“IMO - a battery “swapping” technology makes more sense. A station could have stacks of them ready to go and switch them in minutes (automate it). You’d basically have the convenience everyone wants.”
The problem (as I see it) with the battery swapping technology is that who in their right mind would drive their brand new car into a service station and give them their brand new “in-need-of-charge” battery in exchange for one of unknown remaining life? Lots of people who typically charge at home are going to swap out their worn out battery for a new one. How would the manufacturer warranty a battery that has been swapped out for something else. All kinds of issues with that concept.
...not quite what I mean. Imagine the car doesn’t come with a battery, just a placeholder. Every time I go to an “energy station” (gas station today) I just pull up over a swap area (instead of next to a pump) and the battery is swapped for my next 300 miles. It would take a few minutes each time, just like filling up gas. The battery wouldn’t be considered part of the sale of the vehicle, you’re constantly swapping batteries with each “fill up”.
It would be like having pre-filled gas tanks that you swap in-out instead of a fixed gas tank that you fill each time. More like how we handle propane, except with batteries (and automated).