AUTONEWS

Fiat 500e to get EV battery swapping solution in new trial

A fleet of Fiat 500e EVs will be the first from Stellantis to trial Ample's battery-swapping technology. The trial will begin in 2024, with the project aiming to find a solution to ease range anxiety. Ample's modular batteries fit the existing Fiat 500e platform and are typically replaced at specially designed stations.

Stellantis has announced plans to use battery-swapping technology in its EVs. The company behind brands like Peugeot, Citroën and Chrysler has partnered with Ample to deliver the technology to its electric vehicles. The company hopes this new battery solution will help ease customers' range anxiety around their EV's range.

The initiative will begin with the Fiat 500e in Madrid, Spain, in 2024, available to EVs in the fleet of car rental company Free2move. Stellantis indicates it is looking to expand this project to other regions, though a timeframe has yet to be provided. The company suggests that swapping the EV's battery will take less than five minutes, far less than the time needed to fully recharge the power pack, and close to the time required to refuel a petrol or diesel vehicle.

Ample's solution revolves around swapping stations where customers can find lightweight batteries. Smart features of the system include autonomous battery swapping and automatic vehicle recognition, with interactions driven by a mobile app. Stellantis is not the only electric vehicle brand looking for alternative EV charging solutions; NIO already has over 2,000 battery-swapping stations. Plus, a recent video showed an EV from the brand driving itself to a station at night, with the power pack replaced by a machine.

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