Automaker Stellantis and electric vehicle (EV) provider Ample recently announced their new partnership in electric vehicle (EV) battery charging technology that can deliver a fully charged electric vehicle battery in less than five minutes. The companies have agreed to work toward integrating Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping solution in Stellantis electric vehicles. Battery swapping technology allows an EV customer who stops at a battery swapping station to have its depleted EV battery swapped out for a fully charged battery in a matter of minutes.
The two companies are also in discussions about expanding the application of Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping Technology to meet Stellantis fleet and consumer demand across other Stellantis platforms and geographies.
The initial program is planned to begin in Madrid, Spain in 2024 with a fleet of 100 Fiat 500e’s within Stellantis’ Free2move car sharing service. The Fiat 500e is the highest selling electric vehicle within Stellantis, sold globally and is an EV leader in multiple European markets.
“The partnership with Ample is another example of how Stellantis is exploring all avenues that enable freedom of mobility for our electric vehicle customers,” Ricardo Stamatti, Stellantis Senior Vice President, Charging & Energy Business Unit said in a statement. “In addition to other projects we are focused on, Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping solution has the opportunity to offer our customers greater energy efficiency, outstanding performance and lower range anxiety. We are looking forward to executing the initial program with our stellar Fiat 500e.”
“At Ample, we believe in the importance of making electric vehicles accessible to everyone without compromises, which is the only way that we will make a significant impact on lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Stellantis’ ambitious electrification goals, its range of electric vehicles, and the commitment of its leadership, make Stellantis a perfect partner in achieving our goals,” Khaled Hassounah, CEO of Ample said. “The combination of offering compelling electric vehicles that can also receive a full charge in less than five minutes will help remove the remaining impediments to electric vehicle adoption. We look forward to working with Stellantis to deploy our joint solution across communities around the world.”
Ample’s technology provides an alternative way to deliver energy to electric vehicles that makes the refueling experience as fast and convenient as refueling with gas, while offering a green solution to customers that can more seamlessly integrate renewable energy sources.
Ample batteries are designed to be a drop-in replacement for an electric vehicle’s original battery. Ample’s modular batteries makes this possible as they can fit into any electric vehicle and would allow Stellantis to integrate Ample’s technology without reengineering its vehicle platforms.
In addition, Ample’s light-weight battery swapping stations can be deployed in public areas in as little as three days, allowing for a rapidly scalable infrastructure that can meet drivers’ demand. When an Ample-enabled EV approaches the Ample station, the station instantly recognizes the vehicle. Once parked inside, the driver initiates the battery swap from the mobile app resulting in a fully charged battery in less than five minutes.
Ample’s Modular Battery Swapping solution is designed to be fast and cost-effective, minimizing how long EVs are out-of-service, as well as the related financial impacts. Ample’s battery technology would be made available to EV customers on a subscription service basis. This approach would reduce the upfront total cost of the vehicle, as well as allow the customer to benefit from always having the latest battery technology, effectively increasing the EV’s range and lifespan.
As part of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis announced plans of reaching a 100 percent passenger car battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales mix in Europe and 50 percent passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in the U.S. by 2030. The company is securing approximately 400 GWh of battery capacity to achieve these sales targets. Stellantis is on track to become a carbon net zero corporation by 2038, all scopes included, with single-digit percentage compensation of remaining emissions.
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