Ample has unveiled autonomous battery swapping technology that can deliver a full charge to an electric vehicle in under ten minutes.

The company utilises a “Lego-like” modular battery architecture that allows for any electric vehicle to use Ample’s station, regardless of size or model.

A fully autonomous swapping station removes the depleted battery module from the vehicle and replaces it with a fully charged one. The depleted battery is then placed on a shelf where it can be re-charged.

“When we set out to work on this challenge, it was clear to us that ubiquitous electric car adoption is hindered by the shortcomings of charging options available today,” said Khaled Hassounah and John de Souza, Ample Co-founders.

“Urban areas and fleets have had slow uptake of electric vehicles due to slow charging speeds, high deployment cost and long construction time.”

Requiring no construction, Ample’s stations can be assembled wherever two parking bays are available, such as outside grocery stores, gas stations and highway rest stops.

“Our system is designed for rapid deployment, making it possible to equip an entire metropolitan area with a ubiquitous network in a matter of weeks, while delivering energy at a cost as cheap as gasoline.”

Ample is currently being deployed regionally in the San Francisco Bay Area, where they are actively working with a wide range of ridesharing, last-mile delivery, and municipal fleet partners.

The company is a partner in Uber’s electrification strategy, which plans to electrify 100 per cent of rides in Canada, Europe, and the United States of America by 2030.

Ample has created a short video that goes through their battery swapping technology:

Sources: Ample | Let’s Get One Billion Electric Vehicles on the Road

10 March 2021