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Battery swapping is a technique that consists of swapping a discharged electric car battery with one that is already charged. This would replace recharging, thus eliminating long refueling times – one of the major limitations of zero-emission vehicles.
Battery swapping is a new technology allowing super fast charging for electric cars. Ample is a Californian Start-up company partnering with Uber and its project involves using ultra-rapid fully-autonomous battery swapping stations, which feature a ‘swapping’ system for high-capacity batteries.
In an interview with Power Electronics News, Ample co-founders Khaled Hassounah and John de Souza, highlighted that this technology is a Lego-style battery swapping system allowing a driver to pull up, charge, and go. “The coolest part is designed to recharge any EV from any automaker in <10 minutes,” the speakers said. The company has raised $70 million in funding led by Shell Ventures and joined by Repsol Energy Ventures and Eneos Innovation Partners, among others.
Using a combination of computer vision and wireless communication, the Ample station can identify the exact location of each battery module to be swapped. Once the discharged battery modules are removed from the car, they are placed on racks so that they can be charged and ready for the next vehicle.
Battery Swapping
Over the next few years many EVs are expected to be on the road, but a core challenge is creating the charging infrastructure that will make this easy, cheap, and as accessible as owning a gas-powered vehicle. Extended charging times are one of the main challenges for the spread of e-mobility. Today, recharging a car takes longer – from 30 minutes to a few hours – than refuelling, which only takes a few minutes. Ample’s project, and those of other companies working on similar solutions, could finally reduce this gap.
The lithium batteries in electric cars still take a certain amount of time to recharge, depending on the capacity of the battery or the charging infrastructure available, whether we charge in AC or DC. For quicker recharging, there is the possibility of replacing the battery on the fly, an operation that takes much less time, but to perform this “Battery Swapping” operation, the battery housing on the car must be designed in a special way.
Battery swapping is a technique that consists of swapping a discharged electric car battery with one that is already charged. This would replace recharging, thus eliminating long refueling times – one of the major limitations of zero-emission vehicles. This technique must be carried out at a specific station and with the right technology.
In addition to significantly reduce the time needed to regenerate the range of an electric vehicle, battery swapping eliminates the problem related to the number of charging cycles a battery can endure before losing the ability to store current, the so-called life cycle. Consumers don’t need to worry about recycling those battery packs and the recycling will be done at the OEM company or by station operators who manage the swapping network, instead of going to landfill. Another advantage of this solution, which can be achieved in the medium to long term, is the possibility of renewing battery technology when existing batteries become obsolete or outdated.
Pros of Battery Swapping E-Scooter
? Not much range anxiety if there’s enough battery swapping stations
? No waiting period
? Can be carried home to recharge
? Could cost much less
? Eradicates the problem of depreciating battery capacity
? Ability to adopt a newer battery technology once it is broadly available
Cons of Battery Swapping E-Scooter
? Lack of standardization
? Possibility of getting a more used up unit which could impact driving range
? Short life of battery as most users would opt for a new battery
? More batteries are in circulation to run the same number of EVs
? The weight of the battery may not make the task of swapping any easier
Pros of Battery Charging E-Scooter
? As simple as plugging in an appliance
? No need to manually remove battery and replace them (most batteries are very heavy)
? What you buy is yours to keep
? You can set a charger at home
? Higher degree of battery optimization with the scooter
Cons of Battery Charging E-Scooter
? Long waiting period
? Impact on battery health over the span of ownership
? Needs ample space to park and charge simultaneously
? Range anxiety due to lack of time to recharge
? Needs more planning before leaving the house
An electric scooter is vehicle that is powered by electricity, and that it will require periodic plug-in charging in order to function. They usually come in a two wheel format, although three wheels models exist too. They have a step-through frame, where the rider can stand while driving the vehicle.
Some models might even offer a seat, but this is just an addition on the step-through platform or frame. This is the key difference between electric scooters and electric motorcycles, where the later do not have a step-through frame, and directly provide a seat integrated in their frames.
As previously said, the electric scooter requires electricity to function, which will be stored in some type of rechargeable battery that is attached to the frame. Some of the most common type of batteries for scooters are lithium ion batteries, and sealed lead acid batteries.
Types of Electric Scooters
There are several types of electric scooters in the market you can choose from. Before purchasing the best electric scooter, you should ask yourself to know the type. And then you should select the scooter accordingly. Ask yourself about the purpose of buying the best electric scooter. For your ease, we have here discussed different types of the electric scooter in details.
Electric Motorcycle:
This is a full-fledged vehicle powered by electricity. This is mainly used for professional racing purposes. It can attain good speed if required. These types of electric motorcycle are more or less expensive.
Electric Kick Scooter:
This is one of the most popular kinds of an electric scooter. Children, teenagers and adults, everyone likes this electric kick scooter. It offers a feeling of cruising in the air. As they don’t run at high speed, they are pretty much safer. On average an electric kick scooter can run at the speed of 10 to 12 miles per hour (mph).
Electric Mobility Scooter:
This is a great vehicle for the differently-abled people. They are not strictly designed for electric wheelchairs. People who can walk but need assistance, this is especially for them. An electric mobility scooter can be of three or four wheels.
Electric Bicycle:
Also known as electric bikes, these are very popular among the mountain bikers. You can even use them for commuting short distances. Sometimes they are recommended by the doctors. It’s also possible to convert a regular bicycle into an electric bicycle using a bicycle motor conversion kit.
Electric Wheelchair:
This is another model of electric scooter for the differently-abled persons. This is basically a wheelchair, powered by electricity. It helps people who cannot move around with easy and safe. Previously the designs were very simple and straightforward. But in recent days the modern electric wheelchairs come with different handy features for enhanced convenience like a rotatable seat, adjustable hand-rests etc.
