Niti Aayog, the apex public policy tank of the Government of India, has recently announced the release of a Draft Battery Swapping Policy to promote swapping of batteries with Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) batteries to double the cost of the battery from the upfront purchasing costs of EVs.
What is battery swapping?
Battery swapping is an alternative which involves replacing of discharged batteries with the charged ones. It de-links the vehicle and lowers the cost of vehicles. It is popularly used for two or three-wheelers which have smaller batteries and are easier to swap as compared to other automotive segments.
It mainly offers three advantages; time, space, cost-efficient and provides the swappable battery that is actively used.
As per the proposed draft policy, electric car with swappable batteries will be sold without a battery, which will help in reducing the costs for potential EV customers. Also, individuals can set up battery exchange stations anywhere while maintaining technical, safety and performance standards.
The draft policy further states that all metropolitan cities with a population above 40 lakh will be prioritized in the first phase of battery swapping network development. In the second phase, major cities such as state capitals, Union Territory headquarters and cities with population more than 5 lakh will be encompassed.
Objectives of the battery swapping policy
It allows an EV owner to remove and replace their depleted battery with a fully charged one. Many automakers like Revolt, Simple Energy, and Bounce are offering the removable battery technology with their electric two-wheelers.
It also helps in promoting better lifecycle management of batteries, including maximizing the use of batteries during their usable lifetime.
