Stellantis Trials Battery Swapping Technology with Fiat 500e for Rapid Recharge
Stellantis is currently conducting a trial of battery swapping technology with the Fiat 500e in Madrid, with the goal of offering full recharge times in just five minutes. This innovative approach could potentially eliminate one of the major obstacles to electric vehicle ownership: long charging times.
The trial involves a fleet of 40 Fiat 500e cars that have been specially adapted to utilize battery packs from the battery swapping company Ample. These vehicles are being operated by Stellantis-owned car-sharing service Free2move in the city.
At present, the cars are serviced by a single swapping station in Madrid, but there are plans to establish more stations throughout the city as part of the trial. The Spanish government has provided a grant of €9.8 million to support this initiative.
Stellantis intends to expand the fleet to 100 vehicles in the near future. If successful, the technology will be made available to private customers. Fiat CEO Olivier Francois expressed confidence in the project, stating, “We are committed to thoroughly testing and evaluating this concept in real-world conditions and aim to offer it to private customers soon. The iconic Fiat 500 has been chosen to lead this initiative, providing valuable insights for our brand and the Group as we shape the future of mobility.”
It remains uncertain whether the battery swapping technology will be extended to other models beyond the Fiat 500e. Currently, the 500e is based on a unique platform rather than the e-CMP architecture utilized by models like the Vauxhall Cross and Peugeot e-208.
