Innovative electric car maker NIO and leading battery manufacturer CATL have formed a partnership aimed at building the world's largest battery swapping network, while also promoting unified standards and technologies.
Though combustion-engine vehicles are unquestionably bad for us and the environment, when it comes to quickly topping up the fuel source they're certainly a lot more convenient than having to plug in at a charger and wait. And wait.
A bunch of manufacturers and research teams have already succeeded in cutting recharge time to mere minutes – the latest being China's BYD, which has announced a 1,000-kW system that could add around 250 miles of battery range in just five minutes. But wouldn't it be better if you could just head to a drive-thru-like structure, park up and then have your complete battery pack swapped out for a freshly charged one before driving away?
That's precisely what NIO's Power Swap Stations are designed for, with the first one opening for business in Shenzhen in 2018. Drivers of compatible NIO electric cars simply roll onto the platform, and an automated system removes the spent battery pack from below.
A freshly charged module is hauled over from the adjacent storage area, and then pushed up and into the vehicle's frame and secured in place. The whole process is reported to take a few minutes, and the setup will even perform a vehicle systems check. You can get a feel for the process in the video below, though the technology has since been updated.
NIO has installed more than 3,000 Power Swap Stations in China so far, and has expanded beyond its home turf to European regions like Germany, France, Italy the Netherlands and Scandinavia, as well as setting up shop in the UAE. The company is looking to have more than 4,000 Stations operating around the world by the end of this year.
Now NIO has inked a strategic partnership with battery giant CATL to "create the largest and most advanced battery swapping service network for passenger vehicles." CATL has invested RMB 2.5 billion (about US$346 million) in NIO Power, with the partnership working to develop and adopt national battery swap standards – CATL launched its own Choco-Swap ecosystem last year, and new vehicles from NIO's Firefly sub-brand should be made compatible with CATL's network.
In addition to expanding the swapping networks, the partnership is also aiming to establish a "complete lifecycle loop that encompasses battery R&D, swapping services, asset management, reutilization, and material recycling, helping reduce costs and improve efficiency across the entire value chain of new energy vehicles while ensuring safety."
"The strategic cooperation between NIO and CATL marks a pivotal moment, propelling battery swapping into a brand-new phase," said NIO CEO and Chairman, William Li. "With the support from CATL, NIO's swapping network will extend to more regions and provide better services.
"This cooperation is beyond capital investment – it facilitates mutual empowerment in technological standards and service systems. NIO has maintained an open approach in fields such as charging and swapping network and battery asset management, aiming to bring the ‘Chargeable, Swappable, Upgradeable’ solution to a broader user base and accelerate the transition of the automotive industry towards green and low-carbon development."
Source: NIO
The stations also charge the batteries at a slower rate which is better for the battery and electrical grid than fast charging is. They also can charge over night or during off peak hours using excess cheap electricity. The Swap stations also work with and monitor the grid and can absorb excess renewable energy generation and release it back to the grid during times of low generation. They can also adjust their charging based on the grid health. Battery storage will be needed on the grids with increased use of renewable, China knows this that's why they are pushing these swap stations. They help the grid and double as battery swap stations for EVs, making charging faster than getting gas. It also makes the initial EV purchase much cheaper allowing more people to afford them, and peace of mind never worrying about the most expensive part of your vehicle.