Recharging ecosystem unveiled

Filling up a gas- or diesel-powered vehicle is simple and easy today as fuel stations are located almost everywhere. But that's not the case when it comes to electric vehicles or EVs.

To start with, recharging EVs consumes a significant amount of time. Having recharging stations replicate the length of time spent at a fuel station will be key in the transition.

That's something Taiwan-based Gogoro is trying to do with its battery-swapping stations and electric smart scooters. Basically, these stations allow customers to swap out a used battery for a new one, 24/7. Users will be able to access these stations when they subscribe to a monthly plan.

The process starts with the purchase of a Gogoro electric scooter. After the purchase, the scooter owner will be asked to become a subscriber by simply downloading the Gogoro app and registering the scooter.

The owner will be given a unique account that will be used in monitoring battery usage and other needed data. A Gogoro keycard will then be issued to the owner which will enable to unlock the smart scooter with a tap.

Aside from the scooter's screen where a subscriber can be prompted when it's time to visit a battery-swapping station, he or she can also be notified through the Gogoro app, which is programmed to identify a subscriber before dispensing a fully charged battery or two (depending on the scooter model).

The battery swap — which only takes a few seconds — is done securely. Moreover, one is only charged for the amount of "electricity" or power consumed, not per battery swap.

Each location of battery-swapping stations will have at least 30 slots, which ideally contain 28 readily available batteries. Two vacant receptacles are for the batteries brought by users for charging.