The Benefits of Battery Swapping Are Underestimated
The potential of battery swapping mode is fully recognized by the market. Current analysis of battery swapping stations mainly focuses on the light burden on the power grid, time-saving for users, and operational cost comparisons. In addition to these factors, we would like to highlight the underestimated aspects of battery swapping stations. We summarize the following eight points:
1) Battery swapping stations have stronger service capabilities per unit area;
2) Vehicle and battery separation reduces purchasing costs and provides greater flexibility for battery upgrades;
3) Battery swapping allows for flexible battery upgrades, effectively addressing "range anxiety";
4) Improved battery utilization efficiency and optimized management of retired batteries;
5) Charging mode places high demands on the power grid, while battery swapping mode is more grid-friendly;
6) When the number of new energy vehicles exceeds the capacity of existing residential charging stations, battery swapping stations become a necessary solution;
7) Battery swapping station investments have higher initial costs, but there is greater potential for cost reduction in operations and maintenance.
Battery swapping stations have stronger service capabilities per unit area.
Battery swapping has advantages for both operation-class passenger vehicles and commercial heavy-duty trucks. Public transportation and commercial vehicles are sensitive to operational costs and have frequent and fast recharging needs, making battery swapping mode more suitable. Through strategies such as unmanned operations, intelligent charging, standardized batteries, green energy transactions, and mobile power sources, battery swapping stations in the heavy-duty truck sector can maximize their operational value. Compared to charging stations, battery swapping stations have significant advantages in terms of service efficiency. The battery swapping process in a station typically involves five steps. Taking NIO's third-generation battery swapping station as an example, users first need to locate the swapping station using smart navigation. After arriving, the vehicle's license plate is recognized, and the user drives the car into the swapping station for battery swapping. After the swapping is completed, the vehicle undergoes self-inspection, and upon completion, the user can drive out of the station and settle the transaction. According to official data from NIO, their third-generation battery swapping station only takes 3 minutes for battery swapping, and the entire process is completed within 5 minutes. Additionally, the third-generation swapping station has a battery inventory of 21 units, enabling efficient service for multiple new energy vehicles in a short period of time. This effectively solves the problem of slow and difficult charging for new energy vehicles, significantly improving service efficiency.
Battery swapping stations have higher recharging efficiency with the same land area.
A battery swapping station occupies the space of four parking spots. In comparison, a charging station with the same area can accommodate up to four charging piles to recharge four vehicles simultaneously. However, a battery swapping station, with batteries pre-filled with electricity, can complete a battery swap every five minutes. Within one hour, it can provide recharging for 12 vehicles. Therefore, battery swapping stations have double the recharging efficiency compared to charging stations with the same land area.