Battery Swap Video from June 20, 2013 Event

[ToddRLockwood]

Tesla battery Swap - YouTube

 

[dadaleus]

I reposted in HD:

 

[Mayhemm]

Thanks, dadaleus!

This is the best video for seeing the actual swap process released yet (including the official Tesla video).

 

[malcolm]

Official video is up:

[video=vimeo;68832891]http://vimeo.com/68832891[/video]
http://vimeo.com/68832891

 

[doug]

I actually prefer Jason's video because you can better see the mechanics of the battery swap.

 

[Arnold Panz]

I prefer Jason's video because "Oh my God!" lady is hilarious

 

[Raffy.Roma]

Wonderful :smile:

 

[NigelM]

I actually prefer Jason's video because you can better see the mechanics of the battery swap.

This one is even better for seeing the mechanics of it, first car pulls in at 1'50'.

WARNING: adult language

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Any fear of curb rash from those guide rails?!

 

[ToddRLockwood]

Any fear of curb rash from those guide rails?!

I'm sure they will have dealt with that, using a roller bed that causes the car to self-center, as well as soft plastic covering on the side rails.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

Elon said something about the cost of the battery swap but I didn't understand because my English is not so good. What did he say?

 

[deonb]

Elon said something about the cost of the battery swap but I didn't understand because my English is not so good. What did he say?

"We're going to match the price to what you would pay to fill up with gas".

And then someone afterwards confirmed that it means 15 gallons of gas, which sort'a makes sense:

'ideal range' / 'equivalent mpg from Model S calculator on website' (300miles / 20mpg) = 15 gallons

 

[Soflason]

This is a big step... simply explained in TM's email this morning (along with the video clip): Model S pack swap happens in less than half the time it takes to fill a gas tank and costs the same.

Now there are two easy options, as Elon so eloquently explained at the pack swap demo: "Free or faster." As a Model S owner, you can drive about three hours. Stop at a rest stop with Tesla station, stretch your legs, hit the restroom, grab a coffee or quick bite, and in 20-30 minutes you've got another three hours of charge in your car -- and it's FREE.

Or, if you're in a rush, stop at the Tesla station, pull up to the pack swap station, STAY in your car, and in 90 seconds, you're fully charged and on your way -- same cost as filling up your gas tank. Your choice.

Good for business? Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry noted the battery swaps creates a asymmetric revenue stream for Tesla. "We estimate TSLA margins on Battery Swap Stations could be north of 60%," ... Swapping Stations is just one of multiple business models that may emerge from Tesla. He said the news aligns with their view that Tesla is leading the $100 billion "Transport-as-a... (TaaS) industry, from Street Insider this morning:
http://www.streetinsider.com/Analys...tream+-+Global+Equities+Research/8438181.html

 

[Arnold Panz]

Elon said something about the cost of the battery swap but I didn't understand because my English is not so good. What did he say?

I think it's between $60-$80 USD, but then you have to return the battery pack after your trip or you pay the full difference between your old and new battery pack. Not sure yet what that means (if you already have an 85 kWh pack, what difference are you paying?), but the idea is that if you don't want to wait 30 minutes or whatever for supercharging you can pay $80USD and be on your way in less than two minutes. Pretty cool, although I'm still curious as to how they store all those batteries underneath, how they know which battery is yours when you return etc. Questions I'm sure that will eventually get answered.

 

[SCW-Greg]

Best footage out there... to really see what's happening!

 

[mitch672]

Arnold, the battery packs are probably serialized, and have a BMS that communicates with the car/swapper, likely the usage/charging/history is kept in Non-Volatile storage in each pack, even laptop batteries have a chip built into them these days.... Remember, the Model S has all kinds of CAN bus communications, etc. That's my best engineer guess anyway

 

[Skintrade]

I think it's between $60-$80 USD, but then you have to return the battery pack after your trip or you pay the full difference between your old and new battery pack. Not sure yet what that means (if you already have an 85 kWh pack, what difference are you paying?), but the idea is that if you don't want to wait 30 minutes or whatever for supercharging you can pay $80USD and be on your way in less than two minutes. Pretty cool, although I'm still curious as to how they store all those batteries underneath, how they know which battery is yours when you return etc. Questions I'm sure that will eventually get answered.

From what I've read I believe the price difference is dependent on how old or new your battery is vs the one that is swapped in. So if the swapped in battery is newer than your original, you would have to pay to keep the swapped in one. The value is all in the battery life. If your battery is newer, you would want to swap it back or else the battery would have to be shipped back to you, or I suppose the nearest service center/swap out station.

Funny how $60 to swap out a battery seems like alot of money, but that's about what I routinely pay to fill up my gas tank.

 

[mknox]

Funny how $60 to swap out a battery seems like alot of money, but that's about what I routinely pay to fill up my gas tank.

I assume you mean to fill your tank from empty. You could be at a swap station with 25 or 50% of a charge left in your existing pack that you are leaving behind. Not complaining, but pointing out that $60 US (more like $80 in Canada) could "buy" you 300 to 400 miles of "range" in gasoline.

 

[Mayhemm]

Maybe one day Tesla will introduce a credit program based on the SoC of the battery you drop off; Say $1 per 10% SoC.

Similarly to how you get a discounted car wash with a fill-up.

 

[Skintrade]

I assume you mean to fill your tank from empty. You could be at a swap station with 25 or 50% of a charge left in your existing pack that you are leaving behind. Not complaining, but pointing out that $60 US (more like $80 in Canada) could "buy" you 300 to 400 miles of "range" in gasoline.

True, you will likely lose some value there. I don't see the battery swap as being something people regularly use, because Tesla owners will be spoiled by free supercharges. It does, however extend the range of your car. Instead of just getting half a charge at the supercharger station, you can travel 260 miles, and get another 260 miles for $60.