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Ford's Director of Global Electrification Discusses Battery Swapping

 
11 2,290 views October 29, 2009

Better Place battery-swap demonstration

Better Place battery-swap demonstration

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There are many methods for charging EVs.  From using household current, to battery swapping, to fast charge stations, the list is continually growing.  However, not everyone is on board with some charging options.

Battery swapping has continually been met with interest, yet few believe the idea is workable.  According to Nancy Gioia, newly appointed director of global electrification at Ford, battery swapping has far too many pitfalls.  Gioia said, "Battery swapping is an interesting concept, but there are potential pitfalls that must be overcome.  A lot of EVs, because of the size of batteries and energy density, may have liquid cooling and that cooling loop has to break to change a battery.  It's a difficult thing to do."

Though technical issues such as battery cooling could be overcome with creative design, the logistics involved with battery swapping seem impractical and virtually impossible to overcome.  Under most battery swapping scenarios, a consumer drives to a battery swapping location similar to a quick lube oil change, pays a fee, and swaps for a fresh battery.

Storing batteries needed for all electric vehicles on the road is not as simple as loading your shelves with oil filters.  Batteries can weigh several hundred pounds, take up space the size of an engine / trans combo, and can be both dangerous to handle and hazardous to store.

Gioia later added, "Battery packs are expected to change year to year as technology improves."  With newly developed battery packs produced yearly, the total numbers of batteries on hand at the swapping stations could quickly reach into the thousands.  The sheer size of a battery swapping station would require careful planning and purchasing of lots much larger than gas stations.  In tight inner city areas, available land of this size is likely very limited.

With both technological and logistical hurdles in the way for pioneers of battery swapping like Better Place, the goal may be achievable, but the process will be timely and costly.
Source:  Wards Auto  (login required)





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Comments (11)

  1. By  shounta Posted: 10/29/2009 5:06am PDT

    i think to get more ppl interested you need to make the brosure more interesting... This is sooo boring..
     
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  2. By Jason M. Hendler Posted: 10/29/2009 5:34am PDT

    Ford has been very successful emulating Toyota's and Honda's product offerings, so why not Nissan's? Once domestic automaker should challenge the Asian automakers head-on, while the other stretches for the next big thing.
     
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  3. By blakem Posted: 10/29/2009 6:25am PDT

    It is expected for her to concetrate on the pitfalls of battery swapping because Ford has clearly not chosen that as an option. Right or wrong, companies will always find a way to justify their direction. I'm sure the story would be very differnt if you interviewed the director of electrification at Renault. What I'd like to see is a group of engineers without any ties to a particular car company discuss the potential benefits vs. pitfalls of battery swapping.
     
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  4. By B-Man Posted: 10/29/2009 12:19pm PDT

    I see her reasons for avoiding battery swapping as very good and insightful reasons. Ford seems to be making the right decisions of late, including bringing a Kuga model and Fiesta over to the States that are similar to the European designs. And an all-electric Focus is on it's way in 2011. They're just being careful about which technology to adopt and who to partner with, if that needs to happen and how, etc. Seems like prudent stuff to me.
     
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  5. By Jason M. Hendler Posted: 10/29/2009 12:29pm PDT

    B-Man, I think Ford is merely copying Toyota, Honda and Nissan, which makes their "leadership" visionless. They, at best, are following others.
     
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  6. By  Eric E Posted: 10/29/2009 6:47pm PDT

    Jason-
    Of the three brands you mentioned, which one has given US journalists time behind the wheel of their electric car? NONE. But Ford has.
    Honda doesn't have a hybrid SUV, but Ford does.
    Nissan... how is their current hybrid offering?
    And Toyota? Their electric car is a joke.
    Conclusion: Nissan has an electric car, Toyota has some hybrids, Honda has one hybrid... and FORD has all of the above.
    I'd say their LEADING, not copying.
     
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  7. By Jason M. Hendler Posted: 10/30/2009 11:21am PDT

    Eric, Ford may have all those configurations now, but had none of them first. Ford wouldn't even have the Focus EV if their Tier 1 supplier hadn't developed it for them.
    I don't argue with Ford's strategy or execution. They are actually giving Toyota, Honda and Nissan a run for their money. It takes vision to actually pull away from the pack.
     
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  8. By Noel Park Posted: 10/30/2009 2:25pm PDT

    I have to agree with Ms. Gioia, at least for the short to intermediate term. Maybe someday the batteries will become as standardized and interchangeable as "AAA", "AA", and "C" cells, but not for awhile, IMHO. I think that PBP and Renault will be servicing PBP/Renault BEVs exclusively for quite some time. Although Nissan is controlled by Renault, so maybe they can force some commonality there.
    Anyway, we will be getting a Volt if and when they become available to us. The BEV and battery switching will have to wait another generation.
     
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  9. By Carcus1 Posted: 10/31/2009 10:38am PDT

    Pretty much every time I read something from Nancy Gioia I end up thinking "that sounds about right". The logistics of battery swap sounds too complicated to be feasible( unless it's in a specialized situation (like if an agency with fleet vehicles (like the post office) wanted to set up their own battery swap system.)
    Ford seems to be approaching vehicle electrification from mostly the right direction. I just wish they would come up with a clean sheet design for a BEV. I think they would have more success with a fresh design than with a converted focus. Surely that will be the next step after testing the market with the electric focus.
     
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  10. By Innovator Posted: 10/31/2009 12:35pm PDT

    I agree, battery technology is evolving rapidly and standards are only reasonable when the industry is more mature.
    Even BetterPlace is focusing on charge stations much more than swap stations. Their financial model is to put their charge station in your garage, mark up your electric bill and use that money to pay for the rare swap station that you will only use twice a year.
     
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  11. By Nathanael Posted: 11/19/2009 1:28pm PST

    I think battery swapping is going to exist largely as a method of upgrading old cars -- because the batteries change faster than the rest of the car -- not as a method of recharging while driving. Battery swap stations will be dealerships, not gas stations.
    Agencies with fleet vehicles might set up battery swap operations though.
     
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