Why Battery Swap Is The Wrong Choice In The Advancement To Innovative EV Ecosystem.

Electric mobility is more than just a mere fad. It is the future, alas, the much-needed consciously planned future for us all, one that is nevertheless possible only if we all sail in the same boat. In the progress toward this very future, we have stumbled upon a variety of possibilities, some good, some even better, but some not so suitable. One such contentious possibility of electric innovation is that of battery swapping.

In the bid to accelerate the Electric Vehicle adoption drive in India, the Union Government has introduced a battery swapping policy and interoperability standards to encourage buyers to opt for EV’s and improve efficiency in the EV ecosystem. The policy is specifically targeted more towards 2 and 3-wheeler EV’s as they contain smaller batteries making them simpler and hassle-free to operate and replace.

But first, it is critical that we try and dig deep into the idea and purpose behind battery swapping.

Battery swapping is a minute’s service to replace a drained battery with a fully charged battery in battery swapping stations. The purpose of this initiative is to alleviate time efficiency, reduce space dependency and inculcate cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to revolutionize business models such as Battery as a service subscription (BaaS), which is a subscription-based model to provide charged batteries to EV’s without in-built batteries.

Since 30-40% of the cost of electric vehicles is dominated by its in-built battery, this model offers serious cost savings and attains the cost parity between electric and conventional automobiles.

Although battery swapping will minimize recharging time, de-link battery cost from an EV, and achieve reduced range anxiety for EV owners, the idea is still under skepticism by many businesses and industrialists, despite some entering the game and finding themselves stuck in a loop of unending almost victories to succeeding in this business model.

Battery swapping previously has been an unsuccessful venture worldwide and phased out in China, Europe and U.S. The concept of rapid charging at first can be an exciting attempt to justify, however, the biggest concern is the universal technical standards that need to be met by all OEM and cell manufacturers.

To become a mainstream technology, a standard format for battery packs needs to be ascertained which would immensely limit flexibility and innovation for manufacturers who differentiate themselves from their competitors. Commonality and uniformity in standards would halt product development and take away the power of technical trademarks of many players. Moreover, the battery pack design must be easily accessible and located in a single pack, designed in a manner so it can be rapidly removed and re-attached.

Although battery swapping may encourage acceptance in two- and three-wheelers, it is not a viable concept for EV owners due to the huge weight of the battery pack, which makes switching the batteries problematic. The ones to gain from this would be fleets and delivery services as time is of the essence.

Because even little driver downtime decreases earnings, battery shifting could offer value to delivery or business fleets. Switching to a speedier battery replacement could boost fleet revenue while preventing excessive DC charging, which can reduce battery life. This would work if the fleets would have a standard EV model and battery technology to function with.

But battery swapping nonetheless will require higher investments which will most certainly be an expensive affair in terms of infrastructure. Battery swapping stations also need a complex infrastructure to support the undertaking. This is because even they require to charge their batteries which will exert similar demand on the grid provided in charging stations. The overall cost of a nationwide battery swapping system will be much higher in comparison to an EV charging infrastructure.?

Moreover, the battery performance is the highlight of the discussion, since it degrades over time, resulting in a shorter range. Most EV drivers will obviously opt for newer batteries to reduce their number of trips to the swapping stations and achieve greater range. This will lead to shorter operating cycles for the batteries which will raise the recycling cost to replace battery packs indicating reduced performance.

Additionally, battery safety is a concern, which will require on-ground training for swap station personnel to skill the art of battery replacement and avoid damages and mishaps.

Instead, opting for advanced battery technologies and universal charging standards would generate a wholesome EV ecosystem which would avoid the need for India-specific vehicles which will increase vehicle cost.

Considering the number of EV’s in the market and a well-supported, distributed hardware for EV charging in the country, a long-term vision for battery swapping infrastructure may not be feasible. Lastly, EV’s are capable of charging from power outlets at home, boosting the most important value addition to EV owners - Convenience.

Let’s not forget our united efforts toward the interest of the planet, because battery swapping is a dead end that the planet can not afford as it's neither economical nor sustainable.?