Geely introduces automated battery swapping service for EVs

Geely's new service requires no recharge, just swap out the batteries

Unlike a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, battery-electric vehicles require less maintenance and service. Charge it up, and it it's ready to go. There is a downside, though. Unless you're using a fast charger, the wait time can take hours. The battery also needs to be replaced after a few years.

Geely seems to have found a solution to the long charging times by replacing the battery packs. The automaker recently revealed a battery swapping service called E-Energee, which swaps the vehicle's battery for a fully charged unit in just a minute. Owners will no longer even have to get out of the car for the battery replacement. The facility is fully automated, including the registration and payment.

Research on the technology behind the battery swapping service has been ongoing at the Geely Technology Group since 2017. Meanwhile, the first E-Energee battery-swapping station started operation in Chongqing, China in September 2020. Over the past 12 months, its service has been expanded to 10 other Chinese provinces. Geely's ultimate goal is to have around 5,000 stations online in China by 2025.

According to Geely, the current E-Energee service is predominantly used by “mobility fleets who can have their electric vehicles running with greater efficiency through the use of a battery swap that cuts out longer charging times”.

There's no word yet whether Geely plans to offer the battery swapping service outside of China. By the looks of it, the E-Energee service seems easier to set up and could benefit areas where high-voltage infrastructure is not yet available. Assuming the automaker does, would it convince you to make the switch to EVs?