China's CATL is planning a major expansion of battery swapping for electric vehicles
The world’s largest maker of batteries for electric vehicles says it will get into battery swapping in China in a big way starting next year
XIAMEN, China (AP) — The world's largest maker of batteries for electric vehicles said Wednesday it will get into battery swapping in China in a big way starting next year.
The idea behind battery swapping is to refuel quickly, similar to filling a conventional car with gas. Instead of waiting for the batteries to recharge, one swaps out the old ones with a block of fresh ones at a swap station. An EV driver pulls into a swapping station, and automated technology exchanges the low battery for a fully-charged one the station has available.
China-based CATL announced plans to open 1,000 swap stations next year in China, including in Hong Kong and Macao, with a long-term goal of 10,000 stations built with partners. If the company follows through, it could rival Nio, a 10-year-old Chinese electric car brand that has opened more than 2,700 stations and has plans for at least 5,000.
Nothing on that scale exists elsewhere in the world, though Nio has about 60 swap stations in northern Europe. Such a large investment is possible in China, where government support has transformed the world's largest auto market into a heavily electric one and made the country a leader in EV technology.
