack for full charge-discharge testing.
- The project will test the technology across more than 500 batteries before piloting it in recycling facilities and second-life battery energy storage systems.
UNSW researchers and battery recycling company DY New Energy are developing a rapid testing platform for retired electric vehicle batteries under a $1.3 million project supported by the Australian government through the Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) Lab to Market Fund. Mirage News reported the partnership on November 10, 2026.
How the UNSW Battery Platform Works
The platform sends short electrical pulses through each battery cell and measures the response, then uses statistical models to estimate the battery's health in under three minutes per cell. Lab testing showed more than 90% accuracy, according to the report. Full charge-discharge testing currently takes around 10 hours and costs about $120 per EV battery pack, and puts potentially damaged batteries through hours of high-stress cycling that can lead to overheating and fire. The team aims to bring costs below $25 per pack.
The project will test the technology across more than 500 batteries in real-world conditions before piloting it in recycling facilities and second-life battery energy storage systems. UNSW is leading algorithm development, statistical modelling, an intelligent Battery Management System (iBMS) module and system integration, while DY New Energy provides real battery datasets, deployment environments and access to its industrial workflows. The platform is designed to work with the management systems recyclers and energy storage operators already use, and to assess lithium iron phosphate (LFP), nickel cobalt aluminium (NCA) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) chemistries.
"Validating [our technology] across more than 500 batteries in real operating conditions is the critical next step," said Dr Ziyang Lyu, who leads the team with Associate Professor Huadong Mo. "Lab results are promising, but industry needs to see the technology perform on the factory floor and in working energy storage systems before adopting it." DY New Energy Director Yue Peng said UNSW "brings deep expertise in statistical modelling and AI that would be difficult for us to develop on our own."
UNSW's Clean Energy Research Record
According to akta.pro company records, UNSW signed a memorandum of understanding with Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd on April 2, 2026 to strengthen collaboration in clean and renewable energy, focusing on startups and innovation across India and Australia. The same records list an AUD 1.2 million grant from the Australian Department of Education's Trailblazer Recycling & Clean Energy program for an AI-powered solar and battery pilot study, with an expected operating cost reduction of up to 30% for participating buildings.
Earlier UNSW Energy Projects
In September 2026, a $4 million UNSW-led project began turning a Bowral hotel into a community power plant using solar, battery storage and AI, with surplus clean energy shared with the local community, Mirage News reported. UNSW researchers Dr Mandana Ghanavati and Professor Mimi Zou won the 2026 Women in AI Asia-Pacific Awards that month for work using AI to address climate challenges and legal governance, Mirage News reported. In November 2026, UNSW researchers launched MapAI, an AI-powered mapping platform that answers plain-language questions about housing and infrastructure data, Mirage News reported.