Honda trials EV battery swap technology

HONDA and logistics provider Yamato Transport are forming a joint venture which aims to put electric vehicle battery swapping technology on Japanese roads.

The model, which operates in a similar fashion to the failed Renault-Better Place example trialled in 2013, aims to build greener commercial fleets without the downtime associated with conventional EV charging.

GoAuto understands the trial will begin next month (November) and will operate utilising a modified version of the Kei-segment Honda N-Van e:.

The companies are said to have equipped the N-Van e: with battery packs originally designed for use in electric motorcycles and will examine the range (currently 210km) and other capabilities of the process when transporting packages.

Yamato Transport said it hopes the battery swap technology will advance its decarbonisation efforts while still allowing it to delivery packages efficiently.

In Japan, the use of swappable batteries has to date been limited to two-wheeled vehicles. Already, four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers – Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha – have set common standards for the technology, much like standardised charging plugs for other electronic devices.

Honda hopes to push the technology further, noting the success of the technology in markets including China and India.

Chinese manufacturer Nio has already started introducing battery swap stations in China, Europe and the UK saying it can swap an EV battery in less than three minutes – comparable to the fill time of a small, petrol-powered car.

Like the Renault-Better Place example mentioned earlier, the process involves a vehicle being driven into a swap bay resembling an automated car wash where the depleted battery is ‘dropped’ from beneath the vehicle and exchanged for a fully charged one.

All Nio models are compatible with the system, with the manufacturer saying 60 per cent of Nio owners use the battery-swap technology regularly. On selected models, the vehicle can even drive itself into the Power Swap bay while the driver grabs a coffee or a snack.

The manufacturer currently operates 1360 battery-swap locations across mainland China with more than a dozen across Europe and the UK.

“Enabled by over 1400 patented technologies, Nio Power Swap, the first of its kind, offers an ultimate and exclusive power service experience,” said the manufacturer in a statement.

“It takes only three minutes to swap a fully charged battery. Automatic battery and electric system checks are performed during each swap to keep both the vehicle and battery in the best shape.”

You can watch a video of the Nio Power Swap in action here.

As for the standard Honda N-Van e: we know a full charge takes around five hours using a 6kW AC outlet with 50kW DC fast charging taking the pack from 10 – 80 per cent in around 30 minutes. Like many other EVs, the model also offers V2L capabilities at up to 1.5kW.

The design of the vehicle is much the same as its ICE-powered sibling (which retails from $A17,320), with three trim grades offered (two passenger, and one cargo). The cargo-oriented model has a payload of 350kg and can accommodate two passengers.