Battery Swapping Might Turbocharge Electric Vehicle Fleets

• China has over 550 battery switching stations operating
• Battery exchanging activity is restricted in Europe as well as the UNITED STATE

Battery swapping can significantly lower refueling time for electric vehicles (EVs). There are now over 550 battery swapping stations in China. NIO and also BAIC are two leading automakers in battery swapping modern technology.

NIO has installed nearly 180 terminals, while BAIC has established over 220 stations as well as plans to add 100 even more across China in 2021. BNEF expects battery swapping to obtain even more traction in taxi, flight hailing and also short-haul trucking applications, which require much faster refueling than private EV owners. Batteries used in fleet vehicles are also simpler to systematize.

Battery exchanging innovation might help increase EV adoption in some hard-to-electrify fields. Although still in its early stage, the battery exchanging network in China currently towers over the hydrogen refueling network. BNEF estimates that 648 hydrogen refueling stations were in operation internationally at the end of 2020, with 96 in China.

Battery switching and hydrogen are still far behind EV billing. China installed 112,000 public EV billing connectors in December 2020 alone.