Stellantis to begin use of EV battery swapping tech

Automotive group Stellantis is to begin testing battery swap stations claimed to be capable of delivering a fully charged electric vehicle battery in under five minutes.

The initial program, which is being run in partnership with American firm Ample, will begin next year in Madrid, Spain using a fleet of 100 electric Fiat 500s within Stellantis’ Free2Move car sharing service.

Ample says its modular batteries are designed to be a “drop-in replacement” for an EV’s original battery, and can fit into any electric vehicle.

This should mean the recharging process takes no longer than the time it takes to fill a car with petrol or diesel.

Ample adds that its battery swapping stations can be set up in public areas “in as little as three days”.

Ricardo Stamatti, Stellantis senior vice president, charging and energy business unit said: “The partnership with Ample is another example of how Stellantis is exploring all avenues that enable freedom of mobility for our electric vehicle customers.

“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.”