Modular EV Battery Swapping for Reduced Vehicle Downtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle (EV) owners face inconvenience due to limited battery power supply, requiring recharging which restricts vehicle use and is often inconvenient, especially during long trips, as recharging stations are not always available.
Innovation Solution
An EV battery resource sharing system with standardized battery modules and exchange facilities allows users to swap discharged batteries for recharged ones, providing flexibility and convenience through a network of battery exchange facilities and a robust tracking system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If EV owners use conventional recharging stations, then the battery can be recharged, but the vehicle must remain stationary and recharging takes considerable time
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into modular battery packs that can be independently exchanged. Instead of recharging the entire battery system in place, the discharged battery pack is replaced with a charged one, enabling rapid energy replenishment without stationary recharging time
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is extracted as a separate, replaceable component from the vehicle. This allows the battery to be removed and replaced independently from the vehicle body, enabling quick swaps at exchange facilities without requiring the vehicle to remain stationary for extended recharging periods
2Use of energy by moving object
If EV owners use conventional recharging stations, then the battery can be recharged, but recharging stations are limited in number and may not be available when and where needed
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized battery pack design enables universal compatibility across different vehicle models and exchange facilities. A single battery pack design can serve multiple functions and be exchanged at any facility equipped with the corresponding swap mechanism, greatly increasing system versatility and availability
Solution Approach 2:
Battery packs are pre-charged at exchange facilities before being made available for swap. This preliminary charging action ensures that charged batteries are ready for immediate exchange, eliminating waiting time and ensuring availability whenever users need recharging
3Reliability
If EVs use non-standardized batteries, then each vehicle has its own dedicated battery, but the battery becomes bound to a particular vehicle and cannot be shared
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is designed with universal mounting interfaces and electrical connections that work across multiple vehicle models. This standardization allows the same battery pack to be reliably installed in different vehicles while enabling sharing across the fleet through exchange facilities
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for an electric vehicle (EV) battery resource sharing system is provided. One embodiment has a plurality of battery modules and a plurality of battery exchange facilities. Each different EV contains a battery swap cabinet that is configured to releasably secure at least one of the plurality of battery modules within the EV. A user of an EV, while at the battery exchange facility, exchanges a discharged first battery module for a second battery module that has been recharged. The battery exchange facility releases the recharged second battery module to the user after a payment has been made by the user. The battery exchange facility subsequently recharges the discharged first battery module after the user has placed the discharged first battery module into the battery exchange facility.