Stellantis and Ample have signed a binding agreement to establish a partnership working toward integrating Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping solution in Stellantis electric vehicles.
The battery swapping technology will enable an EV driver to stop at a battery swapping station to have a depleted EV battery exchanged for a fully charged battery in less than five minutes.
The two companies are also planning to use Ample’s swapping technology to meet Stellantis fleet and consumer demand across other Stellantis platforms. The initial program is planned to begin in Madrid, Spain in 2024 using a fleet of 100 Fiat 500e’s within Stellantis’ Free2move car sharing service.
Ample’s modular batteries are a drop-in replacement for any electric vehicle and would allow Stellantis to integrate the technology without reengineering its vehicle platforms.
Ample’s light-weight battery swapping stations can be deployed in public areas in as little as three days, which allows for a rapidly scalable infrastructure that can meet drivers’ demand. When an Ample-enabled EV approaches the swapping station, the vehicle is recognised and once parked inside, the battery swap is initiated from the mobile app.
The battery technology would be made available to EV customers on a subscription service basis and is designed to minimise the time an electric vehicle is out-of-service.
This approach will reduce the total upfront cost of the vehicle and allow the customer to benefit from always having the latest battery technology, increasing an EV’s range and lifespan.
The partnership is part of Stellantis’ Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan based on the three pillars of care, tech and value. The company has plans for sales of passenger EVs in Europe to reach 100% and passenger and light-duty trucks in the US to reach 50%. To achieve this the company is securing around 400GWh of battery capacity.
In 2021 start-up company Ample achieved unicorn status when it announced investment that took its value to more than $1 billion. The company uses renewable energy to recharge its batteries.
