Electric powertrains in all segments of vehicles are gaining pace all across the world as the human race is struggling to reduce the carbon footprint from the planet and quantify the harmful effects of using transportation running on internal combustion engines. In a developing country like India, entrepreneurship has taken new heights with multiple new startups adopting the idea to develop electric vehicles along with many old players inclining their operations towards this budding technology. One of the new technology recently approved is the swappable battery model for electric vehicles and here is what Ather Energy has to say about it.
As electric powertrains are new to us, we do focus some attention on the backlashes we potentially get with this striving new technology. Some of them being range anxiety, battery charging infrastructure and many more have also grabbed the attention of the industry experts. Thus, many enterprises came up with a solution of introducing a swappable battery model for electric vehicles. This proposed model does have many advantages but would have certain challenges to be dealt with. Therefore, there are many varied opinions on Battery as a service, battery management systems and swappable battery compatibility.
Ather Energy is one of the best electric scooter manufacturers in the country and has managed to achieve a decent position at a much faster pace. They had kicked into the business of developing electric scooters way before and have reached a point where they have analysed that the banes overpower the boons in a battery swapping system.
As per the authorities, the 100 - 125 cc scooters and motorcycles are mostly dedicated to urban commute and are present in almost every household, they aim to replace this very segment with their electric scooter offerings. This can be economical for all the urban as well as the suburban and rural residents in terms of more savings per kilometre and low maintenance costs. The ongoing Ather scooters have been designed as per a fixed battery pack and cannot be adjusted in any way to accommodate a swappable or removable battery pack. This would not only pose a much necessary design philosophy modification requirement but would also return a much lesser efficiency on the whole.
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If an individual purchases an electric scooter with a swappable battery pack rated to return a claimed range of 90 kilometres per hour, the rider would have to travel down to the nearest battery swapping station. By that time, he would have already covered some unwanted distance, thus returning a range of 70 to 80 kilometres. This variation in theoretical Vs practical claimed range can present a negative front for the consumers on the whole.
As per the recent incidents of electric scooters catching fire due to certain reasons, the Indian climate and road conditions may contribute to a faster deterioration of the quality of a battery. This makes it necessary for a vehicle manufacturer to develop a comprehensive battery management system, tweaked suspension. cooling radiators and many more. Therefore, Ather Energy would focus on providing updates and improvements on their existing lineup of 450X electric scooters.
Also Read: New Ather Electric Scooter Variants To Launch Soon
So, what do you think about the Swappable Battery model being discarded by Ather? Share your views in the comment section. Let's get into a discussion with this in our 91Wheels Telegram and 91Wheels Whatsapp group, where you can know more about vehicles, conduct discussions on your favourite ride, and much more! You can also subscribe to our Youtube channel for our exclusive video content on the latest from the world of cars and motorcycles. Also, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more about vehicles!
