
Stellantis have signed a deal with Ample to fit its future electric vehicles with revolutionary battery swapping technology.
The solution will be a turning point in the EV industry as it will be capable of providing a fully charged EV battery in 5 minutes. The rollout will initially be in Free2move’s car sharing fleet of Fiat 500es in 2024.
“The partnership with Ample is another example of how Stellantis is exploring all avenues that enable freedom of mobility for our electric vehicle customers,” said Ricardo Stamatti, Stellantis senior vice president, charging and energy business unit.
“In addition to other projects we are focused on, Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping solution has the opportunity to offer our customers greater energy efficiency, outstanding performance and lower range anxiety.”
The programme is initially going to be introduced in Madrid, Spain. It will use a fleet of 100 of the electric Fiat vehicles within Stellantis’ Free2move car sharing service.
The batteries, designed and produced by Ample, are made to be a drop-in replacement for the EV’s original battery. This works due to the modular batteries that can fit in any EV, meaning that Stellantis do not have to redesign its vehicle platforms.
The Ample battery swapping stations are lightweight and can be deployed in as little as three days. This means that the infrastructure required to meet driver demands can be met adequately and efficiently.
They work by instantly recognising an Ample-enabled vehicle as it approaches the station to allow it access. Drivers will then initiate the battery swap via an app on their mobile phone and will gain a fully charged battery in less than five minutes.
The new technology will be available to EV customers on subscription service basis. The system will be streamlined and cost effective, thus reducing the amount of time where EVs are off the road whilst charging.
The approach, which Ample and Stellantis state they look forward to rollout globally, will allow the customer to benefit from having the latest battery technology and reducing the total upfront cost of the vehicle.
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