Ample’s battery-swap stations could help get more EVs on the road. Drive-in bays robotically swap drained batteries for fully charged ones in just five minutes, the company claims. The process can work in different vehicle models using adapter plates, so scaling the strategy requires close cooperation with vehicle makers; CEO Khaled Hassounah says the company is working with five automakers, including two major global ones. He thinks the booming consumer EV market needs swapping to grow even as plug-in charging expands and gets faster (it currently takes at least 30 minutes). This year, Ample got a $15 million grant from the California energy commission to boost production.
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