In Leonding, Austria, near Linz, Sonnleitner GmbH has been repairing defective electric vehicle batteries for over a decade. The company views its expertise, gained through the repair of these valuable energy storage systems, as a future investment despite the high costs.
Renault, with a history stretching back to 2008, stands out as a pioneer in electric vehicle development and repair. More than 16 years ago, the French automaker launched the Fluence Z.E. And Kangoo Z.E., its first series production electric models – predating Tesla’s Model S, which debuted in 2012. The company remains committed to its sustainability goals, even as others are being revised, with a stated aim of offering only all-electric vehicles by 2030. This commitment is part of a broader circular economy strategy initiated in 2008 and extended to the entire automotive value chain by 2010.
Under the slogan “The Future is neutral,” Renault is pursuing numerous projects, including increasing the proportion of recycled materials in its current models to at least 50 percent, with a target of 90 percent by 2030. The company’s “Refactory” in Flins, located approximately 40 kilometers outside of Paris, is slated to refurbish up to 45,000 used vehicles annually by 2030.
Sonnleitner established one of the first battery repair centers in the German-speaking world over ten years ago at its location in Leonding. “We were, alongside Norway, one of the only countries in Europe to invest specifically in this technology,” said Max Sonnleitner, one of the managing directors of Sonnleitner GmbH.
Initially, the company benefited from the relatively low cost of upgrading the smaller batteries found in early electric models like the Renault Zoe, which was considered a niche vehicle in Austria at the time. Sonnleitner quickly gained a reputation for its expertise in diagnosing and repairing these expensive drive batteries, extending beyond Austria’s borders. For a period, the company received truckload deliveries of defective batteries from France on a weekly basis. This influx has decreased as manufacturers increasingly focus on local repair solutions and battery quality and stability have improved, according to Thomas Zwettler, a high-voltage technician who has been with the company since the beginning and now leads the battery repair center in Leonding. “The modern energy storage systems in the Megane E-Tech or the modern R5 are many times more reliable than the batteries in the first generation, as used in the exceptionally first Zoe,” Zwettler stated.
Despite a significant increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road, the volume of battery repairs has remained relatively constant. The most common repairs now involve components such as control units or relays, often as secondary damage from other defects. Battery cell replacements are required in only about one in ten repairs, a trend that also applies to hybrid vehicle batteries. Zwettler attributes most battery failures to improper handling, such as the deep discharge of batteries in display vehicles, which can render them unusable.
The battery center in Leonding now operates as a de facto independent workshop, equipped with five highly trained technicians and four lifts dedicated exclusively to electric vehicles. This dedicated setup is designed to avoid delays caused by the seasonal peaks typical of a general repair shop, such as the tire change season. “With our promise to successfully repair any battery within Austria within three days, we have an absolute unique selling proposition,” Sonnleitner said. The company views the necessary investment, in the mid-six-figure range, as an investment in the future.
