I came across an interesting article called “Electric Vehicles With No Waiting Time for Charging” and would like to share it here. It takes about five minutes to fill up a conventional car with gas. On the other hand, even with rapid charging, it takes at least an hour to charge an electric vehicle (EV). This is one of the downsides of EVs.
Honda has developed innovative concept models that eliminate charging wait times and revealed them in 2023. These vehicles are equipped with a unique detachable battery system called “Mobile Power Pack (MPP).” MPP is a battery system that Honda has developed for electric mobility solutions and tools. Each unit can store over 1.3 kWh of power. The system allows cars to restart simply by replacing empty batteries with new ones, instead of taking the car to a charging station when the battery runs low.
This technology has already been implemented in Honda’s electric business motorbikes, “BENLY e:” and “GYRO e,” proving its reliability and practicality. Honda plans to expand the system to commercial vehicles, expecting it to be particularly useful for delivery services and similar applications.
Honda’s concept vehicles, called “MEV-VAN Concept,” are equipped with up to eight MPPs and a motor in the space traditionally occupied by a conventional engine. The cruising range on a full charge with eight MPPs is about 75 km, with a maximum speed of 70 km/h. The vehicle has a load capacity of 250 kg, making it well-suited for short-distance delivery services.
As of now, it seems there are no plans to sell these vehicles, but I find this new charging method fascinating and will continue to follow the trends.