Tesla Motors has confirmed plans to begin a battery-swapping programme as soon as the end of December this year at a dedicated facility in California. Unlike its Supercharger platform which allows owners to charge their cars in more or less an hour, the battery swap process is expected to take no more than three minutes.
The pilot programme is open to selected Tesla Model S owners for now. Unlike Tesla's Supercharger, which is free to use, the battery-swap programme is expected to cost owners "slightly less than a full tank of gasoline for a premium sedan" and is available by appointment only.
At the moment, the entire process is said to take roughly three minutes due to the removal of the titanium and hardened aluminium ballistic plates that shield the battery pack. The company is aiming to reduce this time slot to "less than one minute" with further experience in the future.
Back in 2013, Tesla Motors demonstrated a similar battery-swapping process that took roughly a minute and a half to complete. Should the programme receive positive feedback, the company will evaluate its merits before deciding to increase the availability of said facility.
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