There is a company that does this in China. You lease the battery, and pay roughly the same amount as a tank of fuel to swap it, so not a cheap process, and it only works on a small number of vehicles. They’re also losing money hand over fist, and aren’t likely to last very long.
Also, a long trip is precisely when I need all my trunk space.
catloaf@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
The problem is the form factor. They’re broad, flat batteries under the floor of the car, because that’s the most available space when you take out the drivetrain. If you wanted to make them swappable, you’d have to sacrifice the space under the hood or the trunk. Or the passenger space. And all that comes with their own safety concerns.
SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
They can drop the battery out from underneath….
It’s not like you are gonna man handle the battery yourself in and out of these dude.
InverseParallax@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
That’s been suggested, the problem is that that requires additional infrastructure, either digging a pit for the battery to be lowered into via elevator, or raising the car in such a way they still have access to the pack.
Former is more likely but digging pits like at oil changes is not cheap either.
Mostly it’s a chicken-egg scenario: nobody will make the facilities until there are cars to use it… And the other way.
SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
… where do you think the battery’s would be stored and charged…? Either on a structure above ground, so drive up on it, or underground and it would already be excavated…