San Francisco-based startup Ample has revealed its innovative second-gen robotic electric vehicle battery swapping station that promises to transform the EV charging landscape. With the ability to swap out batteries in a timeframe comparable to refueling a traditional petrol or diesel vehicle, this game-changing technology aims to eliminate the lengthy charging times typically associated with EVs.
Ample’s battery swapping concept is not entirely new, as companies like Gogoro have already publicly explored the technology.
Nonetheless, the key objective behind this approach is to address the time-consuming nature of EV charging. In effect, it will provide a faster and more convenient alternative to the traditional charging infrastructure.
How does it work?
Ample’s battery swapping station introduces a drive-through design that accommodates a range of vehicles, including larger trucks. When a vehicle enters the station, it drives onto an elevated platform between two walls and is covered with a roof.
The platform is then further elevated to create space for a fully automated robotic system that carries out the battery swap beneath the vehicle.
The technology stores and recharges the drained batteries at the station, preparing to swap them into other cars.
What’s the big deal?
The entire battery swapping process takes approximately five minutes, a time frame faster than any current EV charging system’s ability to go from 0 to 100%.
While the latest 350 kW DC chargers can add around 350 km of range in 10 minutes, provided the EV supports the maximum charging speed, Ample’s solution significantly outperforms these standards.
In addition, Ample co-founder John de Souza explained that the company had developed an interface tray similar in size to an EV battery. It can apparently make any EV compatible with all battery chemistry.
Specifically, the tray contains modular battery units with non-proprietary cells that can be customized to fit any vehicle model or driving profile.
While EV manufacturers will need to support the interface tray, it does not require significant redesigning of the cars, serving as a simple drop-in replacement.
One electric automaker already planning to utilize Ample’s technology is Fisker, renowned for its Ocean electric SUV. Ample claims that car companies can leverage the battery swapping technology without extensive modifications by simply integrating the interface tray into their vehicles.
Ample intends to deploy its first battery swapping stations in San Francisco, Kyoto, and Madrid to establish a global presence. The company claims that its stations are three to ten times cheaper to implement compared to fast-charging stations, enabling Ample to provide energy at 10 to 20% cheaper than petrol.
See Also:
- Fisker, Ample partner to launch e-SUVs with swappable batteries
- Gogoro expands battery swapping business to Singapore via B2B partners
- Honda starts battery swapping station in Japan
- IDTechEx: Nio is leading the expansion of battery swapping beyond China
- Indian state inks $2.5 billion project for EV battery-swapping
With Ample’s groundbreaking robotic battery swapping station, the future of EV charging takes a significant leap forward. This transformative technology offers a promising solution to address charging time concerns, making EV ownership more convenient and accessible for a broader range of consumers.
You can watch Ample’s informational video about its battery swapping technology below:
