Stellantis Claims to Hold the Key After Tesla's Battery Swapping Descent
Stellantis claims to have cracked the code for efficient battery swapping, offering a game-changing solution to swiftly recharge electric vehicles With the ability to swap batteries in mere minutes, this innovation promises a hassle-free and quick way to get back on the road with a fully charged pack
Fast charging an electric car up to 80% can take around 20 minutes, but what if you could simply swap out the batteries, similar to changing AAs in a toy, and be fully charged in just a few minutes? This may seem like a straightforward solution, but there have been significant setbacks associated with battery swapping. Approximately ten years ago, Tesla proposed a network of battery swapping stations that could replace the Model S's battery pack in just 90 seconds. However, like many of CEO Elon Musk's publicly announced concepts, it was eventually abandoned, with Musk stating that customers did not express interest.
In 2013, Better Place, an Israeli company that offered battery swapping, shut down after spending $850 million and only deploying around 1,000 cars. However, the concept has been revived in Asia by Chinese EV maker Nio, which has been providing battery swapping for its vehicles since 2019. Nio boasts of being the largest operator of battery swapping technology globally, with over 32 million swaps performed at more than 2,100 stations since then.
The tire of an electric vehicle in position for battery swapping inside the Ample machine.
Ample has been experimented by Stellantis, the global automaker behind Jeep, Dodge, and Fiat vehicles, on a smaller scale with a key distinction, in the hopes of integrating it into upcoming EV models.
Stellantis has partnered with Ample, a company that has developed a new battery swapping system designed to be compatible with vehicles of all shapes and sizes. According to Ample, the system does not require any modifications to the vehicle in order to accommodate a special battery pack.
The innovative system involves replacing the entire battery pack in smaller, individually sealed modules, about the size of a desktop computer, using automated machinery. This method allows for the quick and manageable replacement of the vehicle's batteries, as opposed to replacing a single, heavy slab.
The battery change process could take between five to ten minutes, depending on the size of the vehicle and number of modules, rather than the 90 seconds promised by Musk. Nonetheless, utilizing separate small battery packs offers several advantages.
For one, the equipment necessary for battery replacement can be compact. Ample battery swap stations, which handle the process automatically, resemble backyard sheds with a reinforced wall that houses and charges the battery modules. Additionally, there is no need to excavate the ground underneath the swapping station, as might be required for handling large, heavy battery packs.
The batteries do not require high-powered DC fast charging, as they have ample time to charge within the hut wall. As a result, the battery swapping stations do not need high-wattage power connections like fast-charging stations, making installation simpler, according to Ample founder and CEO Khaled Hassounah.
In addition, the vehicle can be any shape or size, whether it's an SUV, car, or truck. There is no need to design the vehicle around an Ample battery pack, as the battery modules fit into a container on the underside of the vehicle, adapted to its size and shape. This means a large vehicle can accommodate more battery modules, while a smaller vehicle would hold fewer.
In addition to Stellantis, Ample is collaborating with Mitsubishi Fuso, a heavy equipment manufacturer, to conduct a battery-swapping test with commercial trucks in Japan. In the United States, the system is being tested with various Uber vehicles in the San Francisco Bay area. According to the company, Ample's 12 battery-swapping stations in the Bay area are used "a few hundred" times a day.
Ample's battery modules can also be charged in the vehicle using a regular EV charger, giving drivers the option to either plug in or swap batteries as needed. Additionally, most EV owners could still charge their cars overnight at home.
Stellantis has not committed to integrating the system into its electric vehicle models for global sale. Instead, the company plans to utilize the Ample battery swap system in a fleet of 100 Fiat 500e electric cars in Spain as part of its Free2Move car-sharing service next year. According to Ricardo Stamatti-Avila, Stellantis' vice president for charging and energy, the Fiat 500e, a compact electric car with a range of approximately 150 miles, is an ideal candidate for testing battery swapping technology.
"The current solution to increasing a car's range is simply adding more batteries," he explained. "However, this approach becomes challenging when dealing with limited space, such as in a Fiat 500. Enlarging the car would essentially alter its identity, transforming it into something other than a Fiat 500."
Even for larger vehicles, Amples battery swapping system could liberate drivers from the need to purchase excessive battery power that they rarely use. Instead, customers could opt to rent additional battery packs for occasional long trips, as suggested by Stamatti-Avila.
If the system performs well in Spain, Stellantis plans to initially focus on commercial fleet customers to establish a network of swapping stations. Once there are enough swapping stations, regular retail customers will have access to the system. However, if Stellantis' Spanish trial is unsuccessful, the concept of battery-swapping may be abandoned, similar to what happened with Tesla.
