Learn more about the battery swapping and its benefits and drawbacks.

Experienced content writer with over 4 years of experience in the energy sector and many industry-related publications released.

Gabriela Stawiarska

While the electric vehicles popularity keeps increasing all over the world, range anxiety and charging time still pose a threat to mass EV adoption. It’s not really a surprise, given electric vehicles on a broader scale are still relatively new and those who tend to travel often and on lengthy distances may find them slightly intimidating. In response to the issue, many technologies are being introduced aiming to better the charging experience and shorten the time it takes to charge the battery before setting back on the road.

Some, like rapid chargers, are welcomed with great enthusiasm, others, like battery swapping, not so much.

In this piece, we’ll try to shed some light on what battery swapping is, what the benefits are and why there are so many skeptics.

In a nutshell, battery swapping is a take on omitting the charging session wait time and exchanging the discharged battery for a fully charged one. The main goal behind it is to even out the charging experience with the one everyone knows from fuelling up an ICE car.

The good part of this solution lies in the fact that the process aims for its full automation. With the use of robotic cranes, the battery changing time can in fact be shortened to somewhere between 6 and 10 minutes - approximately as much as one spends at a gas charging station.

Certainly, this solution leaves a major question - what about the batteries? In order for it to work, the car batteries can’t really be owned by the EV owner. In this case, the EV driver must lease them from either the car manufacturer or the battery supplier.

The way this works on paper is rather simple. EV owner drives up to the specialized battery swapping station. The car then goes on a dedicated platform, where the vehicle gets slightly lifted in order to retrieve the battery. The battery is then disconnected from the vehicle and lifted out by a crane or other lifting device (the vision expects this to be an automated process). A new, charged battery is then put into place and connected to the vehicle. The EV is driven off the platform and away from the station. Batteries which have been taken out, stay at the station and are being charged up again. Once they’re fully charged, they're ready to be used for another swapping session.

Up until recently, battery swapping was just a bold idea, not really firmly in practice. However, a Chinese company - Nio managed to put the vision in life on a rather big scale.

Nio is a Chinese super-company producing electric cars. Some call the Shanghai-based EV manufacturer the new Tesla. In April 2021 Nio started its European expansion by launching services in Norway - currently the biggest EV market in this part of the world.

Apart from quite a few car models, which are doing exceptionally well in China, Nio has aroused a lot of interest by introducing the battery swap stations on a rather big scale - earlier this year they announced completion of the 1000th battery swap station. In terms of how this works, the mechanisms are similar to the ones described above.

The swap station looks a bit like an automatic car wash. The car drives in, straight on the platform. Automatic mechanisms unbolt the battery pack and exchange it for a new one. This works for all Nio’s models and is available in three different battery capacities - 75kW, 100kW and 150kW. The exchange takes up to 6 minutes.

Given the amount of swap stations available and the lighting-speed in which one goes for a full battery, it may seem like great technology. There are however quite a few issues to be taken into account before even starting to think about applying this on a larger, international scale.

Nio's battery swapping station, source: https://www.nio.com

Battery swapping - will this ever work on a larger scale?

In order to answer this question, one needs to take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution. Certainly, at least at the first glance, it may seem like an extremely attractive and efficient way, especially on lengthy distances or when time matters. Such instances occur especially with heavy-duty transport (meaning trucks) or buses in cases when lengthy stop for charging is not possible. However, there’s a lot more to the story.

As it has been mentioned before, “charging” time is the number one attractive feature behind the solution. Given that loading up the EV battery will alway be compared to fuelling up an ICE car, battery swapping may be the closest experience in terms of the length of the procedure. Battery swapping stations (in their more advanced forms) can also pose as an energy storage and a hefty way of incorporating the demand response practices. As batteries are (usually) stored within the charging station, they make up for quite a capable power system. In cases of a high demand, some of the energy could be fed back to the grid - this would’ve happened in cases when there a quite a few idle but charged batteries available. Another positive aspect lies in the fact that with battery swapping stations, the possibilities of installing solid solar panels on the roofs are quite significant. With that, EV drivers could not only enjoy a fast car charge, but also the satisfaction of having it done mostly or entirely via green energy. Both aspects - the battery storage and the chance of using PV are a great way of ensuring the EV charging business remains eco-friendly and contributes to the overall grid’s health. Lastly, battery swapping directly impacts the cost of an electric vehicle. With a solution expecting to lease batteries rather than buying them as a part of a vehicle, EV drivers are exposed to prizes reduced of what often times might be the most expensive part - the battery.

As much as the benefits look rather promising, too bad, it seems like the disadavtages outweigh the whole solution. First and foremost the costs of building a battery swap station are inordinate. It is estimated that one such station may cost anything between 450 000 - 600 000£, which means that with the current prizes, building up a whole network must cost millions of dollars. Naturally, like with any other tech advanced solution, the prizes are likely to go down in the future, yet still, they’ll probably be higher than the majority of CPOs could invest. On top of that, it must be remembered that the cost does not include the land they’re supposed to be built on. Here’s where another issue emerges. While “classic” EV chargers does not require much space and can be installed in existing infrastructure, the battery swap stations are a lot more spacious and require a construction to be set in order for it to run.

The biggest obstacle though may be the interoperability of such stations. As much as Nio is settling strong in the Chinese market, it must be remembered that their stations only work with their own car models. Given, more and more brands are introducing their own electric vehicles, the diversification of available models gets bigger and bigger, making it extremely difficult to match. This more or less leaves three options for the battery swapping;

each car manufacturer starts developing their own swap stations, which would involve a huge investment and most probably the lack of space

battery swapping stations are developed in such a way as to serve various models, which in practise would cost even more, if at all possible

car manufacturers agree on universal battery instalment, which in many cases would require significant changes in the whole production process

All of the above are beyond complicated in terms of their broad-range adoption. Things complicate even more with the battery ownership in the above scenario. Simultaneously, the concept of universal batteries emerges, making it a whole another case to be discussed.

Some battery-swapping ventures have taken place already in the past. For example Tesla has put forward the idea as they were looking for investors. However, the plan got cancelled probably faster than it has been introduced. Renault also tried. They even launched a sub-brand called Better Place in order to facilitate the managing and setting up the swap stations. After almost 5 years, the company filed for bankruptcy.

As much as we might have brought some negativity into the narration, it must be underlined, that although extremely difficult for a wide-range adoption, battery swapping may still be a decent option in some cases. Looking at China’s example, there are definitely instances where the solution can work. For European standards it may not necessarily be cars, but there’s a whole plethora of other ways to facilitate it, i.e. with the scooter businesses.

Demand response

Take a look at some of the electrification ventures across the industry.

Leading sales, Martyna had a chance to get to know most of our clients on top of having spoken to hundreds of people from the eMobility environment. She’s gained an in-depth understanding of what’s desired or unwanted in the business and she’s now applying that knowledge in her everyday job.

Martyna Wajda

As much as we’ve been focusing heavily on the electric cars (which are at the forefront of eMobility), there’s much more to the whole electric transportation industry. Some are already fairly popular, others are still in development phases. However, the scale of electrification grows rather rapidly all over the world and across different means of transportation.

In the city, we can most commonly see electric buses, trolleys, and trams. The first two usually share the same infrastructure – they both have batteries that need to be regularly recharged and often use the same routes.

Trams are a bit different as they’re almost always connected to an overhead wire that powers them constantly. This limits their range but makes them more reliable, which is important for public transportation.

Buses are the most common type of electric city transportation. In Europe, the majority of new buses being put into circulation are electric. The same goes for China – where air pollution is a pressing issue, and the government is investing a lot in eMobility.

Electric Volvo Bus, source: https://www.volvobuses.com

The two biggest bus manufacturers are BYD and Yutong, both from China. In Europe, the most popular models are those made by Volvo, Scania, and MAN.

Trolleybuses are very similar to regular buses but draw power from wires suspended above them, much like trams. These are mostly found in Eastern Europe and Russia – countries with large areas and long distances between cities.

Taxis and ride-hailing services are also starting to switch to electric cars. In Europe, the Netherlands was one of the first countries to make this transition. The country’s two biggest taxi companies, Connexxion and TCA, have both announced that they will only buy electric vehicles from 2020 onwards.

Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft are also starting to switch to electric cars in some cities. In London, for example, Uber has committed to having all of its cars be electric by 2025.

Trains are another area where electrification is happening rapidly. In Europe, a lot of new trains being put into circulation are electric. The same goes for China, which is investing heavily in high-speed rail.

The two biggest train manufacturers are Siemens and Alstom, both from Europe. In China, the most popular models are those made by CRRC.

In the United States, Amtrak – the national rail operator – has announced that it wants to replace all of its diesel-powered trains with electric ones by 2035.

Trucks are another area where electrification is starting to happen. Tesla has already launched an all-electric truck – the Tesla Semi. The truck has a range of 500 miles (800 km) and it can haul up to 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg).

Daimler – the parent company of Mercedes-Benz – is also working on an all-electric truck. The truck – called the Freightliner eCascadia – has a range of 250 miles (400 km).

Volvo – one of the world's largest truck manufacturers – is also working on electric trucks. There are already some models in place – such as the Volvo FL Electric – but the company is also working on an all-electric truck that will have a range of 300 miles (480 km).

The aviation industry is starting to explore electrification as well. Eviation Aircraft's Alice is the first all-electric passenger plane. It's a small aircraft that can seat up to nine people and has a range of 650 miles (1,046 km). The company is planning to start commercial operations in 2022. 

Airplane Alice, source: https://www.eviation.com

Wright Electric is another company working on electric passenger planes. It's planning to launch a short-haul plane that can seat up to 150 people by 2027.

However, Wright Electric is not the only company working on electric planes. Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer are all exploring the possibility of making electric planes. In the cargo sector, Airbus is working on an all-electric plane called the E-Fan X. It's a hybrid plane that will have four electric motors and two gas turbines. For now it operates as a technology showcase and it's paving the path for future electric airplanes to come.

Electric airplanes are still in development but there are already a handful of companies working on them. The most promising designs are those that use electric motors to power the propellers or turbofans.

The biggest obstacle to electric airplanes is their range. Current battery technology can only provide enough power for short flights. This is why most of the research is being focused on hybrid designs that combine electric motors with traditional combustion engines.

Ships are one of the last areas to be electrified. It is happening slowly but surely. The first electric ship was put into operation in 1881 but it wasn’t until the 2010s that the technology started to be used on a larger scale.

The two biggest manufacturers of electric ships are ABB and Siemens, both from Europe. In China, the most popular models are those made by CIC.

The most common type of electric ship is the ferry. In Europe, there are already several hundred electric ferries in operation. The world's first all-electric container ship – the MV Yara Birkeland has debuted in Norway. It will be able to carry up to 100 containers and it will sail between three Norwegian ports. 

Yara Birkeland, source: ​​https://www.yara.com/ 

Norway is also a home to the largest fleet, where over 60% of all ferries are electric. Generally, there are only a handful of electric cargo ships in operation but that is expected to change in the coming years.

In terms of the electric cruise ships, there aren’t many but the world's largest electric cruise ship,” the Yangtze River Three Gorges has recently set on its maiden trip. The new, 100 meter long ship is a marvel of technology and sustainability. It can haul up to 1,300 passengers at one time with its 7500kWh battery pack.

Transport electrification takes place in nearly all kinds of areas. Including things like construction and farm equipment. As much as the changes in how we power the utilities are widely visible, there’s still a long way to go before it’ll take over for good.

eMobility outside of the passenger cars - some of the electrification ventures

Download our paper on Demand Response and learn all about it!

Lately, there has been quite a lot of debate about the capacity of the grid all over the world. With tensions rising, many people are voicing their concerns in terms of the potential grid overburdening. However, while speaking about it, one must remember how complex the whole ecosystem is.

The global energy system is a vast and complex network that supplies energy to homes and businesses across the entire planet. It includes everything from power plants and transmission lines to distribution systems and end-use customers. At the heart of this system is energy management. This is the process of planning, controlling, and optimizing the use of energy resources to meet specific objectives. It involves countless operations making sure that the entirety runs smoothly.

Demand response is one of the technologies involved in grid’s proper operation. 

Per definition, demand response is a change in electricity consumption by consumers to help keep the supply and demand of electricity in balance. This can be done by either reducing or increasing their electricity usage depending on the needs of the grid.

Through demand response, utilities can reduce the need for investment in new generation capacity, as well as improve grid stability and resilience. For consumers, demand response programs can offer financial incentives and other benefits.

The whole technology, however slightly complicated at first glance, brings a whole plethora of benefits for both - energy consumers and the grid itself.

In our downloadable PDF, we shed light on all the important aspects of demand response:

What are the main branches of the energy system?

What’s the role of the grid in the ecosystem?

Examples of demand response in practise (including eMobility solutions)

How does demand response impact the energy system?

All about demand response

Learn about the plug and charge technology and see how it simplifies the charging experience.

Grzegorz is the Head of Development in Solidstudio and he has spent quite a few years here. He’s a skilled software developer that had a chance to work on numerous eMobility-related projects for clients from many different countries.

Grzegorz Bar

In the last few years, there have been plenty of ameliorations introduced to ease the EV charging experience. Whether it’s hardware or software, major changes for the better can be observed even in places where eMobility does not have its wings spread with a full potential. Yet, even the major progress in EV charging technology, doesn’t stop frequent comparisons to what it looks like with maintaining an ICE car, which tends to be described as less complicated and simply easier.

Luckily, this view is being gradually changed by technologies implemented into the world of EV charging. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at one of the most promising charging-simplifying facilities.

allows for an EV charging event without the necessity of additional means, such as RFID cards or apps.

 With Plug and Charge, the data exchange between a charger and an electric vehicle occurs entirely automatically. This includes the authentication and authorization processes. It makes the charging process much more convenient for drivers. They don’t have to worry about connecting their vehicle to the charger or starting the charging process manually. In addition, Plug and Charge also offers improved security, as the data exchange between charger and vehicle is encrypted. It makes an EV charging experience more similar to fueling an ICE car, which does not require a sequence of minor actions to authorize a charging session.

The technology behind Plug and Charge is based on the 

. This standard defines the communication protocols and data formats that are necessary for an automated, interoperable charging process (more about it in the next section).

In order to use Plug and Charge, an electric vehicle must be equipped with a so-called Charging Control Unit (CCU). The CCU is the interface between the vehicle and the charging station. It manages the data exchange with the charger and controls the charging process. What must be remembered is that plug and charge facilitates the communication between all parties involved in the charging process, that is:

In simple words, with Plug and Charge compatible devices, the EV contains provisioning certificate and contract certificate (between the driver and EMP) and charging station contains EVSE certificate.User is identified by the ID called E-Mobility Account Identifier (eMAID) stored in the contract certificate. eMAID is also known to the eMSP for billing purposes. Thanks to that, eMSP knows which user has to be charged for the transaction started automatically just by plugging the cable. The moment an EV cable is plugged into the socket, the charging station identifies the car's certificates and vice versa.

When plugging in at a Plug and Charge enabled charger, the CCU will automatically initiate the data exchange with the charger. This includes exchanging information about the maximum current that can be drawn, the maximum voltage that can be applied, and the plug type.

Based on this information, the charger will adapt its settings accordingly. Once the connection is established, the charger will start supplying electrical energy to the vehicle. The entire process happens automatically and doesn’t require any interaction from the driver.

ISO 15118 is a joint venture of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and one of a group of standards for electric vehicles. It describes the communication between a vehicle and a charging point. It has few use cases and Plug and charge is one of them.



Whole ISO 15118 is built upon Public Key Infrastructure. In Plug and Charge - The EV has the contract certificate stored (X.509 certificate). The certificate associates the end-user with the public key. Because the certificate is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority, the charging station is able to check it, and if it’s valid, the charging station believes that the user presented in the certificate is not fake. The standard ensures high security of the data exchange amongst all involved parties. The security is provided via authenticity (the verification of certificates) and confidentiality (data exchange happening via encrypted channels).

As it rapidly gains popularity amongst eMobility-related operators, ISO 15118 can be deemed one of the crucial means in ensuring the seamless operation in the world of EV charging.

In terms of its other use cases, we dive deeper into the smart charging and V2G functionalities and importance in our recent downloadable guide 

OPCP is an open standard launched by Hubject. The launch of OPCP simplifies the process of adopting the Plug and Charge technology for developers and eMobility stakeholders looking to deliver the best solutions for EV users. Standardization of said technology is a great step towards increased interoperability and unification across the industry.

Being an open protocol, OPCP gives everyone interested the opportunity to utilize Plug and Charge technology. As stated by Hubject:

“This measure is particularly relevant because the rapidly growing market for Plug&Charge results in a range of very different processes from different manufacturers. After all, unhindered access without lock-in effects will be an essential criterion for Charging Station Operators and Mobility Service Providers, offering charging solutions. In addition, qualities such as the simple and secure authentication methods for different applications and the option for further joint development in cross-sector mode are convincing. Furthermore, the opportunity for multi-contract handling is given. Multiroot handling is also implemented and compliant with ISO15118-20.”

The protocol is constantly being developed and Hubject invites any feedback and improvement ideas.

OPCP is in productive use since 2019 and is gaining more and more users amongst Charge Point Operators, eMobility Service Providers and OEMs.

It’s to no surprise, as the launch of OPCP opens the door for many to enjoy the benefits of the technology., making the charging experience a lot more effortless for the end-customers - EV drivers.


The protocol covers the following use-cases:

 (Root Certificate Pool: used for communication between the Root Certificate Pool and the various Certificate Authorities of ISO 15118 participants (V2G, OEM, MO, CPS)

 (The Provisioning Certificate Pool: providing interfaces to exchange Provisioning Certificates between OEMs and MOs)

(Certificate Provisioning Service: providing interfaces for generating and signing contract data of MOs)

CCP Service (Contract Certificate Pool: stores the signed contract data from the MOs, and provides it for the CPOs and OEMs backend)

Multiple Contracts (EMAIDs) for one Vehicle (PCID)

Interoperability between Ecosystems, V2G Root Operators etc

Multi Root -> CertificateSigningCertificate ability

ISO15118-20 prepared (separate Namespace already in account)

What is battery swapping?

24 OCTOBER 2022 • 6 MIN READ