Europe's first battery switch station unveiled in Denmark

In preparation for commercial launch later this year, Better Place has unveiled the company's first battery switch station in Europe at an event in Gladsaxe, just outside Copenhagen.
January 27, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

In preparation for commercial launch later this year, 170 Better Place has unveiled the company’s first battery switch station in Europe at an event in Gladsaxe, just outside Copenhagen. The station, which showcased the company’s battery switch technology, switching a 2453 Renault Fluence Z.E., is the first of 20 stations to be deployed across the country over the next nine months as part of the company’s nationwide network of charging infrastructure that will launch later this year in partnership with Dong Energy and more than 45 municipalities.

“Today marks a significant milestone for the partnership between Better Place and Renault. Together we are unlocking the full potential of electric cars, giving them virtually unlimited range because they no longer have to wait hours to charge. Danish consumers are poised to lead the transition to a more sustainable transportation model,” said Henrik Bang, Renault Denmark.

The battery switch experience is a simple, fully-automated process that together with the Renault Fluence ZE gives drivers the autonomy of unlimited range. Customers simply swipe their membership card, which authenticates the car and subscription via the Operations Centre to activate the switch. The rest of the process is automated, similar to going through a car wash, so the driver never has to leave the car. In just a few minutes, a robotic arm removes the depleted battery and replaces it with a full one and the driver is back on the road.

Related Content

  • May 3, 2019
    Gearing up for the global electric vehicle revolution
    As transport, communications and energy networks become inextricably linked, policy makers are recognising the implications for our built environment – and the growing electric vehicle market will have a major impact on the world’s infrastructure, says Rolton Group’s Chris Evans
    Read More
  • July 30, 2015
    Most EV charging ‘takes place at home’
    New analysis by plug-in vehicle campaign Go Ultra Low suggests that British motorists could no longer have to rely on the conventional petrol station. More than 90 per cent of electric vehicle (EV) charging takes place at home while total charging volumes have almost tripled since 2014, according to new usage data from leading infrastructure provider Chargemaster. Coupled with bumper uptake of plug-in vehicles – more than 14,500 were registered in the first half of 2015 – the new findings point to the po
    Read More
  • April 10, 2012
    Why integrated traffic management needs a cohesive approach
    Traffic control is increasingly being viewed as one essential element of a wider ‘system of systems’ – the smart city. Jason Barnes, Jon Masters and David Crawford report on latest ideas and efforts for making cities ‘smarter’ Virtually every element of the fabric and utilitarian operations that make urban areas tick can now be found somewhere in the mix that is the ‘smart city’ agenda. Ideas have expanded and projects pursued in different directions as the rhetoric on making cities ‘smarter’ has grown. App
    Read More
  • October 26, 2012
    Heathrow set to trial electric vehicles
    London’s Heathrow airport is to trial a fleet of electric vehicles, including the Nissan LEAF, Peugeot iOn, Vauxhall Ampera and the Renault Kangoo ZE, to test the viability of electric power-trains used in the highly demanding context of daily airport operations. Heathrow Airport, which supports a potential switch to zero-emission ground based vehicles, British Airways, LSG SkyChefs and Gate Gourmet will be using the electric vehicles within their normal fleet to better understand the suitability or otherwi
    Read More

Highlighted Content