Stellantis and Ample Sign Agreement to Deliver and Swap BEV Batteries for Consumers
According to the Stellantis strategic business plan, Dare Forward 2030, the automotive group wants to release more than 75 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2030. Of those 75, the U.S. will have at least 25 new BEVs introduced into the market. Unlike other parts of the world, where many countries are more than willing to make the change, consumers in the U.S. are holding onto gasoline vehicles as long as they can. One of the greatest fears is getting stranded without a charging station in sight to recharge a BEV with little to-no battery. Stellantis is looking to appease such fears with its latest binding agreement with Ample to deliver fully charged electric vehicle batteries to consumers on the road.
“The partnership with Ample is another example of how Stellantis is exploring all avenues that enable freedom of mobility for our electric vehicle customers…In addition to other projects we are focused on, Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping solution has the opportunity to offer our customers greater energy efficiency, outstanding performance and lower range anxiety. We are looking forward to executing the initial program with our stellar Fiat 500e.” – Ricardo Stamatti, Stellantis Senior Vice President, Charging & Energy Business Unit
Ample is a pioneering company bringing a new method of energy delivery through modular battery swapping that can deliver a 100% charge to any BEV in less than 5 minutes. Its Modular Battery Swapping technology can become a great solution for Stellantis BEVs going forward. Battery swapping allows consumers to switch out depleted BEV batteries virtually wherever they are. The two companies want to bring this technology to not just Stellantis fleet vehicles and companies that have commercial fleets but also consumers across various geographical locations. Starting in Spain 2024 on the Fiat 500e model as a jumping-off point, Stellantis’ Free2move car-sharing service will be the first of many markets to introduce the program.
This makes recharging as quick and easy as calling AAA (triple A) for automotive service for roadside assistance. Ample batteries are designed to be a drop-in replacement for the original battery of a BEV, like changing a flat tire with a spare. Such technology would allow for Stellantis to integrate Ample’s technology without reengineering its current BEV platforms. This would be helpful for consumers who run into the terrible situation of losing battery power when far away from the nearest recharge station. Another hurdle to making BEVs more practical is changing city and highway infrastructure to make room for BEV charging stations.
That’s where Ample can do even more good – their lightweight battery swapping stations can be deployed in most public areas in just three days, making it possible to change infrastructure and meet the driving demands of the general populace. Like pulling in for a tire change or getting some air in the tires, a driver can just pull up and initiate a battery swap from a mobile app. In terms of getting new BEV batteries delivered to consumers on the road, consumers can benefit from this service via a subscription.
Are BEV starting to sound like a better idea? You can find new and upcoming BEVS from Stellantis at Aventura Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram.