Tesla Battery Swap Pilot Program Begins Next Week

It’s been over a year and a half since Elon Musk introduced the Tesla battery swap, today Tesla announced that a limited pilot program would begin next week. Though only a few invited Model S owners will participate at first, a swap will cost the same as a full tank of premium gas, and will take just three minutes to change a depleted battery for a fully charged one.

The battery swap station will be located across the street from the Superchargers in Harris Ranch, California, though drivers will have to make an appointment before using it. The pilot project is meant to “test technology and assess demand.” In the blog post announcement, it is noted that theadditional titanium battery shield has increased the battery swap time to three minutes, rather than the 90 seconds initially demonstrated. However, Tesla remains confident that with refinement they can get the swap time to less than a minute.

Here’s the thing though; who’s really going to use the battery swap stations? It’s been suggested the only reason Tesla even made it in the first place is to still be eligible for California’s ZEV credits, as California was considering making a 5-minute refill time a requirement for the credits.

However, ZEV credits have become an increasingly small part of Tesla’s income portfolio, as other automakers are able to earn the credits on their own. With 140 Superchargers in the US alone, and most charging done at home anyways, battery swap stations seem like they might be viable in limited numbers and locations. Project Better Place tried to build a whole business model around battery swapping, and that led them straight into bankruptcy.

At least Musk followed through on his promise to open a battery swap station by the end of the year, which is one less thing off my list of complaints. Now let’s get the Model X on the road, and I’ll be a happy camper.

First Tesla Battery Swap Station Online Soon

Buried in last week’s exciting announcement of the Dual Motor Drive Tesla Model S was an interesting nugget of news buried at the bottom of a story by Automotive News. Elon Musk apparently told AN that Tesla will bring online its first battery swapping station in the next two months after remaining mum on the subject since last year’s debut.

Tesla’s battery swapping technology rolled out last summer as a response to a possible California mandate requiring fast-filling technology for alternative fuel vehicles. That mandate never made it into law though, and battery swapping seemed to be put on the back burner as Tesla focused on the Model X launch and the all-wheel drive system. For all the fanfare that came with Elon’s battery swapping announcement, all talk of the system seemed to disappear this year.

The first battery swap station is scheduled to come online between San Francisco and Los Angeles within the next two months, though unlike the Supercharger system it won’t be free. Rather, owners will be charged for the electricity, and either have to return and pick up their original battery or pay for the brand new battery based on the mileage of their original pack. For the trade off of about the same cost as a full tank of gas, they’ll be able to get a full EV charge in half the time it takes to fill up an equivalent luxury sedan.

Meanwhile Tesla has exceeded 200 Supercharger stations across the world, including more than 100 in the United States alone. While a few strategically-placed battery swap stations might not be a bad idea. As Project Better Place showed though, basing your whole company around battery swapping stations is a recipe for disaster.

But between free Superchargers and cheap home charging systems, are battery swap stations necessary? I reckon no, but Elon Musk may have other ideas.

Source: Gas 2.

Elon Musk: Battery Swap Facilities to Open “In The Next Few Months” Between San Francisco and LA

And Swap!

When will we see the first Tesla battery swapping stations in the real world?

Battery Swap Demo

Well, if Tesla CEO Elon Musk is speaking the truth, then the first battery swappers will open “in the next few months” between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Musk says that these swap stations will be analyzed for usage.  from that analysis, Tesla will decide whether or not to move forward with the swapping station idea.

Way back in June 2013, Tesla demonstrated the battery swapping live.

Musk says “we’re a little bit behind” in making those stations a reality, but at least a couple are still planned to come online soon.

However, with Superchargers popping up everywhere, is there still a need for battery swapping?  Even Tesla seems unsure of the answer to that question, so we ask “what do you think?”

Fast Pack Swap Event from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.

Source: Business Week

Nissan Launching Leaf Battery Replacement Program

Nissan offers a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty on the Nissan Leaf battery bank, which is a lot less than the 8-year/100,000 mile warranty of the Chevy Volt’s battery pack.  Considering the cost of battery packs, this could be a deal-breaker for some customers.

However, Nissan will offer a unique battery replacement program for U.S. customers in 2014, under which you pay them a monthly amount for a guarantee that your battery pack will be replaced if your battery’s capacity falls below 9 bars, or 70% of what it originally had.

Erik Gottfried, Nissan’s director of Electric Vehicle Sales and Marketing, said: “Nissan anticipates that the great majority of our current Leaf drivers will never need this battery replacement option. However, this program is yet another example of Nissan’s commitment to deliver peace of mind for our continually growing community of Leaf drivers.”

Peace of mind is certainly crucial to the adoption of electric vehicles, but this costs program costs $100 a month, or $1,200 per year That is $6,000 after 5 years. That is about the cost of a battery pack, and even though you can sign up for the program even after your standard battery warranty is up, there is no “end” to the payments. Sounds a lot like Renault’s battery-leasing program, but without the significantly-cheaper MSRP.

You can keep getting fresh battery packs as long as you keep paying your $100 a month. But what happens when you stop paying? Nissan doesn’t seem to know. Could they repossess your battery? Sounds like an option they are considering.

Source: Nissan

Tesla Motors To Demonstrate Battery Swapping Tomorrow

Elon Musk has hinted at battery swapping on future Tesla electric vehicles, but a tweet yesterday confirmed what many Tesla fans expected; battery swapping is coming, and soon. In fact, Musk promised to demonstrate battery swapping technology at a press conference tomorrow, but this news leaves us with as many questions as answers.

Project Better Place attempted (and failed) to build an entire business around battery swapping EVs, but Musk took an alternate route. The Tesla Model S was supposedly designed with battery swapping in mind from the beginning, but with production more than six months in, is the technology for battery swapping on current Model S vehicles? Or is this something only planned for future Tesla products?

Then there is the question of the location of battery-swapping stations. Tesla has already invested millions of dollars into installing Supercharger fast-charging stations, which take up relatively little space. But a battery-swapping station would be much larger, and I imagine a lot more costly to actually build and manage

Thursday night Musk will put on a live demonstration of battery swapping technology, and I’m sure more details will come to light then. Until now, let us ponder this most interesting of twists in the Tesla Motors saga.

 Source: Elon Musk via Autoblog Green

EV battery swap company Better Place files for liquidation

Better Place, a high-profile developer and proponent of a battery switch model for electric vehicles, filed a motion with the Lod District Court in Israel to ask for the dissolution of the company and the appointment of a temporary liquidator.

In its motion the company stated that in light of its failure to raise additional funds and in the absence of sufficient resources for the continued operation of the business, the company is asking for the court’s assistance in protecting the rights of its employees, customers and creditors.

This is a difficult day for all of us. We have come a long way in order to bring about a global vision. From the start, Better Place was a breakthrough for the infrastructure of the electric car industry and successfully completed the development of its technology and infrastructure. Israel was the first place in which an electrical car could travel without limit.

Unfortunately, after a year’s commercial operation, it was clear to us that despite many satisfied customers, the wider public take up would not be sufficient and that the support from the car producers was not forthcoming.

Against that background, the most recent fundraising round was not successful. In recent months, the management of the company did all that it could to keep the business operating. Today, in the light of our obligation to our staff, customers and creditors, we are applying to the court for the appointment of a temporary liquidator.

The management is requesting the voluntary liquidator once appointed to decide as quickly as possible to award compensation to customers and staff and maintain the functioning of the network.

—Better Place CEO Dan Cohen

In an interview with Israeli business daily Globes, Cohen said that the liquidator will have to decide the issue of disposition of batteries in customer cars; in the Better Place model, the customer owns the car, but not the battery. “Ownership of the car is different for each customer, and it’s true that the customer doesn’t own the battery. This is the first thing that the liquidator will have to examine, and it’s hard to give an answer now,” Cohen told Globes.

Better Place had raised more than $750 million in the four years after its founding in 2007, and by November 2011, had a valuation of $2.25 billion (post money valuation on a fully diluted basis). In August 2012, the company secured a €40-million (US$50-million) loan from the European Investment Bank, marking the first credit facility from a financial institution for the company.

Better Place apparently had been struggling since last fall, with the resignation of founder Shai Agassi in October 2012; the subsequent departure a few months later of Evan Thornley, who took over from Agassi; and the winding down of operations in North America and Australia to focus on Denmark and Israel.

In a statement issued announcing the filing for liquidation, Better Place said that over the past six months, management had made fundamental changes in the company, focused its strategy, goals and markets and at the same time had continued to seek additional financing for the business and secure additional models to supplement its current offer.

Despite significant efforts over that time frame, the company said, revenues are still insufficient to cover operating costs, and in the light of the continued negative cash flow position, the Board has decided that it has no option but to seek to make this application to the Courts for an orderly liquidation of the company.

This is a very sad day for all of us. We stand by the original vision as formulated by Shai Agassi of creating a green alternative that would lessen our dependence on highly polluting transportation technologies. While he was able with partners and investors to overcome multiple challenges to demonstrate that it was possible to deliver a technological solution that would fulfill that vision. Unfortunately, the path to realizing that vision was difficult, complex and littered with obstacles, not all of which we were able to overcome. The technical challenges we overcame successfully, but the other obstacles we were not able to overcome, despite the massive effort and resources that were deployed to that end.

The most important thing of all was that the intention was the right one. The purpose and concept of the business was to deliver a positive change in the world in which we live. We know that there is no certainty in any venture. It requires daring, courage, determination and resources in order to turn a venture into a sustainable industry.

The vision is still valid and important and we remain hopeful that eventually the vision will be realized for the benefit of a better world. However, Better Place will not be able to take part in the realization of this vision.

—Better Place Board of Directors

Carlos Ghosn says no more battery swap cars

The world's biggest proponent of electric vehicles appears to be exchanging his support for the concept of swappable batteries. Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn says the Renault Fluence ZE will likely be the only model from the French automaker to have the ability for its battery to be changed out at battery-recharging stations such as the ones proposed by Better Place.

Ghosn says he isn't confident that consumers will embrace the concept and will likely prefer the simplicity of a single rechargeable battery in their vehicles, Energi Watch says. So far, the feature hasn't been much of a selling point for Renault, which has sold about 2,000 Fluence ZEs. Compare that to over 50,000 Nissan Leafsales since the model's debut in late 2011.

Better Place has been roiled by financial losses and management changes, most recently deciding to close California and Australia operations to focus on Denmark and Israel station deployment. As of late last year, the company was said to have lost about $437 million since its 2007 inception. Better Place founder Shai Agassi resigned from the company last October.

Source: Autoblog Green

Better Place Renault Fluence Z.E. battery swap video

Better Place Battery Swap video:

Better Place, China Southern Grid Sign Strategic Agreement Centered on Battery Switch Model

PRESS RELEASE

Guangzhou Municipal Government Signs Agreement to Aid New Partnership

At a signing ceremony today in Israel with officials from Guangzhou, Better Place announced a strategic agreement with China Southern Power Grid Co. (CSG), the world’s eighth largest utility according to the Fortune Global 500. The agreement, which focuses on joint electric car and infrastructure projects in CSG’s service areas, will further advance electric cars with switchable batteries in China. The agreement calls for the companies to open a battery switch station and joint education center in Guangzhou before the end of the year, while working to formalize a joint-venture partnership.

“Better Place has conducted extensive research and testing on its battery-switch technology combined with managed charging, which takes into account the attributes and needs of the electric grid as the electric-car industry grows rapidly in China”

Underscoring Guangzhou’s support for the Better Place-CSG cooperation, Executive Vice Mayor Wu Yimin today signed an agreement with Better Place Founder and CEO Shai Agassi that calls for the Municipal Government of Guangzhou to assist Better Place and CSG in their efforts to create a supply chain hub and electric car network in China’s third largest city and home to CSG. The Guangzhou accord calls for the municipal government to encourage local car manufacturers, such as Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group, to produce electric cars with switchable batteries. It also calls for the city to promote electric-car adoption in fleet segments including public-sector vehicles and private-sector fleets such as taxis.

“China Southern Grid is an important partner in a huge market that is moving quickly toward the mass-market development of electric cars and is embracing battery switch as the primary means of range extension,” Agassi commented. “Our collaboration with China Southern and the support of the Guangzhou government open the door to new opportunities for switchable-battery electric cars made by Chinese manufacturers for the domestic and export markets.”

“Better Place has conducted extensive research and testing on its battery-switch technology combined with managed charging, which takes into account the attributes and needs of the electric grid as the electric-car industry grows rapidly in China,” said China Southern Grid Chairman Zhao Jianguo. “We believe that networked infrastructure is critical to enable broad adoption and focusing on charging alone would be too costly and time-consuming. The battery-switch model may become mainstream in China and our joint visitor center and battery switch demonstration project with Better Place will help promote electric-car adoption in China by allowing potential customers to experience this innovative solution.”

“Electric cars present a great opportunity for China and are critical to achieve a low carbon economy. We will support this rapidly growing industry by encouraging production of electric cars in the region and promoting adoption in fleets,” said Wu Yimin, Executive Vice Mayor of Guangzhou. “The cooperation between China Southern Grid and Better Place is a strategic step, and both companies will have our full support. We are pleased to host the joint education center, the first of its kind in China, later this year.”

The Better Place-CSG agreement calls for the companies to jointly engage relevant Chinese government bodies and other stakeholders, secure governmental policy support, and promote technical standards, where appropriate, to further accelerate China’s rapidly-growing, electric-car industry. The companies will develop in phases the joint education center to host government and industry delegations and educate Chinese consumers about the benefits of going electric. The center will include interactive exhibits, meeting facilities, electric cars that visitors can test drive, and an automated battery switch station. The facility is slated to open before the end of year in central Guangzhou. Better Place currently operates similar centers near Tel Aviv, Copenhagen, and Toronto, hosting nearly 100,000 visitors per year.

As CSG and Better Place further develop their relationship, the companies also are looking at the potential for a joint commercial operation based on a switchable-battery, network-operator model. Their pilot projects and other joint activities will explore the benefits that switchable-battery electric cars and the networked infrastructure that supports them can deliver to the electric grid in CSG’s service area, which spans five provinces, one million square kilometers, and 230 million people in Southern China.

CSG, which ranks number 156 on the Fortune Global 500 list of the world’s largest corporations, is part of the Electric Vehicle Industry Alliance led by China’s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, or SASAC. The Chinese government created the alliance of state-owned auto, battery, electric, and oil companies with the ultimate goal of building internationally competitive electric-car brands. The Chinese government has declared the electric-car industry one of seven strategic emerging sectors, stated its intent for China to become the world's largest developer and manufacturer of electric cars, and offered strong support in the form of investment and incentives as the country seeks to leapfrog combustion-engine technology and reduce a growing dependence on oil.

Agassi added, “We are in advanced discussions with a number of Chinese automakers to partner around our open network solution and we will share our selection of preferred partners with the market once a final decision is made.”

By the end of the year, Better Place will have battery switch stations under deployment in countries on four continents, including the U.S., Europe, Australia and now China. The deployments form the basis of a growing network for making electric cars more affordable, convenient and sustainable than today’s cars with internal combustion engines. The Better Place model also offers governments around the world a solution for reducing dependence on oil and its harmful contributions to global climate change and local pollution while growing domestic green jobs.

About Better Place

Better Place, the world’s leading electric car services provider, is accelerating the global transition to sustainable transportation. Better Place is building the infrastructure and intelligent network to deliver a range of services to drivers, enable widespread adoption of electric cars, and optimize energy use. The Better Place network addresses historical limitations to adoption by providing unlimited driving range in a convenient and accessible manner. The company works with all parts of the transportation ecosystem, including automakers, battery suppliers, energy companies, and the public sector, to create a compelling solution. Based in California and privately held, Better Place has operating companies in Israel, Denmark, and Australia. More information is available at www.betterplace.com.