Tesla unveils battery pack swapping

It looks like you'll have to pay again when you reclaim your battery since it is considered another swap. $120-$160.

What if you do a second swap at another swapping station? You'll have to backtrack the same path back home in order to "reverse" the order of the swaps.

 

Just highlights a major issue with the battery swapping concept. These aren't propane tanks that might need a new valve and some fresh paint and they provide the same capacity as new. Battery capacity degrade over time, and with swapping programs, there never seemed to be a way of ensuring you got a battery at least as good as the old one.

Tesla is just ensuring you pick up your pack or you pay for getting a newer one to avoid that mess.

 

There is an option to have your pack delivered to you for transportation fee. Not sure how it would get swapped out when it gets delivered to your home. I would think you'll have to visit the nearest swapping station.

My PiP can refuel 10 gallons ($38) in a minute and go 500 miles. 85kWh pack swap would be good for 265 miles range. I know the two cars are not comparable in "class". Just making a point.

Tesla used Audi A8(?) to compare the refueling speed. The cost to swap the pack is said to be about 15 gallons of gas. A8 is rated 21 MPG combined so 15 gallons would go 315 miles. A8 highway is rated 28 MPG so it should get 420 miles for purely highway driving.

Swapping does not make financial sense. If the cost is the factor, just get a free charge with the super charger.

 

No need to backtrack, you just need to make sure your last station is the same as your first so you can get your original pack.
Since this would most likely be the swap station closest to your home, it shouldn't be an issue unless you are moving or making a one way trip for some reason.

What point? That smaller cars tend to be more efficient than larger ones? Is that news to anyone?

 

this sounds like a major step in the right direction, i like tesla's commitment! why am i reminded of steve jobs?

 

I do not want this to become PiP vs Model S discussion.

Some would argue that the Model S is more efficient than PiP, just by looking at vehicle efficiency or the big EPA MPGe number. If we include the fuel production efficiency, that's a totally different conversation.

The point was the range and refueling speed. I was just pointing out that PiP simply use the gasoline, to avoid the need to swap battery pack or super high speed battery charging -- to achieve the same practicality (if not better).

There are reasons/preferences to go full electric. It is good to see this alternative even better than non-hybrid gas cars.

 

Agreed. I was very skeptical of a battery swap system and look forward to seeing more details.
It is getting almost humorous how people tell Musk he can't do something, and then he does

I agree, curious if you don't want it to, why you made the first comparison and then followed up with the second. BTW, that is a rhetorical question, no need to continue down that route.

 

True but I don't think people that are paying this much for a car probably care as much about those small financial decisions as much as you and I might.

 

It looks like a man less operation which saves Tesla Money.

 

I think the announcement also dispels the fud about not being able to get an older battery pack replaced or having your original battery pack serviced. The days of leaving a vehicle for weeks at the dealer's service department may be ending.

I need to confirm, but I also think this means you could temporarily swap a 40kWh pack for an 85kWh pack.

 

An Israeli company went belly up swapping batteries as a business. This may be different

 

Tesla made it seem like Model S refuels faster than the gas powered car (A8). Notice, they did not bring up the range at all. A8 can go 616 highway miles with the 22 gallons it refueled.

I was just saying that there are other gas powered cars that refuel faster than the battery swap.

It looks like CARB will not recognize battery swapping as refueling.

 

Yes, they'll bill you the difference.

Elon addressed it in the video. Better Place got the battery swapping idea from Tesla. Shai Agassi was a good salesman but lacks the technical how-to for the execution.

 

At the least Elon respond to the vocal minority that complained about waiting hours for a charge.

 

They will bill you the difference if you choose not to swap back to your original pack.

An informal response from someone at Tesla indicates the loaner pack swaps are all 85kWh packs. So for ~$60 you can temporarily transform your 40kWh Model S daily driver to a 85kWh road warrior.

 

I would suggest that it doesn't make financial sense from the companies viewpoint, if it is the focus of the business. $60-$80 is not all that unreasonable from a consumer's viewpoint.
Personally, I think I would always use the superchargers as they are free and I can use a stretch or meal every once in a while.

With the ability for Tesla to use the packs for grid level storage backup, as well as supporting their main product I suspect it does make financial sense from a business standpoint.
But no way for a stand alone like better place.

 

It is just another option if you need it.

The mashabe video was shot from a Cell phone from th audience. You can hear the cheers.

Tesla Shows Off A 90-Second Battery Swap System, Wants It At Supercharging Stations By Year’s End | TechCrunch

 

Oh absolutely! Options are good, and for those that are in a hurry, I am sure they won't mind paying for it.

Just saying that personally, I have no issue with a stop to get food or a stretch of the legs to recharge for free

 

Good point. They dropped the 40kWh version. The choices are 60kWh of 85kWh.