The Myth of Swapping Batteries in EVs: Ample's Innovative Solution

You may have come across the idea that swapping batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) to recharge them quickly is an outdated concept. However, this notion was never actually implemented due to its impracticality. That is, until now. In San Francisco, we're excited to introduce you to Ample, a startup that's changing the game with their innovative battery swap technology.

The key to Ample's system lies in this large metal frame, which serves as an adapter. This frame essentially replaces the factory battery found under the car. A robot then comes into play, performing the essential work of a battery swap at the Ample station. The robot reaches up to this conversion sort of adapter interface that was installed on the car, replacing the factory battery with a series of trays.

This system strikes an interesting middle ground between monolithic big batteries and completely customizable little granular batteries, which wouldn't be practical otherwise. By using standardized battery units, the charging center robot knows exactly what to do with them. Moreover, if you're wondering how these cars are charged, it's done on-site at each location like the one behind us.

Ample's co-founder and president, John D'Souza, believes that the vision of universal fast charging is still overhyped. When they started this eight years ago, people told them to expect 350 kilowatt charges next year. Eight years later, they're still not building those fast chargers because they cost a lot. There are very few cars that can handle them, and even fewer cars are being produced without fast charging capabilities.

The reason there's no rush for these fast chargers is that Ample instead algorithmically balances the number of batteries needed based on projected customer demand. By not using DC fast charging, the batteries inside these cells last longer. For instance, if you only need a half charge, you don't have to replace the whole battery; just half of it. This approach was previously envisioned in swap technologies, but they were deemed impractical.

Historically, car makers would resist adopting such technologies as not-invented-here (NIH) issues. However, John D'Souza finds that companies are now more open to these ideas due to the battery era. They're taking out components, which aren't always developed by them but rather delivered by other companies. Moreover, their goal is to partner with car makers rather than trying to sell something to them.

Even Apple agrees that home-level 2 charging will be suitable for many electric car buyers. However, there are others who can't afford the convenience of fast charging networks and must deal with the vagaries of public charging stations. Ample's solution caters to these individuals by providing a more affordable alternative. Their focus is on making charging fluidly tailored to each vehicle owner's driving needs, doing so economically.

In conclusion, Ample's battery swap technology is revolutionizing the way we think about electric vehicles and their charging needs.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enyou may be under the impression of the idea of swapping batteries in evs to recharge them quickly is an idea that's already come and gone it wasn't going to work but a startup i'm going to introduce you to here in san francisco says that's because it wasn't done right let's meet ample now the key to the ample system is this big metal frame you see under here which is essentially an adapter this is where the factory battery was here you've got a robot coming in and doing the essential work of a battery swap in an ample station it's reaching up here into this conversion sort of adapter interface that they put on the car which replaced the factory battery and now you've got a series of trays it's about to undo one right now with these electronic servo lockers since it's undoing right now there we go this is where they hit this interesting middle ground of a monolithic big battery like car makers do on one end of the spectrum or a completely customizable little granular battery that wouldn't be practical either this is a middle ground that allows them to be semi-custom and semi-common across a large industry what's key about this system is that they're not taking the factory battery and replacing it with another giant battery that every car maker would have to agree to use the logic here is that it's a lot easier to build some kind of a custom interface for every electric car but then fill that interface with standardized battery units that this charging center robot knows exactly what to do with by the way if you're wondering how they charge these that's done on site at each location like we see behind me here and you might say wow they must fast charge them so they can have plenty of them ready all the time not necessarily they're charged at what's roughly a level two charge rate not unlike what you might have at home in your own garage ample co-founder and president john d'souza says the vision of universal everywhere you go super fast charging is still over hyped when we started this uh eight years ago people told us look next year we'll start having 350 kilowatt charges eight years later people tell us that next year we'll have 350 kilowatt charges people are not building them because they cost a lot there are very few cars that take them the people don't build the cars because there are no charges and they're stuck in this and they're energy and efficient so fast charging is great for some people but it won't solve all the problems the reason there's no rush is because they instead algorithmically balance the number of batteries they need for projected number of customers in a day and not using dc fast charging means that the batteries inside here the cells last longer so let's say you just need to get a half a charge you just need to replace half of these trays not the whole giant thing like some previous swap technologies envisioned another interesting idea is the batteries come out easily to be changed up for fresher ones newer technology ones ones that aren't defective you can't do that with big batteries very easily if at all and certainly not cost effectively they'll all come in within a week and we can swap them all out historically car makers would have a not invented here disinterest in technologies like these but d'souza says he finds they whistle a different tune in this battery era we're taking out a component but often that component is not developed by them it might be developed by some other company that delivers it to them we'll actually not ask you to make any modifications to your car that's a huge one to say let's keep it the way it is and the second is our goal is to partner with you are not trying to sell anything to oems but to sell a lot more vehicles even apple admits at home level 2 charging will be the answer for many electric car buyers but then there are the others for whom there is not a convenient charge waiting in the garage and they have to go out and deal with the vagaries of the public charging network so we're talking to people who have one car and they want that car to be electric it means a lot to him but they can't afford to to take all the sacrifice that you have for charging technologies like these remind me of one of my favorite mantras around the ev industry it's not about bigger batteries and more range per charge it's about making charging more fluid tailored to the kind of driving each vehicle owner actually does and doing that economicallyyou may be under the impression of the idea of swapping batteries in evs to recharge them quickly is an idea that's already come and gone it wasn't going to work but a startup i'm going to introduce you to here in san francisco says that's because it wasn't done right let's meet ample now the key to the ample system is this big metal frame you see under here which is essentially an adapter this is where the factory battery was here you've got a robot coming in and doing the essential work of a battery swap in an ample station it's reaching up here into this conversion sort of adapter interface that they put on the car which replaced the factory battery and now you've got a series of trays it's about to undo one right now with these electronic servo lockers since it's undoing right now there we go this is where they hit this interesting middle ground of a monolithic big battery like car makers do on one end of the spectrum or a completely customizable little granular battery that wouldn't be practical either this is a middle ground that allows them to be semi-custom and semi-common across a large industry what's key about this system is that they're not taking the factory battery and replacing it with another giant battery that every car maker would have to agree to use the logic here is that it's a lot easier to build some kind of a custom interface for every electric car but then fill that interface with standardized battery units that this charging center robot knows exactly what to do with by the way if you're wondering how they charge these that's done on site at each location like we see behind me here and you might say wow they must fast charge them so they can have plenty of them ready all the time not necessarily they're charged at what's roughly a level two charge rate not unlike what you might have at home in your own garage ample co-founder and president john d'souza says the vision of universal everywhere you go super fast charging is still over hyped when we started this uh eight years ago people told us look next year we'll start having 350 kilowatt charges eight years later people tell us that next year we'll have 350 kilowatt charges people are not building them because they cost a lot there are very few cars that take them the people don't build the cars because there are no charges and they're stuck in this and they're energy and efficient so fast charging is great for some people but it won't solve all the problems the reason there's no rush is because they instead algorithmically balance the number of batteries they need for projected number of customers in a day and not using dc fast charging means that the batteries inside here the cells last longer so let's say you just need to get a half a charge you just need to replace half of these trays not the whole giant thing like some previous swap technologies envisioned another interesting idea is the batteries come out easily to be changed up for fresher ones newer technology ones ones that aren't defective you can't do that with big batteries very easily if at all and certainly not cost effectively they'll all come in within a week and we can swap them all out historically car makers would have a not invented here disinterest in technologies like these but d'souza says he finds they whistle a different tune in this battery era we're taking out a component but often that component is not developed by them it might be developed by some other company that delivers it to them we'll actually not ask you to make any modifications to your car that's a huge one to say let's keep it the way it is and the second is our goal is to partner with you are not trying to sell anything to oems but to sell a lot more vehicles even apple admits at home level 2 charging will be the answer for many electric car buyers but then there are the others for whom there is not a convenient charge waiting in the garage and they have to go out and deal with the vagaries of the public charging network so we're talking to people who have one car and they want that car to be electric it means a lot to him but they can't afford to to take all the sacrifice that you have for charging technologies like these remind me of one of my favorite mantras around the ev industry it's not about bigger batteries and more range per charge it's about making charging more fluid tailored to the kind of driving each vehicle owner actually does and doing that economically\n"