Tesla's First Battery Swap Station Opens Next Week

Just in time for Christmas, Tesla is opening its first Model S battery swap station.

The company announced today that it's ready to start a pilot program for invited Model S owners along the San Francisco to LA route, at a facility across the street from its Supercharger station in Harris Ranch, CA. Right now Tesla says the whole process can be done in under three minutes, but with changes to the vehicle design, it says cars could be ready to go in less than a minute.

Click to expand...

Call me when Walmart releases there version of EverStart Maxx battery for tesla

whats going to stop someone from taking a 5 year old battery and swapping it with one that is only a few months old?

I think that in the future you will be renting rather than buying these batteries.

I wonder how long it would take to swap the 24,687 Eneloop AA batteries it uses.

ol1bit said:

whats going to stop someone from taking a 5 year old battery and swapping it with one that is only a few months old?

Click to expand...

I've always wondered that. I'm thinking the program may have a membership deal or something. If I remember, Tesla batteries are only charged to 50% to maximize their life expectancy to quite a few years.

ol1bit said:

whats going to stop someone from taking a 5 year old battery and swapping it with one that is only a few months old?

Click to expand...

And what's to stop the battery in your 2 month old car from being replaced with a battery that's been abused for 2 years?

Answer: Nothing.

Swapping batteries is just an expensive way, estimated $60-$80, to recharge the car without having to waiting for 30 minutes or more for the battery to charge. May not matter to the ultra rich who are driving the car as a status symbol, but to most people, swapping batteries is going to cost more than if they just bought a car that ran on gas, without the range limitations.

That's why swapping the battery will never be a solution for most people, and the charge time will always be an issue with electric cars for most people.

ol1bit said:

whats going to stop someone from taking a 5 year old battery and swapping it with one that is only a few months old?

Click to expand...

They covered this when they announced the battery swap, essentially part of the swap agreement is that on a return trip they cycle in your original battery. As they know doubt have the VIN of the car it probably wouldn't be terribly difficult for them to track down those who are welshing on that deal.

Until battery technology makes a couple more breakthroughs and we get a nationwide rapid charging network, I will just be very happy with my turbocharged 4 pot.