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Comment by tokamak-teapot | Hacker News Reader

I’d love a car with a tiny battery for 99% of the time when I’m just driving locally and the ability to have an extra, large battery that can be slotted in when I want to make a longer trip. With only the short range battery most of the time, my car’s weight is low and efficiency high.

Maybe I could keep that battery in my house and use it to store solar electricity most of the time. It seems like it should be possible to design a system for slotting it in that doesn’t require me to physically lift its weight.

I’d also be happy to drive into somewhere local that rents me that long range battery and slots it in with machinery designed for the purpose.

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I don't know if any company is exploring what you are mentioning, but battery swapping for electrical scooters (Gogoro) is in common use in Taiwan. Instead of you charge your scooter, you drive to a battery swap station and exchange your empty battery for a full one. see [1].

But some companies are also investigating battery swap stations for cars. So, you might not be able to swap a short-range battery with a long-range battery yourself, but I imagine that would be possible with those battery swap stations. See [2]. Battery swap stations means that you have full range again for the same time it takes to fill a car with gas. But obviously, you need to have enough of those stations to make it usable. And if every car brand is gonna create its own mechanism for battery swapping, then that would probably only be interesting in city areas where it's worthwhile for the manufacturer to run those stations.

[1] https://www.electrive.com/2022/01/18/battery-swapping-statio... [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61310513

Edit: typo.

We've been doing this in the Philippines since 2013!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9aEWxexrMI

Just started raising VC this year lol

I love the idea of using those extra cells for solar or perhaps renting them.

I can't see why no one is exploring this gap in the market. It might only appeal to nerds at first but that is true with most technologies in their infancy.

We need what is effectively a giant version of a double AA battery. Yes we also need battery management systems and heating/cooling to go with these things but these are solved problems, just not standardised yet.

Please someone take note and do this!

> With only the short range battery most of the time, my car’s weight is low and efficiency high.

That would however subject the smaller battery to more charge/discharge cycles for obtaining the same mileage. Wouldn't that shorten its life?

I’d be happy to have a shorter life on my small, cheap battery because it should be cheap to replace.

>I’d love a car with a tiny battery for 99% of the time when I’m just driving locally

That's basically what an electric cargo bike is, functionally.

>I’d also be happy to drive into somewhere local that rents me that long range battery and slots it in with machinery designed for the purpose.

Rent the whole car...

>my car’s weight is low and efficiency high.

...and you don't have the weight the rest of the time.

> Maybe I could keep that battery in my house and use it to store solar electricity most of the time.

That's utopian. These things weigh a ton, you'd need a forklift.

Sure, but there are jacks that can be purchased for home use that can easily lift a ton or two. If this was a thing, the battery would have to self-lift itself into place, or have home-installed battery swap station.

...say like a battery trailer with a CCS socket, and with extra storage as well, for long journeys?

Low tech FTW.

Smartrail is still a better soln but we have to be realistic here.

I have heard of proof of concept camping trailers that not only have batteries but also motors in the wheels so the can provide extra power when you drive (restoring the range you loose when towing) and also regen braking. Not low tech, but would be really useful https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1133124_towing-with-an-...

Will any electric car let you drive while it's plugged in?

I'm pretty sure Tesla's Rivians get locked into park when the charger is connected.

I think you're correct, my Fiat certainly doesn't. That is, however a firmware update away provided the type2 or CCS protocol can distinguish between a mobile or static charger, or be extended to do so. My OP was a slightly off the cuff post to highlight the use of a trailer for say cheap city cars, rather than a removable battery.

> Will any electric car let you drive while it's plugged in?

That’s what I was wondering too. Like you, I’m pretty sure the major EVs don’t let you drive while charge, but I haven’t actually tried it.

No, even my PHEV doesn't let you drive while plugged in.

Or you just rent the battery for the trip. Sort of like propane tank exchanges. Drive to the station add a 600 mile battery, drive somewhere, swap or charge it and drive back. Most people would only need 40/50 miles of range 90% of the time. And that range could charge very rapidly as well.

Look into the XBUS by Electric Brands. It is a light vehicle (because they are a less stringently regulated market in Europe).

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