What began as a modest, local electric scooter production company has become so much more. Gogoro, the Taipei-based company founded in 2015, has solidified its position as a worldwide leader in swappable battery technology after announcing the production of its 1 millionth swappable battery pack.
For reference, Gogoro’s battery packs are “lunch-box-sized” and can be “swapped out” for freshly charged batteries at local swap stations. To make this especially impactful, Gogoro has partnered with 10 different vehicle makers, such as Yamaha. This allows those companies to progress their scooter development in rapid fashion, utilizing Gogoro’s ‘tried and true’ battery technology.
Gogoro battery swapping
Gogoro’s batteries are now used in 47 different vehicle models and, in some instances, parking meters. Since its inception in 2015, Gogoro has swapped 255 million batteries (no small feat), while the Gorgoro Network performs an average of 340,000 swaps per day.
Speaking to the 1 millionth milestone, Gogoro’s founder and CEO shared, “Gogoro’s one-millionth battery is a testament to how an open battery swapping ecosystem can flourish by facilitating how governments, a wide range of vehicle makers and riders can embrace sustainable electric transportation. Since launching in 2015, Gogoro has managed more than 255 million battery swaps and together with our customers have saved 384-million kg of CO2.”
Mind you, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard mention of swappable batteries. In March of last year, Honda, Yamaha, KTM Group, and Piaggio Group signed a letter of intent to set up a Swappable Battery Consortium for motorcycles and light electric vehicles.
“In the context of the Paris Climate Agreement and the development of electromobility, the founding members of the consortium believe that the availability of a standardized swappable battery system would both promote the widespread use of light electric vehicles and contribute to a more sustainable life-cycle management of batteries used in the transport sector,” read the letter of intent. “Also, by extending the range, shortening the charging time and lowering vehicle and infrastructure costs, the manufacturers will try to answer to customers’ main concerns regarding the future of electromobility.” Clearly, battery swapping is an integral part of our electrified future, especially when it comes to small vehicles and motorcycles.
