Piaggio, KTM, Honda, Yamaha set up swappable batteries consortium for EVs

Piaggio Group announced on Monday that it has set up a swappable batteries consortium with Honda Motor, KTM and Yamaha Motor to promote the use of swappable batteries for electric motorcycles and light electric vehicles.The Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC) aims to encourage the use of light electric vehicles, such as scooters and mopeds as well as electric motorcycles by making their charging more convenient for commuters. Honda's Motorcycle Operations Chief Officer, Yoshishige Nomura, said that the "use of (electric motorbikes) on large scale can substantially contribute to the creation of a more sustainable society".(Also read | Are lithium-ion batteries in EVs a fire hazard?)Swappable batteries allow for a more sustainable battery management for electric two-wheelers. The consortium will also focus on issues such as battery life, recharging time, infrastructure and costs. It will also work on defining international standard technical specifications for swappable batteries for vehicles in the L-category - mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles. "Urban mobility is going through a delicate transition moment towards electrification. Thanks to this consortium, motorbikes will keep their key role," Piaggio's Chief of Strategy and Product, Michele Colaninno said.Further, the four founding members of the Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium also encouraged other stakeholders to join them in this initiative.The members had signed a letter of intent to set up SBMC in March this year when the announced that they would promote the availability of a standardised swappable battery system for electric two-wheelers. This initiative was taken in the backdrop of the goals set by Paris Climate Agreement to reduce the carbon emissions released in the environment.

At the time of the announcement, the founding members had also said that they will try to address the key concerns of commuters relating to the future of electric mobility. They promised to improve the overall EV battery technology, shorten battery charging time, extend battery range, and lower vehicle and infrastructure costs.

(with inputs from Reuters)