Following seven years of research and development, two former Tesla and Google engineers have revealed a new battery charging solution that can provide any EV will full power in less than 10 minutes.
Ample, created by Khaled Hassounah and John de Souza, is a California-based company that has developed a battery swap system, which claims to be three-times faster than even the most powerful public EV chargers, and can be compatible with any electric vehicle thanks to a modular, Lego-like battery architecture.
Ample uses Modular Battery Swapping to deliver a full charge (100%) in under 10 minutes, and is designed for rapid deployment, with claims “it possible to equip an entire metropolitan area with a ubiquitous network in a matter of weeks, while delivering energy at a cost as cheap as gasoline”.
The company’s technology features a fully-autonomous swapping station that removes depleted battery modules from the car and replaces them with fully charged ones. The depleted battery modules are then placed on shelves where they are recharged. Ample also harvests wind and solar power when it’s available, and then dispenses that energy to EVs when needed.
Ample’s stations require no construction and can be assembled wherever two parking spots are available. This makes them a convenient solution for a diversity of locations including grocery stores, gas stations, and highway rest stops. It currently has five operational charging stations in California with more on the way, it has revealed.
Interestingly, its modular battery architecture allows for any EV to use Ample’s stations as it claims its batteries are made out of modules that can accommodate any vehicle regardless of size or model.
In a recent blog post authored by Ample’s founders it said:
“When we set out to work on this challenge, it was clear to us that ubiquitous electric car adoption is hindered by the shortcomings of charging options available today. Urban areas and fleets have had slow uptake of electric vehicles due to slow charging speeds, high deployment costs, and long construction times. What’s more, it is not possible today to profitably build and operate charging infrastructure without continued access to government subsidies. Additionally, long charge times put electric vehicles at a significant disadvantage to gasoline for many use cases, including high-utilization fleets, drivers without access to overnight charging, and long-range driving.
“For economies like the United States, European Union, and Japan, transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Today there’s no clear path to moving electric vehicles to renewable energy sources without heavy investment in grid infrastructure to store renewable energy. Ample’s approach addresses these challenges, enabling a seamless transition to electric mobility.”
“Ample is currently being deployed regionally in the Bay Area, where we are actively working with a wide range of ride-sharing, last-mile delivery, and municipal fleet partners. Our technology allows them to electrify their fleets without losing any of the economic benefits or convenience of gasoline. In addition, we are actively working with a number of the world’s largest automakers to enable mass deployment in the US, Europe, and Asia.”
