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.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Heavy weather: how ITS can mitigate climate change effects
    August 22, 2023
    Countries, regions and cities all over the world are seeing unprecedented extreme weather events causing destruction in different ways: from heat and wildfires to snow and floods and much else in between. Jon Tarleton of Baron Weather explains how the ITS industry can help the transportation network to remain efficient as the climate changes
    Read More
  • Autonomous driving – what can we really expect?
    June 6, 2016
    Dave Marples of Technolution BV looks beyond the hype to the practical implementation of autonomous vehicles. Having looked at the development of this sector for some time, I am concerned about the current state of autonomous driving development as engineering (and marketing) have run way ahead of the wider systemic, and legislative, requirements to support an autonomous future.
    Read More
  • Debating road user charging systems
    January 26, 2012
    Are pre-launch trials of charging systems the way to improve public acceptance? Or is the real key a more robust political attitude? Here, leading system suppliers discuss the issue. The use of distance-based Road User Charging (RUC) is now well established, at least for heavy goods vehicles on strategic roads. However demand management for all vehicles, whether a distance-based charge or some form of cordon scheme, has yet to make significant progress. This is in spite of the logic and equity of RUC being
    Read More
  • Electric vehicle future for Norway
    April 25, 2012
    Innovative fast-charging systems for electric vehicles are now being supplied to Norway. The country is buying the high speed charging technology from Epyon, a Belgian supplier. Norwegian firm Lysi Energi is purchasing the commercial charging stations for electric vehicles in a bid to build a nationwide network. Epyon recently installed a Terra 51 Charge Station in Sandnes, near the E39 highway to Stavanger, and plans installations at least at two more locations in the next two months.
    Read More

Highlighted Content