Abstract:

Battery swapping is rapidly gaining traction as an efficient alternative to traditional plug-in charging for commercial vehicle fleets in China. This method minimizes downtime, allowing commercial vehicles such as taxis and heavy-duty trucks to quickly return to operation. The study observed the process at several battery-swapping sites where robotic arms efficiently replace depleted batteries with charged ones in a matter of minutes—as fast as two minutes for taxis and six for trucks. Each station handles a substantial volume of swaps daily, leveraging fast chargers to ready batteries for continuous operations. This technology not only enhances fleet efficiency but also supports the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in commercial settings.