Stellantis and Ample have signed a binding agreement to establish a partnership in electric vehicle (EV) battery charging technology capable of providing a fully charged electric vehicle battery in less than five minutes.
The two partners have agreed to work to integrate Ample's Modular Battery Swapping solution into Stellantis electric vehicles. Battery swapping technology allows an EV customer who stops at a battery swap station to swap their dead battery for a fully charged one 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 fleet and customer demand on other Stellantis platforms and geographies.
The initial program is scheduled to begin in Madrid in 2024, using a fleet of 100 Fiat 500e within Stellantis' Free2move car sharing service. The Fiat 500e is Stellantis' best-selling electric vehicle, sold worldwide and is the EV leader in multiple European markets.
Ample batteries are designed to directly replace the original battery of an electric vehicle. This is made possible by Ample's modular batteries, which can fit into any electric vehicle, and would allow Stellantis to integrate Ample's technology without needing to redesign its vehicle platforms.
Additionally, Ample's lightweight battery swapping stations can be installed in public areas in just three days, providing a rapidly scalable infrastructure that can meet the demand of people driving. When an Ample-enabled electric vehicle approaches the Ample station, it immediately recognizes it. Once parked inside, the driver initiates the battery change 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, thereby minimizing the time that electric vehicles are out of service, as well as the related financial impacts. Ample's battery technology would be made available to electric vehicle customers through a subscription service. This approach would reduce the total initial cost of the vehicle and would allow the customer to benefit from always having the latest battery technology, which would increase the autonomy and useful life of the EV.
As part of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis announced its plans to achieve a battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales mix of 100% for passenger cars in Europe and 50% for passenger cars and light-duty trucks in the United States by 2030 To achieve these sales goals, the company is securing approximately 400 GWh of battery capacity. Stellantis is on track to become a net-zero carbon emissions company by 2038, including all scopes, with a single-digit percentage offset of remaining emissions.
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