Given that there is no standardization of battery modules and a whole slew of downsides of different size and generation of cars having to use the same battery, battery swapping is unlikely to ever become a thing for the foreseeable future, outside some fleet vehicles.
Some pretty heavy and expensive machinery is required for the swaps. If there are multiple battery standards, now those facilities need to invest in even more expensive and heavy machinery variants as well as stock even more horrendously expensive batteries. The idea was impractical to start, now there is this monumental added expense.
Given that there is no standardization of battery modules and a whole slew of downsides of different size and generation of cars having to use the same battery, battery swapping is unlikely to ever become a thing for the foreseeable future, outside some fleet vehicles.
Also, I mentioned this over in the EV thread on the 500e, but the car has poor range, is expensive, and doesn’t even qualify for full US subsidies. The 500e is DOA.
Standardization of different sizes of modules on the other hand, like with batteries…
Some pretty heavy and expensive machinery is required for the swaps. If there are multiple battery standards, now those facilities need to invest in even more expensive and heavy machinery variants as well as stock even more horrendously expensive batteries. The idea was impractical to start, now there is this monumental added expense.