battery swapping
{{Short description|Systems for exchanging flat batteries}}
File:NIO Power Battery Swap.jpg battery swap station at a carpark in Beijing.]]
Battery swapping or battery switching is an electric vehicle technology that allows battery electric vehicles to quickly exchange a discharged battery pack for a fully charged one, rather than recharging the vehicle via a charging station. Battery swapping is common in electric forklift applications.{{cite web| url= http://us.simplenewz.com/industrial-electrical-vehicle-stalwarts-head-out-on-the-road--2009-03-08--ars-technica--30.672.7 | title=Industrial electrical vehicle stalwarts head out on the road| access-date=24 October 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110716072151/http://us.simplenewz.com/industrial-electrical-vehicle-stalwarts-head-out-on-the-road--2009-03-08--ars-technica--30.672.7 | archive-date=16 July 2011| url-status=dead}}
{{As of|2021}}, Taiwanese electric scooter manufacturer Gogoro operates the largest battery swap network for electric mopeds, with nearly 11,000 GoStations in Taiwan, and 250 in Mainland China.{{Cite news |title=Swappable batteries for electric vans and lorries make sense |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2022/08/24/swappable-batteries-for-electric-vans-and-lorries-make-sense |access-date=2022-09-28 |issn=0013-0613}}{{Cite web |last=Shu |first=Catherine |date=2021-10-11 |title=Gogoro launches battery swapping stations in China |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/10/gogoro-launches-battery-swapping-stations-in-china/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Toll |first=Micah |date=2021-08-30 |title=Gogoro named global leader in light electric vehicle battery swapping, passes 200 million swaps |url=https://electrek.co/2021/08/30/gogoro-named-global-leader-in-light-electric-vehicle-battery-swapping-passes-200-million-swaps/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=Electrek |language=en-US}} Chinese luxury carmaker Nio is the only major operator of automobile battery swapping stations for the public. The company has built around 2250 battery swap stations around China and Europe, and the process takes three minutes from start to finish.{{cite web |title=NIO Power |url=https://www.nio.com/nio-power |website=NIO |access-date=4 July 2022}}{{cite news |title=Nio's battery swapping tech in Norway |url=https://www.dw.com/en/nios-battery-swapping-tech-in-norway/av-62064987 |access-date=4 July 2022 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |date=8 June 2022}} Previously, Renault and Tesla attempted to make their vehicles capable of swapping batteries.
History
File:P.E.T. Battery Swapping EV's.jpg
The concept of an exchangeable battery service was proposed as early as 1896. It was first offered between 1910 and 1924, by Hartford Electric Light Company, through the GeVeCo battery service, serving electric trucks. The vehicle owner purchased the vehicle, without a battery, from General Vehicle Company (GeVeCo), part-owned by General Electric.{{cite web |title=Trucking's Eclipsed Electric Age |url= https://lostannalsoftransport.wordpress.com/tag/geveco/ |work=The Lost Annals of Transport |first=William B. |last=Cassidy |date=30 September 2013 |access-date=20 May 2022}} The power was purchased from Hartford Electric in the form of an exchangeable battery. The vehicles and batteries were designed to facilitate a fast exchange. The owner paid a variable per-mile charge and a monthly service fee to cover truck maintenance and storage. These vehicles covered more than 6 million miles.
Beginning in 1917 and lasting a few years, a similar service operated in Chicago for owners of Milburn Electric cars.{{cite book|last=Kirsch|first=David A.|title=The Electric Vehicle and the Burden of History|url= https://archive.org/details/electricvehicleb0000kirs|url-access=registration | year = 2000| pages= [https://archive.org/details/electricvehicleb0000kirs/page/153 153–162]| publisher =Rutgers University Press | isbn=0-8135-2809-7}}
In 1993, Suntera developed a two-seat 3-wheel electric vehicle called the SUNRAY, which came with a battery cartridge that swapped out in minutes at a battery-swap station.{{cite news |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-05-mn-51138-story.html |title=Technology: Something New Under the Hawaiian Sun: a Solar Car: Japan will import up to 2,000 SunRay zero-emission vehicles. Assembly will take place at a former sugar plantation town.|date=5 April 1995 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}} In 1995, Suntera added a motor scooter.{{cite web |url= https://www.idsa.org/members/budd-steinhilber-fidsa |title=Budd Steinhilber, FIDSA |date=10 May 2010 |work=Industrial Designers Society of America - IDSA}} The company was later renamed Personal Electric Transports{{cite news |url= http://archives.starbulletin.com/98/04/10/features/index.html|title=Honolulu Star-Bulletin Features |website=archives.starbulletin.com}}(P.E.T.). After 2000 the company developed an electric bus. In 2004, the company's 3-wheel stand-up EV won 1st place at the 5-day long American Tour de Sol electric vehicle race,{{cite web|url= http://www.autoauditorium.com/TdS_Reports_2004/ |title=The Tour de Sol Reports, 2004 |website=autoauditorium.com}} before closing in 2006.
A rapid battery replacement system was implemented to service 50 electric buses at the 2008 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url= http://english.bit.edu.cn/NewsEvents/BITNews/16059.htm |title=BIT Attends the Delivery Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games -Alternative Fuel Vehicles|date=18 July 2008|publisher=Beijing Institute of Technology |access-date=2 June 2013}}
Some smaller schemes have attempted to popularize battery swapping with individual cities. Zotye Auto built a fleet 15 of M300 EV hatchbacks for a taxi fleet in Hangzhou, China. In 2011, one of these vehicles caught on fire after the battery pack in the trunk caught fire. An investigation later found that battery in question, as well as the connecting electronics in the truck, had become worn out from repeated loading and unloading of charged battery packs. The electric scheme was halted following the incident.{{cite web|url=http://chinaautoweb.com/2011/06/battery-pack-defects-blamed-for-zotye-ev-fire/|title=Battery Pack Defects Blamed for Zotye EV Fire|publisher=China Auto Web|date=2011-06-13|access-date=2013-06-25}}
File:Zotye M300 EV battery swap 1.jpg|A Zotye M300 EV having its batteries replaced.
File:Zotye M300 EV battery swap 2.jpg|The batteries of a Zotye M300 EV being charged before being swapped.
File:Zotye M300 EV battery swap 3.jpg|Wear and tear in the battery compartment of a Zotye M300 EV, located in the trunk.
The Better Place network was the first modern attempt at making the battery switching model mainstream. The Renault Fluence Z.E. was the first car enabled to adopt the approach and was offered in several countries, including those where no battery swap stations had been planned.{{cite web|url= http://www.betterplace.com/the-company-multimedia-photos/index/id/72157623854339020 |title=Better Place. The Renault Fluence ZE |publisher=Better Place |date=22 October 2010 |access-date=22 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100912170142/http://www.betterplace.com/the-company-multimedia-photos/index/id/72157623854339020 |archive-date=12 September 2010}}
File:Better Place Charging Station IMG 6670.jpg battery switching station near Dvir, Israel.]]
Better Place launched its first battery-swapping station in Israel, in Kiryat Ekron, near Rehovot in March 2011. The exchange process took five minutes.{{cite news|last=Udasin| first=Sharon|title=Better Place launches 1st Israeli battery-switching station|url= http://www.jpost.com/Sci-Tech/Article.aspx?id=213562 |access-date=25 March 2011|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|date=24 March 2011}}{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/automobiles/a-plug-and-play-plan-for-ev-batteries.html?_r=0 |title=Plug-and-Play Batteries: Trying Out a Quick-Swap Station for E.V.'s |first=Jim |last=Motavalli |work=The New York Times |date=29 July 2011|access-date=23 June 2013}} Subsequent battery swap stations were built in Denmark. Better Place filed for bankruptcy in Israel in May 2013.{{cite news|last=Kershner|first=Isabel |date=26 May 2013|title=Israeli Venture Meant to Serve Electric Cars Is Ending Its Run|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/business/global/israeli-electric-car-company-files-for-liquidation.html?_r=0 |access-date=27 May 2013}}{{cite news|last=Elis|first=Niv |date=26 May 2013|title=Death of Better Place: Electric car co. to dissolve|work=The Jerusalem Post|url=http://www.jpost.com/Business/Business-News/Death-of-Better-Place-Electric-car-co-to-dissolve-314380 |access-date=30 May 2013}}
In 2012, Tesla started building a proprietary fast-charging Tesla Supercharger network.{{Cite web |date=Sep 24, 2012 |title=Tesla Motors Launches Revolutionary Supercharger Enabling Convenient Long Distance Driving {{!}} Tesla Investor Relations |url=https://ir.tesla.com/press-release/tesla-motors-launches-revolutionary-supercharger-enabling |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=ir.tesla.com |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102023608/https://ir.tesla.com/press-release/tesla-motors-launches-revolutionary-supercharger-enabling |archive-date=2020-11-02 |url-status=live}}{{Self-published source|date=August 2023|ABOUTSELF=y}} A year later, in June 2013, Tesla announced its plan to offer battery swapping. Tesla showed that a battery swap with the Model S took just over 90 seconds.{{cite news|url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/markrogowsky/2013/06/21/tesla-90-second-battery-swap-tech-coming-this-year/ |title=Tesla 90-Second Battery Swap Tech Coming This Year |first=Mark |last=Rogowsky |work=Forbes |date=21 June 2013|access-date=22 June 2013}}{{cite web|url= http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/06/model2-20130621.html |title=Tesla Motors demonstrates battery swap in the Model S |work=Green Car Congress|date=21 June 2013|access-date=22 June 2013}} Elon Musk said the service would be offered at around {{USD|60}} to {{USD|80}} at June 2013 prices. The vehicle purchase included one battery pack. After a swap, the owner could later return and receive their battery pack fully charged. A second option would be to keep the swapped battery and receive/pay the difference in value between the original and the replacement. Pricing was not announced. In 2015 the company abandoned its sole swapping station, built at Harris Ranch, for lack of customer interest.{{cite journal|last=Sorokanich |first=Robert |date=10 June 2015|title=Musk: Tesla "unlikely" to pursue battery swapping stations|url= http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/news/a25872/elon-musk-tesla-battery-swap/ |journal=Road & Track|access-date=26 October 2015}}
Other battery swapping service providers include Gogoro, Delta Electronics, BattSwap,{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}, Voltia, and Swap & Go.{{Citation|last=Voltia Group|title=Companies successfully using the GreenWay Service|date=2 December 2015|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsX_yib8_A0 |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/QsX_yib8_A0 |archive-date=15 December 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=25 April 2017}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite news|url= http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1083945_electric-car-battery-swapping-slovakian-style-well-vans-anyway |title=Electric-Car Battery Swapping, Slovakian Style (Well, Vans, Anyway)|work=Green Car Reports|access-date=25 April 2017|language=en}}{{Cite news |title=PTT's head discusses future tactics |work=Bangkok Post |date=5 September 2020 |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1980283/ptts-head-discusses-future-tactics |access-date=2022-07-07 |last1=Praiwan |first1=Yuthana }} By early 2022, Nio had built more than 850 swap stations in China,{{cite web |title=Could battery swapping replace EV charging? |url= https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/business-tech%2C-development-and-manufacturing/could-battery-swapping-replace-ev-charging |work=Autocar |access-date=4 April 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220404124328/https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/business-tech%2C-development-and-manufacturing/could-battery-swapping-replace-ev-charging |archive-date=4 April 2022 |language=en |date=4 April 2022 |url-status=live}} up from 131 in 2020.{{cite web |last1=Hanley |first1=Steve |title=NIO Completes More Than 500,000 Battery Swaps |url=https://cleantechnica.com/2020/05/31/nio-completes-more-than-500000-battery-swaps/ |work=CleanTechnica |date=31 May 2020}} A station can cost $772,000 in China. A 90 kWh battery is charged at 60 kW and can be swapped in 6 minutes. China operates cement trucks where the heavy battery is swapped.{{cite web |last1=Doll |first1=Scooter |title=Geely is rolling out swap stations for heavy duty EVs like cement mixers, housing three-ton battery packs |url=https://electrek.co/2022/03/15/geely-is-rolling-out-swap-stations-for-heavy-duty-evs-like-cement-mixers-housing-three-ton-battery-packs/ |work=Electrek |date=15 March 2022}} A battery swap system with a 2{{nbsp}}MWh battery in each 20-foot (6.1 m) shipping container powering a converted canal barge began operating in the Netherlands in 2021.{{cite web |title=First emission-free inland shipping vessel on energy containers in service |url=https://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/news-and-press-releases/first-emission-free-inland-shipping-vessel-on-energy-containers-in-service |work=Port of Rotterdam |language=en |date=6 September 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Berrill |first1=Paul |title=Heineken refreshes the batteries other shippers can't reach |url= https://www.tradewindsnews.com/technology/heineken-refreshes-the-batteries-other-shippers-can-t-reach/2-1-1063518 |work=TradeWinds |date=7 September 2021}}
In France, companies like ZEWAY have implemented a battery swapping system for their electric scooters, enabling instant recharging in just 50 seconds through a network of battery swapping stations. This approach is gaining ground, especially in urban areas, as it promotes sustainable transportation while addressing the limitations of traditional battery charging methods. In 2024, ZEWAY reached 1,000,000 swaps and became the European leader in battery swapping.
Criticism
{{See also|Open hardware}}
In 2013, CNET reviewer Wayne Cunningham criticized battery swapping solutions as proprietary, with concerns over promotion of the Tesla Model S mentioning "Tesla stations" for swapping. With a monopoly of ownership of the batteries and incompatible patent-protected technologies, the companies could split the market and decrease the chances of wider usage of battery swapping.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/tesla-battery-swap-a-dead-end/ |title=Tesla battery swap a dead end |date=21 June 2013 |access-date=12 February 2014}}
Gallery
File:NIO Battery Swap station in use at Oslo, Norway.jpg|Battery Swap Station used by a taxi in Oslo, Norway.
File:Stanica baterii V.Bierovce2.jpg|alt=Battery Swap Station for light commercial vehicles in Slovakia|Battery Swap Station for light commercial vehicles in Slovakia.
File:Unloading battery pack.jpg|alt=loading a Voltia electric LKW battery pack|Loading a Voltia electric LKW battery pack.
File:Batteriskiftestation (better place).jpg|alt=A shuttered Better Place station in Denmark.|A shuttered Better Place batter swap station in Funen, Denmark.
File:Gogoro Network.jpg|alt=The Gogoro GoStation presents a bank of 20 or more green-handled batteries, brightly illuminated in an open shed on a rainy night next to a tiled petrol station in Taiwan.|Gogoro GoStation, colocated at a CPC petrol station in Sanzhi District, New Taipei City