BatteryEVO & ITAP INVESTIGATION: USED CELLS? FIRE RECALL?
ATTENTION, REDDIT DETECTIVES. I NEED YOUR HELP!
BatteryEVO is installing USED BATTERY CELLS and Fire Recall Cells in New Packs?
SEE LG LAWSUIT AGAINST BatteryEVO & IT Asset Partners (ITAP, Inc.) HERE!!
I was about to snag a UL Certified battery for my home setup, something solid for my 9KW grid-tie system. I stumbled upon BatteryEVO.com, and their prices seemed almost too good to be true.
Spoiler alert — These batteries are all either Dead (or) Safety Recalls!
After doing a deep dive into the company, I’m convinced that BatteryEVO is a Chinese company ripping off American designs from American companies and stuffing them with USED battery modules. They’re selling these “new” packs with what looks like old, possibly fire-recall, cells to unsuspecting buyers like us.
Here’s where it gets CRAZY, I found out they might be using battery cells that have been recalled due to safety issues! I need your help to prove this scam. Does anyone have a BatteryEVO product they can open up and inspect the modules?
How it All Started:
I was looking at the EP-Cube and came across the BatteryEVO Walrus. The price seemed sketchy for something that should be UL-Certified. Their YouTube videos showed BYD battery modules being installed in the Walrus. But these modules looked old and worn out. The kicker? BYD hasn’t made those modules since 2017.
What I Found:
Every video I watched showed the same disturbing trend: BMW, LG, BYD modules, all looking beat up, being installed into these “new” products. It’s like they’re recycling old EV battery modules.
The Research:
I went down a rabbit hole, uploading screenshots to ChatGPT and cross-referencing specs. Every single time, the modules matched EV batteries, some even involved in recalls. One particular module, identified as an LG RESU 10H (yeah, the one with massive recalls), was shown being installed in their products. This started to smell like BatteryEVO is sourcing their modules from battery recyclers.
Here’s a shot of the BYD module they’re using in their Walrus. Remember, BYD stopped making these seven years ago! I need your eyes on this. If anyone can crack open a BatteryEVO product and take a look inside, we might just blow the lid off a huge scam.
BYD Battery From 2014 in “NEW” Product?
^ These look like USED BYD Bus Batteries Above ^
This made me wonder, How BatteryEVO.com get these modules? They say “BYD” and look Salvaged?
In one of the videos from Jeff@360Electrician — I saw the word “ITAP” on the wall in the BatteryEVO manufacturing facility. Photo posted below:
ITAP in Background.. So I searched “ITAP/BatteryEVO” in Google.
When I searched for ITAP & BatteryEVO, It became apparent that they both operate in the same facility.
It would make sense that BatteryEVO is installing USED and RECALLED modules from EV companies, they recycle old batteries and recalled batteries all the time and BatteryEVO SHARES A FACILITY WITH A BATTERY RECYCLER!
BatteryEVO Video showing “ITAP” on the door. This is a ITAP Facility — Shown at 8966 Mason Ave.
ITAP, Inc. & BatteryEVO Facility : Located @ 8966 Mason Ave. Chatsworth, CA. 91311
Front of ITAP Battery Recycling Facility : AKA “BatteryEVO” at 8966 Mason Ave. Chatsworth, CA. 91311
So I went to the “Way-Back-Machine” online to check-out both websites: BatteryEVO.com & GoITAP.com Sure Enough: My hunch was confirmed: Not ONLY did both publish the same address but both companies say that they “Repurpose” and “Recycle” batteries at this address!
ITAP Address Matches Battery EVO & Claims Battery Repurpose & Recycling Facility
BatteryEVO Matches ITAP Address working in Recycling Facility
BatteryEVO Claims to use Repurposed Cells
At this point, I decided to turn to ChatGPT4. It has come a long way and I thought that maybe it could help me play detective. I asked “Are there any pending lawsuits against GoITAP.com and BatteryEVO.com?”
Thats when I saw that LG was SUING ITAP & BatteryEVO! See Link Below:
LG LAWSUIT: LGES V.S. BatteryEVO & ITAP
The lawsuit looks like BatteryEVO & ITAP are in breach of a “Destruction Only” contract RE: LG Cells?
It didn’t make sense until hours later when I put the Technical Specifications from the BatteryEVO.com Walrus into ChatGPT4 and I NEARLY FELL OUT OF MY SEAT when it gave me the answer!! SEE BELOW:
^^^ BatteryEVO.com (WALRUS BATTERY SPECS) Put Into ChatGPT — Look What It Says ^^^
Note: It says this product is also sold in online stores and at Walmart!
After reading the LG Lawsuit, I confirmed the owner of BatteryEVO is none other than “Mr. Xi Wang.” I can’t make this stuff up. On Jeff360Electrician, he was referred to as “Walson,” but I confirmed his real name is Xi Wang, thanks to his LinkedIn account (check it out here).
I kept digging. In a few more videos, I spotted what looked like BMW batteries being installed. You can even see an “Asset Management” tag on the side of the product in a warehouse packed with battery modules stacked on pallets and scrap everywhere. And yet, this company claims to make “NEW PRODUCT”??
We need to expose this. Who’s with me?
(USED?) BMW MODULE BEING Installed in BatteryEVO “WALRUS”
(Used?) BMW Module Being Installed in BatteryEVO “WALRUS” Product
USED BYD BUS BATTERY INSTALLED IN BatteryEVO Product
LG BATTERY Being Installed In BatteryEVO Product
It didn’t make sense why they were installing Used Cells into a “NEW” Battery from BatteryEVO ???
Used Battery Modules Stacked in Racks?
THESE ARE THE “NEW” BATTERY MODULES THEY ARE INSTALLING.. DO THESE LOOK “NEW” TO YOU??
This Facility Looks Like A “Recycling Facility”
This sent me down a rabbit-hole.. I just spent the last six hours scouring the web and YouTube to come to the conclusion that BatteryEVO.com is installing USED BATTERY CELLS from GoITAP.com in their “New Products”.
During this search, I found an employee photo taken at ITAP unloading a container, Look what’s INSIDE!
PHOTO TAKEN FROM ITAP, Inc. Loading Dock : 8966 Mason Ave. Chatsworth CA. 91311
I didn’t realize the significance of this until I googled LG RESU & BMW RECYCLING:
LG RESU RECALL — 10,000 UNITS :
https://www.energy-storage.news/fire-hazard-leads-to-further-product-recall-for-lg-residential-battery-storage-systems/
BMW RECALL : https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42465084/bmw-ix-i4-i7-high-voltage-battery-recall/
NOW I’M WORRIED.. Something isn’t right about this. So I’m turning to REDDIT.
Does ANYONE have a BatteryEVO.com Battery? Can they look inside to confirm this FRAUD?
Please take pictures of the module inside your battery, Look for a serial number and check it with BMW/LG/BYD.
I think BatteryEVO.com and GoITAP.com are REUSING
1.) “FIRE RECALLED” LG RESU MODULES
2.) “FIRE RECALLED” BMW MODULES
3.) (7) Year Old Bloated “BYD BUS MODULES”
I think BatteryEVO’s “NEW” Battery packs are full of DEAD or DANGEROUS Modules. I hope I am wrong, but I fear that I am right.. DOES ANYONE HAVE A BatteryEVO.com Battery?
IF YES — CAN YOU PLEASE OPEN IT TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE BMW/BYD/LG MODULES INSIDE?
Post the pictures here to help us get to the bottom of this.. Be Informed & Be Safe!