Honda solved the electric refuelling problem?

[StephenC]

Not here yet, but probably not long before it does.


ByWilliam JohnsonPosted on October 27, 2022
Honda has unveiled their new battery swap station, the Honda Power Pack Exchange e (HPPEe).



Honda has big plans to electrify its motorcycle division in the coming years, and part of that plan is ensuring that customers can keep their bikes charged. To accomplish this, Honda has cooperated with a large group of manufacturers in standardizing swappable batteries for motorcycles and scooters. And the place where Honda wants you to swap these batteries is the Honda Power Pack Exchange e.

The all-new HPPEe will be deployed first in Japan and India, where the swappable battery signatories, including Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki, could sell their bikes alongside the new infrastructure. The standardized battery version from Honda is the Honda Mobile Power Pack e (HMPPe). However, many anticipate the battery system will make its way to other Asian markets where two/three-wheeled transportation is the norm.

The HPPEe is a scalable solution to battery swapping. Each “cabinet” can hold and charge 12 batteries (HMPPes) at once, while the cabinets can be hooked together to offer more batteries to high-demand locations. The process of swapping batteries is intuitive. Customers place their depleted battery in the exchange (HPPEe), use a designated RFID card to unlock a charged battery, and then place the charged battery into their vehicle.

Each battery has a capacity of 1.3kWh and, according to Honda’s Japanese website, has an MSRP of 88,000 yen ($601). Different numbers of batteries can be used in different motorcycles/scooters, allowing manufacturers and customers to decide how much capacity they need.

In Honda’s electric motorcycle announcement earlier this year, they had planned for numerous motorcycles to come to the U.S. and Europe. However, it is unclear if the company also plans to introduce battery-swapping stations in these locations. In all likelihood, these stations would not be available due to the far smaller demand for motorcycles in western countries. Instead, Honda and other manufacturers would aim for fast charging capabilities to fulfill customer needs.

https://www.teslarati.com/honda-motorcy ... p-station/

[Funkycowie]

Thats what they have in Taiwan at most Petrol stations in the cities.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Techno ... -go-global

[roadster]

Kymco were among the first to offer this type of electric but I don't know how far it has got in the UK.
https://www.kymco.co.uk/ionex
I suspect it will never get beyond major cities because its never going to be cost effective or practical if you have to travel miles just to get your battery swapped.

[StephenC]

Kymco were among the first to offer this type of electric but I don't know how far it has got in the UK.
https://www.kymco.co.uk/ionex
I suspect it will never get beyond major cities because its never going to be cost effective or practical if you have to travel miles just to get your battery swapped.

Same with petrol stations back when though, surely?

Easier and safer to "re-stock" than with a combustible fluid as well, since you only need to supply one lot of batteries and then they just get rotated by use.

[Data]

Probably a good idea but that sort of thing will not really be needed, at least not for long as new battery technology is going to make that sort of thing totally unnecessary. The new tech is already in the pipeline. Battery exchange is probably aimed more at Asian countries where charging might be more of a challenge en-route for a while yet.

Below: New battery tech with recharging in just 8mins. It'll filter to bikes very quickly as will sodium batteries.

[MrGrumpy]

The Honda batteries are 1.3Kwh it seems - that doesn't strike me as a lot (though please correct me if its a decent size) - and they are rather large phyiscally. Yes, the manufacturer can fit more than one for more power/range, but thats going to be a big heavy scoot. As others have said, it may be that this concept works in Asian cities, where there are lots of little scoots and you could have battery stations on practically every street corner.
My concern is that this particular battery becomes a standard and we get stuck with it. Of course, having standard fitments is a good thing, but as Data is pointing out, battery tech is evolving quite rapidly, and any industry standard may become obsolete very quickly.

[roadster]

The Honda batteries are 1.3Kwh it seems - that doesn't strike me as a lot (though please correct me if its a decent size) - and they are rather large phyiscally. Yes, the manufacturer can fit more than one for more power/range, but thats going to be a big heavy scoot. As others have said, it may be that this concept works in Asian cities, where there are lots of little scoots and you could have battery stations on practically every street corner.
My concern is that this particular battery becomes a standard and we get stuck with it. Of course, having standard fitments is a good thing, but as Data is pointing out, battery tech is evolving quite rapidly, and any industry standard may become obsolete very quickly.

You are right about the capacity. My Silence has a battery of over 5 Kw.H and that good for a range of about 50 miles at normal urban speeds. That means at least 3 of these modular batteries to give anything comparable. All of these battery technologies have a habit of being just around the corner but for how long?

[Data]

The Honda batteries are 1.3Kwh it seems - that doesn't strike me as a lot (though please correct me if its a decent size) - and they are rather large phyiscally. Yes, the manufacturer can fit more than one for more power/range, but thats going to be a big heavy scoot. As others have said, it may be that this concept works in Asian cities, where there are lots of little scoots and you could have battery stations on practically every street corner.
My concern is that this particular battery becomes a standard and we get stuck with it. Of course, having standard fitments is a good thing, but as Data is pointing out, battery tech is evolving quite rapidly, and any industry standard may become obsolete very quickly.

You are right about the capacity. My Silence has a battery of over 5 Kw.H and that good for a range of about 50 miles at normal urban speeds. That means at least 3 of these modular batteries to give anything comparable. All of these battery technologies have a habit of being just around the corner but for how long?

Yeah, know what you mean roadster. But some new battery technology is real & ready for production now. Some new Sodium batteries have twice the energy density, plus very very rapid recharge & even longer life. It will be possible to retrofit the new Sodium batteries to existing EV's at some point vastly increasing range & reducing recharge time (which on new EV's is already pretty good). Many current new EV's with xfc (extra fast charging) will charge up from 0% to 80% in 30mins. That enough time for a wee, rest & bacon sarny en-route. I rarely cover more than 2hrs driving in one go. My car screams at me if I do as it's generally recognised that we all become less reactive, less safe after that. So a break is always good. That means at best I've covered around 130-140 miles. So after a quick break the car is fully recharged.