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Motor Trend
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Is It Time for EV Charging Stations to Simply Offer Quick-Time Battery Swaps?
John and Jane Public aren't warming to electric cars at the rate many in the automotive industry thought they would, and that's mostly because EVs still can't match the cost and convenience of gasoline-powered alternatives. The steady march of progress is chipping away at EVs' cost, boosting the distance they can drive on a single charge, and hastening their charging speeds (1-megawatt or better is almost here). But maybe there's a holistically better idea. The article advocates for battery swapping in EVs, citing Chinese company Nio's success with its extensive swap stations. Benefits include quick swaps, cost savings, and greener energy use. The author suggests adopting this system in the West to boost EV adoption and to be able to compete globally. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next Perhaps it's time we dust off General Electric's plan from 1910, when it equipped its GeVeCo electric trucks with separately leased Hartford Electric batteries designed specially to be swapped quickly when depleted. Together, these electric trucks covered 6 million miles between 1910 and 1924. Electric forklifts have used battery swapping since the mid 1940s, and Israeli startup Project Better Place (later just 'Better Place') endeavored to revive that idea for electric cars beginning in 2007. Better Place was neither a battery company nor a car company, and the challenges of engaging those stakeholders, combined with an immature electric-car market, ultimately doomed the enterprise. And while Israel and Denmark might have been reasonable launch markets, our nation's size seemed logistically daunting, even if enough car companies could come to agree on a battery size, shape, or performance envelope to achieve critical mass. But experiencing Nio's Power Swap experience in Shanghai felt like gazing into a brighter EV future. CATL Goes All In Chinese automaker Nio (founded in November 2014) made battery swapping its unique selling proposition, building a network of more than 3,200 swapping stations in much the same way Tesla built its own Supercharger networks. In the seven years Nio has sold cars, it's revised the battery and station designs a few times. Its newest model, the Firefly EV, uses yet another new swappable battery, designed in conjunction with battery giant CATL and a consortium of companies. One of these, Changan, just delivered 1,000 Oshan 520 taxis in Chongqing, using similar batteries that can be swapped at any of 50 CATL swapping stations promised by the end of 2025. (Swapping is particularly valuable for taxis, ride-share services, delivery and similar commercial vehicles.) Chocolate-Bar Batteries CATL got into the battery swapping concept a while back with small 25-kWh packs that resembled two blocks of baking chocolate that could be used individually or ganged two or three to a vehicle, heightening the baking chocolate allusion. CATL's QIJI swap solution for trucks still follows this model, and the name Choco-Swap, or Choco-SEB (Swapping Electric Block) has stuck. CATL's light-vehicle strategy, however, has morphed to now covering the breadth of vehicle sizes and range needs with two battery form factors, each offering a choice of LFP or NMC chemistry. Swap Station Design Both Nio and CATL swapping stations require approximately the footprint size of three normal parking spaces, with the car driving up a ramp high enough for battery packs to shuttle underneath to begin the process. The two adjacent parking spaces typically house 24–30 batteries that remain bi-directionally connected, charging at moderate rates (up to 100 kW) to a level just past 90 percent. Nio's stations assemble like Legos, allowing a new station to be set up and operational in 4–5 hours overnight. Nio owns and operates most of its stations but is now allowing investment groups or provinces to buy, operate, and share revenues generated as power companies pay to tap this stored energy. Having sold 700,000-plus cars, 80 percent of which are still in service, Nio claims its inventory of swap-available batteries amounts to 6 or 7 percent of the on-road fleet. And to prep for big-travel weekends like Chinese New Year, heavy incentives go out to entice large-capacity battery owner/lessees who don't plan to leave town to swap down, making bigger batteries available for travelers. Anatomy of a Swap Using your car's native navigation system, a trip is plotted including convenient swap stations. As you approach one, a specific time slot is allotted, and a particular battery gets assigned to your car. Your car's battery temperature is shared, and the station adjusts the coolant in the replacement battery to match, thereby preventing expansion or thermal shock. When it's your turn, the station talks you through the process (explaining what the automatic system is doing). You sense the station lift the car slightly, you hear 10 bolts simultaneously undoing, the swap occurs, the bolts tighten, you drop back down and you're on your way. (Note: CATL says Choco-Swap batteries are air cooled, sidestepping the temperature-alignment issue.) What are the advantages? Quicker My Nio Power Swap experience replaced a depleted battery with one charged to 91 percent in less than three minutes, which included the time needed to maneuver into and out of the station. CATL's Choco-Swap requires the driver to pull in, as when entering a car wash. It then swaps packs in 100 seconds (presumably more if adding extra batteries). My ET9 showed 352 miles of range following the swap. Even 1-megawatt charging can't add that many miles that quickly—especially when multiple charging-station users lower the peak rate. Cheaper Drivers can buy most Nio cars with or without batteries included. Opting for the battery-lease deal knocks $17,900 off the luxury ET9's $110,320 price, adding a monthly battery lease of $179. Owned or leased batteries can be swapped, with drivers paying the net difference in energy at a price higher than home charging but lower than high-speed DC fast charging. Then there's the savings of leasing a small battery and simply upgrading and paying for a longer-range one only when traveling. Car companies could slash both time to market and program budgets by offloading or sharing the R&D, safety testing, warranty, and other liability costs that batteries entail. And these standard form-factor batteries can potentially be upgraded over time as new chemistries or solid-state cells become available. Infrastructure pricewise, a battery swapping station is also way cheaper to install than a bank of 1MW chargers able to serve the same number of customers. Power companies faced with adding grid capacity, sub-stations, and transmission lines to support multimegawatt charging banks could save a lot by investing in swapping stations, each of which draws way less power, can absorb excess solar or wind energy, and will help even out loads during periods of peak usage. Greener Batteries that are regularly charged at level-2 rates to 90ish percent should last longer than those that are frequently fast-charged. Each battery has a digital twin in the cloud, and when monitoring detects bad cells or modules, they can be replaced while out of the car, extending the pack's useful life. When usable capacity drops below 80 percent of new, a pack can be reassigned to non-EV use. When drivers use a lighter commuting-sized battery most of the time, they use less energy to operate and generate less wear on the tires and brakes. What exactly changed my mind on swapping? My Shanghai adventure proved China's auto industry is miles ahead of ours. It seems to me that to be at all competitive in the global market, we need to quickly overcome buyers' reluctance to electrify and up our collective EV game. It also seems like high time 'the west' teams up to fight off this Chinese threat, and an automaker/energy-industry collaboration on a battery-swapping ecosystem that ends buyers' battery-life worries while delivering gas-station refueling convenience—all at gas-vehicle operating cost parity—looks like the quickest way to get there.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Air India Dreamliner made emergency landing in 2023 after engine failure
An Air India Boeing 787 identical to the plane that crashed last week made an emergency landing in 2023 after engine failure caused by poor maintenance. The airliner was forced to turn back an hour into its 14-hour flight between Mumbai and London, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. The 2023 engine failure, together with news that India's aviation regulator has only half the number of staff it should be employing, will raise fresh questions about flight safety standards across the subcontinent. Pilots flying the Dreamliner during the August 2023 incident said they heard a 'loud thud' immediately before the left engine lost power, the DGCA's investigation report said. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of last Thursday's disaster, said he heard a 'loud noise' immediately before Air India flight AI171 crashed. His seat, 11A, was near the Boeing's left engine. Investigators looking into the 2023 engine failure discovered that the Boeing's left-hand engine, made by the US company General Electric, failed after a turbine blade was incorrectly bolted in during routine maintenance and then broke loose. General Electric, which inspected the failed engine on the DGCA's behalf, concluded that the 'release' of a high-pressure compressor blade 'had occurred due to improper installation of locking lugs of HPC Stage 10'. News of an engine failure with potential similarities to the events leading up to the deadly Ahmedabad crash came amid claims that the Indian air safety watchdog was suffering a manpower crisis. The DGCA had less than half the staff in place needed to ensure safety, and Indian parliamentarians said three months ago that they had 'fundamental concerns' about the shortages. The watchdog is responsible for aviation safety and regulatory oversight, and the enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards, including inspections. A report by the Indian parliament's transport committee found that of the 1,633 posts comprising the 'sanctioned strength' of the watchdog, only 754 were filled, leaving 879 vacancies. 'The committee notes with serious concern the high number of vacancies across key aviation regulatory and operational bodies, particularly in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, and the Airports Authority of India,' the report said. 'The DGCA, responsible for aviation safety and regulatory oversight, has a vacancy rate exceeding 53 per cent, raising fundamental concerns about its capacity to enforce aviation safety standards effectively.' It said that at the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, tasked with maintaining aviation security, nearly 35 per cent of jobs were unfilled, 'posing risks to the robustness of security oversight at airports'. Similarly, at the Airports Authority of India, which manages critical airport infrastructure and air traffic services, unfilled job vacancies impacted operational efficiency and airport expansion. 'The committee is deeply concerned that chronic understaffing in these institutions could undermine safety, security, and service delivery standards, particularly as air traffic volumes continue to rise. 'The committee urges the Ministry of Civil Aviation to expedite the recruitment process to fill vacancies across DGCA, BCAS, and AAI, ensuring that regulatory oversight, security enforcement, and airport operations are not compromised.' Last Friday, the DGCA issued a notice to Air India to conduct more inspections of all of its 787-8 and 787-9 fleet with GE engines. This includes an inspection of the fuel monitoring systems, a test of the electronic engine control, a check of the hydraulics and a review of take-off parameters. 'Power assurance checks' are also to be done on each airliner within two weeks. The DCGA and General Electric were contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Wizz Air Sticks With Pratt & Whitney Engines for New Airbus Jets
Wizz Air Holdings Plc selected Pratt & Whitney to equip its new Airbus SE aircraft with engines, sticking with its long-term supplier after manufacturing issues caused expensive groundings and dented growth at the budget carrier. The Hungarian carrier announced the decision for the engine tender on Tuesday at the Paris Air Show. The contest launched last summer, pitted Pratt against CFM, a joint venture between Safran SA and General Electric Co.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Identical Air India Dreamliner to one in devastating crash had mid air engine failure and was forced to make emergency landing in 2023
An identical Air India plane to the one in last week's devastating crash was forced to make an emergency landing in 2023 after its engine gave way mid-air. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was forced to turn back an hour into its 14-hour flight two years ago between Mumbai and London, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. Pilots flying the plane in August 2023 reported hearing a 'loud thud' immediately before the left engine lost power due to poor maintenance. The revelation also comes amid findings India's aviation regulator has only half the number of staff it should be employing. In an eerily similar account given by Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of last Thursday's disaster recalled a 'loud noise' immediate before Air India flight AI171 crashed. His seat, 11A, was near the Boeing's left engine. Investigators looking into the 2023 engine failure have now determined the Boeing's left-hand engine, made by the US company General Electric, failed after a turbine blade was incorrectly bolted in during routine maintenance and then broke loose. It was concluded the 'release' of a high-pressure compressor blade 'had occurred due to improper installation of locking lugs of HPC Stage 10'. The DGCA was also found to have less than half the staff in place with Indian parliamentarians saying three months ago they had 'fundamental concerns'. A report by the Indian parliament's transport committee found of 1,633 available posts only 754 were filled – leaving 879 vacancies. It read: 'The committee notes with serious concern the high number of vacancies across key aviation regulatory and operational bodies, particularly in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, and the Airports Authority of India. 'The DGCA, responsible for aviation safety and regulatory oversight, has a vacancy rate exceeding 53 per cent, raising fundamental concerns about its capacity to enforce aviation safety standards effectively.' It added nearly 35 per cent of jobs were unfilled at the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security - tasked with maintaining aviation security - and this was 'posing risks to the robustness of security oversight at airports'. Concerns were also voiced by the Airports Authority of India, which manages critical airport infrastructure and air traffic services, that unfilled job vacancies were impacting operational efficiency and airport expansion. A spokesman said: 'The committee is deeply concerned that chronic understaffing in these institutions could undermine safety, security, and service delivery standards, particularly as air traffic volumes continue to rise. 'The committee urges the Ministry of Civil Aviation to expedite the recruitment process to fill vacancies across DGCA, BCAS, and AAI, ensuring that regulatory oversight, security enforcement, and airport operations are not compromised.' Last Friday, the DGCA issued a notice to Air India ordering more inspections of all of its 787‑8 and 787‑9 fleet with GE engines. This included an inspection of the fuel monitoring systems, a test of the electronic engine control, a check of the hydraulics and a review of take‑off parameters. There is also a requirement to carry out 'power assurance checks' on each airliner within two weeks.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BofA Raises its Price Target for GE Vernova (GEV)
GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) is included among the Best Nuclear Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now. It was recently announced that BofA has raised its price target for GEV from $520 to $550, while maintaining a 'Buy' rating on the shares. A Nuclear power plant with all its safety & security protocols in place. The firm anticipates the U.S. electrical demand to grow at a CAGR of 2.5% from 2024 to 2035, prompting an upward revision of its projections for GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV)'s Power segment. BofA projects approximately 1,000 GW of capacity to be added by 2035, with about 330 GW coming from natural gas turbines – the core business of GEV. GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) could also be one of the largest winners from the ongoing nuclear energy renaissance, as its subsidiary, General Electric Hitachi Nuclear Energy, is a world-leading provider of advanced reactors, fuel, and nuclear services. The company made headlines recently after it received permission to begin construction on a small modular reactor (SMR) in Ontario that would be the first reactor of its type in the Western hemisphere, capable of powering roughly 300,000 homes. GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) brings together General Electric's portfolio of energy businesses, including Power, Wind, Electrification and Digital businesses. While we acknowledge the potential of GEV as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 10 Cheap Energy Stocks to Buy Now and Disclosure: None. Sign in to access your portfolio
