Toyota is reportedly considering developing a battery exchange system, particularly for use in smaller EVs. The plan would entail the construction of a network of battery swapping stations all over Japan.
The report also states that the car manufacturer was planning on establishing the exchange stations at their dealerships. Toyota EV drivers would then be able to quickly and easily swap their empty car batteries for full ones. Currently the concept is mostly aimed at small vehicles and short distances, but Toyota is also still working on the details of the concept, leaving some room for growth.
Last year there were also rumors about a battery exchange system being set up by Tesla, after a patent was registered by Tesla for an automated battery pack exchange. This does not mean much for the immediate future however, as Tesla also introduced a battery exchange concept back in 2013, which has not been further developed into a serial production.
This marks Toyota’s first public announcement in connection with a battery swapping system. The hybrid vehicle pioneer announced in December that they plan to make a least half their income by selling electrified cars by 2030. They will also be expanding their partnership with Panasonic to include the production of batteries for BEVs, focusing on producing better prismatic battery cells.
