this post was submitted on 07 Jan 2025
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I don’t see the use case for phones, and maybe there is for other personal electronics, but something similar for EVs should become the norm.
Basically a range extender when you need it, but it can be removed to save on weight when your trips are within the built-in battery’s range. Such a system could easily be extended to trailers, including their own static or removable batteries, and where the additional axles could be powered so they can contribute regenerative braking.
Having to haul a trailer of some sort would be really annoying for long road trips because of the speed limits towing entails. Not to mention the nightmare it is to find parking with a trailer, and even worse charging that accommodates room for a trailer.
I've been road tripping around Europe a few times in my EV, and the car is always done charging before the kids are done on the toilet and we have restocked snacks/coffee/gotten an ice cream. Having a break for every ~2-3h of driving is also extremely nice I found, you arrive much less trashed. It's actually only annoying when you stop to eat lunch/dinner, because you have to move the car before you're done eating because it's finished charging.
Yes, this is my experience with EV too (France)
When doing a long trip I actually enjoy having to stop for recharging. It gives me a 15-20 min break to pee, her some coffee and stretch my legs without having the impression that I'm losing time.
I’m in Australia, so my perspective may be skewed. The trailer would be optional, and I only mentioned it as the system as proposed could be just an extension of the self contained removable battery in a vehicle.
Unless batteries can become tremendously lighter, I see a standardised, swappable EV battery a given as a means to further increase vehicle efficiency. Why lug around hundreds of km of range when the distance between typical charging points is a fraction of that.
So you need to raid Battery Town and Gastown on your road trips while fighting off weirdos on the road? 😀
Most EVs can now do 200 plus miles on a full charge so I really don't think range extenders are that necessary (especially when combined with level 3 fast charging). Plus where would you put it? The batteries on an EVs are stored on the undercarriage and they pretty much take up the entirety of the undercarriage, if there was extra space left over you would just put a permanent battery in there.
The batteries are what make EVs heavier compared to ICE vehicles, and the majority of trips don’t call for anything close to their peak range.
Installing a fraction of the capacity as a static battery would reduce weight for shorter trips, also extending the typical range.
Removable batteries could be installed in a standard cavity in the undercarriage, or in the regular cargo space, it just needs an electrical connection to the rest of the system.
Fast charging is also a problem, as it disproportionately affects the performance and longevity of the batteries. Swapping batteries would permit charging them at a more leisurely and manageable rate.
You have to account for all of the additional hardware that is required to enable swapping of batteries. Have you ever picked up an EV battery they are incredibly heavy and huge. I really can't see how you would do it without using the kind of engine lifting equipment that mechanics have.
I can't see it as practical or safe to allow general members of the public to use them. Even if you can pick them up, which you can just about do, you would seriously risk injuring your back.