Bisa Nitip Bisa Dititp: Will these new EV station concepts take off?

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Airstream reveals eStream RV concept, Volvo updates its electric semi trucks, and Shell converts a gas station to EV charging. But first:

CATL Is Getting into EV Battery Swap Stations

The concept of EV battery swap stations is not going away, despite just one major player being on board. Earlier this week battery supplier CATL, which supplies batteries to a number of EV makers, announced its intention to open battery swap stations in 10 cities in China, as a start, promising compatibility with 80% of current battery-electric models on the market.
CATL's concept will use battery modules shaped like bars of chocolate, named Choco-SEB, which stands for swapping electric block, and designed just for this purpose. The company's battery swap station, which will take up just three regular parking spots, will be able to automatically swap one of these Choco-SEBs into an EV every minute, giving EV owners the flexibility to quickly replace the batteries in their vehicle.

The EV battery packs will still be rechargeable the old fashioned way, with a cord at home or at a charging station, but CATL is betting that many will pay for the speed of using its battery swap method.

Nio ET5 Wants to Be a Tesla Model 3 Rival

The EV maker Nio has been the only major automaker to stake the concept of battery swap stations.

The stations, set to be launched under the Evogo brand, in effect will compete with simply faster charging, while also offering EV owners the option to use fewer blocks if they don't need the extra range.
"In fact, most car owners tend to purchase EVs of higher power capacity in order to alleviate range anxiety, although only 10 to 20 percent of the total capacity is usually needed for daily use. They have paid a high sunk cost for a power capacity that is rarely needed," CATL claims.

"To address the pain point, Evogo allows customers to choose the number of battery blocks to rent according to their driving scenarios and habits. Only one block is needed for inner city commuting, while for longer trips, customers can rent two to three blocks and swap them with one block after returning to the city."
There are certainly a few advantages with this concept, but it remains to be seen if EV owners will be willing to pay for the convenience of "recharging" in a matter of minutes via this method, versus a longer period of time.

Shell Station Converted to EV Charging Is a Glimpse of the Future

Shell's Fulham EV station was converted from a fuel station, but it may take a while for these transformations to begin happening on a wider scale.

Speaking of EV charging, a few days ago we got a glimpse of what stations of the future could look like when Shell converted a fuel station in Fulham, London, solely to cater to EVs. The station features nine 175-kW chargers, with wood-trimmed canopies with built-in solar panels overhead. Two rows of charging spots welcome EVs and their owners, with a traditional convenience store and cafe on site.
"EV drivers are looking for a charging experience that is as fast, convenient, and comfortable as possible," said Shell Global Executive Vice President for Mobility, István Kapitány. "This is exactly what Shell Fulham aims to offer. It joins our growing network of Shell Recharge sites at forecourts and other locations, our Ubitricity on-street charging network, and our Shell Recharge Solutions for homes and businesses as we increasingly help EV drivers to charge wherever they need it. It also gives us all a glimpse into the future of mobility."
The Fulham station is certainly a view of the future, in the sense that currently such stations are almost nowhere in sight, at least in the US. The stations stands in contrast to the typical charging locations we see on this side of the Atlantic, which are often not within walking distance of any place with hot food and drink. There are plenty of reasons why that's the status quo at the moment, and plenty more reasons why we might not see stations like this for quite some time.

Volvo Trucks Reveals Next-Gen VNR Electric Semi

Tesla's planned Semi may have captured the most headlines when it was revealed several years ago, but as with the Cybertruck, the Austin-based EV maker now has some catch-up work to do. Volvo Trucks has been quietly building the VNR Electric model since the second quarter of 2021 at its New River Valley manufacturing plant in Dublin, Virginia, and has started delivering it to customers here in the US for testing.

And the truck maker has just announced the next generation of Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 trucks. Production is set to start in the second quarter of this year, with the new model offering faster charging, more configurations, and up to 85% more range.

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Will EV Campers Like the Mercedes EQV Take Off?

While the planned arrival of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz California is still a ways off, automakers have already been thinking about giving electric vehicles the camper treatment. Earlier this month Mercedes-Benz unveiled a camper van based on the EQV, which has been in production since 2020, with Swiss conversion specialist Sortimo, offering a bed unit on top of folded rear seats, a pop-up roof, and a kitchen unit in the rear luggage compartment.

But will EV campers quickly win over buyers, or will this vehicle category be largely immune to electrification for some time?

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