Honda to trial battery swapping for EVs

Honda will begin a battery-swapping trial for electric cars next month in a bid to eliminate the downtime associated with recharging EVs.

Announcing the trial ahead of this week’s Tokyo motor show, Honda said it had teamed up with Japan’s largest courier, Yamato Transport, for the battery-swapping pilot program.

Yamato Transport already uses the latest-generation all-electric Honda N-Van e to deliver mail, but the new trial will employ Honda’s all-new MEV-Van concept that has been purpose-built to have removeable power modules.

Mounted under the cabin floor, the power modules are claimed to be easily accessed via a set of hatches.

With no front charging port, the MEV-Van’s swappable batteries are claimed to be perfect for urban-based courier firms as many operators have little access to charging infrastructure and cannot afford to park vehicles for extended periods of time.

Swapping out batteries and topping them up during off-peak hours is also claimed to reduce the stress on the power grid and could lead to a significant reduction in overall running costs, thanks to cheaper energy tariffs.

There’s no word yet on whether the MEV-Van matches the 210km driving range of the standard N-Van e, or whether the removeable batteries compromise range.

According to engineers, real-world testing by Yamato Transport will give an accurate picture of the removeable batteries’ durability, range, performance and charging times.

Honda has already carried out multiple trials using similar tech for its motorcycle business and has recently launched its Honda EN1 scooter for the Indonesian market that is offered with removeable battery packs.

Honda hasn’t yet committed to using battery-swap tech for passenger cars, but China’s NIO has already conducted large-scale tests using production vehicles.

Earlier this year, NIO said it carried out an incredible 906,056 battery swaps at its 13,629 charging stations over a 17-day period.

Although those swaps were all complimentary as part of Chinese New Year holiday season celebrations, it showed that owners were happy to embrace the emerging alternative to a 20-minute wait at a charge for a 10-80 per cent top-up.

According to NIO, it takes just three minutes for the entire battery swap.

Unlike Honda, the Chinese brand thinks battery swaps are more suited to those travelling longer distances, with the usual NIO swap shop usually located near highways rather than a city centre.

Honda is still years away from offering an electric car in Australia, focusing instead on hybrid vehicles until around 2028.

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