Back in May, Ample revealed that it had managed to get its swap station to change out an electric vehicle's battery in five minutes. Now the company has partnered with Mitsubishi Fuso to bring its battery swapping technology to electric trucking.
Ample's technology sees electric vehicle fitted with modular battery packs that are compatible with its battery swap station. Rather than sit plugged in at a public charging station for hours, a driver rolls the car onto a platform and the depleted modules are automatically removed and replaced with fresh ones.
This used to take 10 minutes with Ample's original design, but the second-generation station can manage it in five minutes. The removed battery modules are absorbed into the station's battery bank and recharged, ready for the arrival of the next customer.
Last-mile delivery companies obviously don't want fleet vehicles out of action for lengthy recharge periods, which makes Ample's technology an attractive alternative.
To that end, Ample's battery modules are being installed in a bunch of Fuso eCanter electric trucks in Japan for deployment to companies later in the year. Initially, those vehicles can expect a range of between 62 and 200 miles (100 - 322 km) before the driver needs to enter a swapping station for a "gas-station-like experience."
While the truck undergoes its five-minute pitstop, it can be loaded with goods ready for the next delivery run. And though those per-swap ranges will already suit many inner-city logistics needs, Ample reports that longer-range options are being looked into.
Source: Ample
