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[flynnstig82r]

Gogoro has been successfully using the swapping model in Taiwan for years, and has been slowly bringing it to other places. We investigated something similar at Scoot, and I thought it would have been a game-changer for the profitability of shared electric mopeds. A typical 30-50 MPH scooter carries 2 of the batteries, which weigh 15 lbs each and provide a range of at least 40 miles. It takes about 90 seconds to swap both batteries for an experienced user, including swiping a payment card. Very handy in places that ban or restrict ICE scooters, for apartment dwellers, and places with high gas prices.

It doesn’t really work for cars and full-sized motorbikes due to the weight and shape of the batteries. You need a station wtih fully articulating arms to do the swap given the myriad shapes, and the speed and expense wouldn’t compare favorably to DCFC. <50 MPH scooters and e-bikes are where the market is at.

[princec]

So, those same scooters where the owners are probably only doing a 20 mile round trip every day, and could just take the battery out of the bike when they get home and charge it up? Hmm

Cas

[Fran K]

Gogoro has been successfully using the swapping model in Taiwan for years, and has been slowly bringing it to other places. We investigated something similar at Scoot, and I thought it would have been a game-changer for the profitability of shared electric mopeds. A typical 30-50 MPH scooter carries 2 of the batteries, which weigh 15 lbs each and provide a range of at least 40 miles. It takes about 90 seconds to swap both batteries for an experienced user, including swiping a payment card. Very handy in places that ban or restrict ICE scooters, for apartment dwellers, and places with high gas prices.

It doesn’t really work for cars and full-sized motorbikes due to the weight and shape of the batteries. You need a station wtih fully articulating arms to do the swap given the myriad shapes, and the speed and expense wouldn’t compare favorably to DCFC. <50 MPH scooters and e-bikes are where the market is at.

I am skeptical about the 30-50 mph, 30 pounds of battery and at least 40 miles of range.  My KTM with hard street tires 60 pound battery 30-50 mostly mph, more sensible road sprocket choice, would be 40 miles max as it was close to the power derating level of charge at 36 mi.  I suspect the dc-dc converter and other stuff is in my battery looking at cut away pictures of it.  Any idea of what besides cells is in the Gogoro swapable battery units and the multi brand standard.  Hopefully there are multiple standard sizes and shapes on the drawing board.

[Fran K]

So, those same scooters where the owners are probably only doing a 20 mile round trip every day, and could just take the battery out of the bike when they get home and charge it up? Hmm

Cas

That is what I find one has to decide what to do when the battery is partially depleted.  The charger is not silent by any means depending on the cost and wait at a swap station or potential wait a decision is in order.

[flynnstig82r]

I am skeptical about the 30-50 mph, 30 pounds of battery and at least 40 miles of range.  My KTM with hard street tires 60 pound battery 30-50 mostly mph, more sensible road sprocket choice, would be 40 miles max as it was close to the power derating level of charge at 36 mi.  I suspect the dc-dc converter and other stuff is in my battery looking at cut away pictures of it.  Any idea of what besides cells is in the Gogoro swapable battery units and the multi brand standard.  Hopefully there are multiple standard sizes and shapes on the drawing board.

You do have to take these range claims with a big grain of salt, of course, and I was just quoting from faulty memory so don't take my 40 miles as a manufacturer claim. I just looked up the actual specs, and I was somewhat off: Gogoro uses 9.5 kg / 21 lbs batteries with 1.7 kWh capacity, and supposedly 2.5 kWh for the newer "solid state" batteries.

Scoot used Genze 2.0 scooters with a 1.6 kWh battery that weighed about 35 lbs and we reliably got 20-24 miles of actual range in San Francisco. The Genze battery was pretty heavy for its capacity, so I would expect most e-mopeds to get more range than that for a similar battery weight. Revel used Niu scooters that had 2 x 25 lbs batteries and were good for 50 miles of actual range in SF, can't remember their kWh capacity. On their website, Gogoro advertises 79 km range at 30 km/h for their 1-battery Viva model, and 170 km range at the same speed for their 2-battery Series 2. In the small print, it shows that this is at 0% grade, 63 kg rider, and "fair" wind conditions. I wouldn't expect anything close to that as a rider under any conditions, but I don't think 40-50 miles for the 2-battery model is unreasonable as long as most of that riding is 35 MPH or less.