People who charge their electric cars at public charging stations may find that charging is sometimes quicker, easier, or cheaper than they had thought. This is based on where you live. Also, you’re charging 80% of the time, most of the time, if you’re paying attention to battery system security. It would be helpful if you could use a kiosk to change the battery pack and be on your way in minutes. There is an old idea behind the application, but it is still in its early stages. Right now, only NIO is doing it in China. Stellantis, on the other hand, is paying attention and moving, which is why they were the first to show off the all-electric Fiat 500e hatchback. Stellantis revealed today that it is partnering with Ample. This San Francisco-based company was founded in 2014 and uses modular battery switching to give electric vehicles the power they need faster and cheaper. The company’s website says that Ample’s technology has “a fully autonomous swapping station that removes depleted battery modules from the car and replaces them with fully charged ones.” After being used up, the battery units are put on shelves to be charged again. Stellantis and other car companies can use Ample’s technology in their current vehicle systems because Ample’s modular batteries can be easily swapped out for the original batteries. Customers can use the technology that makes Ample batteries by subscribing to a service. An Ample stop can find automobiles that are Ample-enabled. The driver uses an app on their phone to turn on the battery switch after pulling into the station. The “pods” at the abundant battery swapping station can be moved around and are set up over three days. Because of the partnership, Stellantis’ electric cars will have Ample’s five-minute battery change technology built in. The first program will start in 2024 in Madrid, Spain, and will include 100 Fiat 500e electric cars, which are the company’s best-selling electric cars, as part of Stellantis’ Free2move car-sharing service. Even so, the two companies are still talking about Stellantis fleet and consumer uses. Time will only tell if Stellantis and Ample can do more than small projects. The idea of switching batteries could be very revolutionary, but our pessimist knows that Ample and Stellantis will need help putting this cutting-edge technology into practice. We’re interested in how reliable the booth system is, how batteries are distributed and easy to get, how much it costs to store batteries that aren’t being used across the country, and what safety issues arise when a vehicle’s main part is replaced so often.
