Keeping an electric vehicle (EV) rolling, with as little downtime as possible when recharging, is a challenge carmakers continue to tackle, with R&D departments across the world no doubt full of chin-stroking, clever scientists working to find the perfect solution.
One idea gaining some support is battery swap technology, that would allow drivers to exchange entire battery packs for fresh, fully charged packs when required.
In the past few weeks, carmakers Nio, Geely, and Stellantis have all announced developments and agreements around battery swap tech and its deployment.
Stellantis – which, amongst other brands, has Fiat, Jeep, and Chrysler in its stable – says it will partner with US-based modular battery swap tech company Ample to work toward integrating Ample’s technology into Stellantis EVs.
Ample batteries are, the company said, designed to be a drop-in replacement for an EV’s original battery. Their modular design means they can fit into any EV and would allow Stellantis to integrate Ample’s technology without reengineering its vehicle platforms.
An Ample-enabled EV can, the companies added, complete a battery swap in less than five minutes.
An initial program for the Stellantis/Ample partnership is planned to begin in Madrid, Spain, in 2024 using a fleet of 100 Fiat 500e models within Stellantis’ Free2move car-sharing service.
Meanwhile, Chinese car manufacturers Nio and Geely (owners of Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus) are to cooperate on battery swapping too.
The companies said they will co-develop two battery swapping standards for private cars and commercial vehicles, will establish a battery asset management mechanism, build a unified battery swap operation, and develop battery swappable vehicles compatible with each other’s battery swap systems.
Nio currently has a network of Power Swap Stations (PSS) in Europe and China, and recently launched two third-generation PSS 3.0 locations in Sweden. Nio said its system can complete a swap in less than three minutes, without the need for users to leave the car, and it now has five PSS 3.0 locations and 25 other PSS locations in its current European markets.
The company also said its PSS solution is designed to protect the residual values of smart EVs, allowing Nio Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) users to refresh their battery throughout ownership. Currently available in China, NIO users can upgrade or downgrade their battery to suit their requirements, allowing vehicle range and battery specification to be tailored throughout vehicle ownership.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (Dec 2023 / Jan 2024)
9 January 2024