In China, automaker, Nio, is working around urban charging constraints by offering battery swapping the takes under four minutes

There are some who believe that once the automotive market sees the cost and range of an EV on par with a comparable combustion vehicle, that electric mobility will be for everyone.

There are other factors to consider though.

Cities like Montreal and Vancouver represent some of the biggest adoption rates for electric mobility in Canada. However, many urbanites do not have a designated parking space of their own and a limiting factor in owning an electric car is, “where to charge?”.

One solution to work around the absence of home charging is to have super-fast charging stations for electric vehicles and there are considerable resources being aimed in that direction.

Unfortunately, fast chargers aren’t a perfect solution.

Many demand large amounts of electricity at the busiest times of the day for the grid and the systems need to be cooled, which involves more energy expenditure. Repeated fast charging of many automotive batteries reduces its overall life span. Lastly, onboard charging capabilities of each visiting vehicle has to be geared to take advantage of large amounts of incoming charge. At this point in time that capability adds a substantial premium to the cost of an EV.

So, what if what if we’ve been doing this all wrong and fast chargers aren’t the answer at all?

A better way

One innovative route to quickly recharging an electric vehicle is to swap its spent battery with a fully charged one.

This concept is not the science fiction solution that one might think. In fact, it’s already happening — imagined years ago — and is functioning daily in China.

Chinese car manufacturer Nio has established a network of 2,432 battery swapping stations throughout the country.

Nio’s Power Swap Station 4.0 went online in June, 2024. It can change the battery of eight Nio vehicle models in as little as two and a half minutes.

That is quicker than a gas fill up.

Each station can complete up to 480 swaps a day. Yes it involves a specific design of vehicle and a collaboration between that maker and the energy supplier, but it solves several problems currently plaguing the Canadian public fast charging networks.

At a swap station, batteries could be charged at night, when demand for electricity is at its lowest. Those batteries could charge at a slower rate, thereby extending their overall life and lowering their environmental impact.

Batteries could also be owned by the car manufacturer thus substantially lowering the initial purchase price of the vehicle. Clients would pay for battery usage along with their swapping fee, but that would be amortized over the ownership of the vehicle and relative to the amount of times they swap.

Also, defective batteries would not involve a major recall or repair for the customer and, as advancements in battery technology take place, users could take advantage of them by swapping batteries instead of swapping vehicles.

Right size batteries to boost adoption

Electric motors are becoming more efficient. However, the conundrum of EVs is still that: to get more range you need more batteries, adding to the cost and weight of the vehicle.

Certain EV models now are available with more than one battery capacity option to allow the consumer to choose the cost, range, and efficiency balance. This is a one-time decision though, that defines the vehicle’s overall capabilities for its entire life.

With swappable batteries it could be possible to change up a low range (daily commute) battery for a long range version for an extended journey.

Essentially, carry only the battery you need for your intended driving purpose.

It’s unlikely that a home charging station is possible for every current and prospective EV driver. Yet it is important that the uptake of electric mobility in Canada continues.

To strengthen the trend, it may be time for governing bodies at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels to consider implementing battery swapping to help drivers convert to zero-emission personal transportation.

Peter Vella calls himself a car nut with a conscience, and has found his enthusiasm for things mobile revitalized by the electric vehicle movement. He travels extensively to most any electric vehicle symposium, international car show or car museum he can get to.