Better Place unveils Europe’s first battery switch station in Denmark
28 June 2011
In preparation for commercial launch later this year, Better Place unveiled the company’s first Battery Switch station in Europe at an event in Gladsaxe, just outside Copenhagen. The station, which showcased the company’s Battery Switch technology, switching a Renault Fluence Z.E., is the first of 20 Battery Switch Stations to be deployed across the country over the next nine months as part of the company’s nationwide network of charging infrastructure that will launch later this year in partnership with DONG Energy and more than 45 municipalities.
In March, Better Place opened the Better Place Center in Hellerup, Denmark and since then, nearly 3,000 visitors have passed through the center and interest in a tour of the Better Place Center continues to grow. Moreover, nine out of 10 visitors have said after the visit, that they are considering buying an electric car. Better Place and Renault will begin marketing the Fluence Z.E. later this fall.
Customers simply swipe their membership card, which authenticates the car and subscription via the Operations Center, to activate the battery switch. The rest of the process is automated, similar to going through a car wash, so the driver never has to leave the car. In just a few minutes, a robotic arm removes the depleted battery and replaces it with a full one and the driver is back on the road.
Some ideas obviously have support from other worldly players. This is one since it makes absolutely no sense to pragmatists. But hey, if people want to keep going to service stations instead of refueling their vehicles overnight at home with no hassle - so be it.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 28 June 2011 at 01:23 PM
Reel$$, when you take your EV on a cross country vacation - returning to recharge at home each night slows the progress.
Posted by: kelly | 28 June 2011 at 03:38 PM
Most PBP users will still charge at home overnight.. the swap stations are just there for occasional use..
Its likely the swap stations will stock about 15 batteries instead of the hoped for 100s.. with a lot of batteries the swap stations could have sold grid stabilization services to the local utility, for extra profits.
Posted by: Herm | 28 June 2011 at 06:02 PM
Reel$$
'refueling their vehicles overnight at home with no hassle'
To someone on the 20th floor of an apartment block with on-street parking, that makes absolutely no sense.
Posted by: Thomas Lankester | 29 June 2011 at 01:08 AM