e.GO wants to start the business with battery changing stations and thus put an end to long charging times. The German start-up presented a mini delivery van at the Paris Motor Show, the battery of which should be full again in “a few minutes”.
At the beginning of May, the Aachen start-up e.GO presented its first series model e.wave X in Berlin in front of a prominent audience and with brand ambassador Neymar. The small car was developed for use in the city and went on sale on Monday – albeit initially only for those who have already reserved the car. At the start of the Paris Motor Show, the company presented another vehicle: the e.Xpress.
This is a mini delivery van with a specified trunk volume of up to 940 liters and a payload of up to 240 kilograms. The e.Xpress was designed for commercial use by fleet customers and is intended to provide the solution for long charging times for electric vehicles. The vehicle should be able to travel a maximum of 230 kilometers with one battery charge, but its comparatively small battery should be able to be replaced in “a few minutes”.
The construction of battery exchange stations should eliminate the significantly longer charging time compared to filling up with fuel – as is already the concept of the Chinese electric car manufacturer Nio. e.GO did not say how long it would take to change the battery. However, on the homepage of its new cooperation partner from the USA, Ample, which wants to ensure the energy supply using autonomous robots and modular battery structures for electric vehicles, there is talk of “less than ten minutes”.
In order for the strategy to work, e.GO wants to set up a network of changing stations for the batteries at selected gas stations, said e.GO board director Ali Vezvaei to the “Automobilwoche”. “In the future, we will replace some conventional gas stations with battery-changing stations,” Vezvaei told the industry journal. He did not say how large the battery replacement network should be. But Vezvaei spoke of “two, three or even five stations in one city”.
e.GO wants to offer delivery vans on subscription
The e.Xpress should be available in two variants. Customers can either buy the van as usual or buy it with a subscription that includes the supply and use of energy. With the second offer, the battery is not bought with it. According to e.GO’s plans, orders will be possible from November 2nd. In addition, the German start-up wants to launch a slightly larger delivery van in the USA. In order to be able to implement its production goals, e.GO wants to set up production plants in North Macedonia and Bulgaria in addition to its only plant in Aachen.
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Source: Stern
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