Environment

Is battery swapping

a viable solution for e-mobility?

Venture-backed international company Better Place was famous for attempting to pioneer battery swapping technology in electric vehicles (EVs). The company went bankrupt in 2013 and its fate might cast a dim verdict on the viability of battery swapping. However, nearly a decade later and the technology has made significant progress. Here, Roger Brereton, head of sales at steering components supplier Pailton Engineering, examines whether battery swapping may be back on the agenda after all.

He said: “Better Place may have failed in its attempt to make battery swapping technology commercially viable, but this experience didn’t put others off entirely. The idea has always worked well in theory and now there are many projects around the world where it’s being put into action.

“From a sustainability perspective, battery swapping has considerable appeal. Fast charging degrades the battery at a much faster rate, leading to additional e-waste. With battery swapping, the batteries can be charged more slowly and efficiently and at a time that reduces demand on the grid. The charging stations would also offer the potential to assist with grid load balance, as they can operate as stationary storage.

“In the US, San Francisco-based Ample has recently introduced five swapping stations in the Bay Area. One of the major challenges for battery swapping was the tremendous weight of the battery, but Ample has developed a modular battery, whose lighter Lego-like modules can be swapped in and out of the vehicle quickly and easily, a few at a time.

“However, there are barriers to uptake in the automotive sector. Firstly, consumer preferences favour a more traditional model of ownership, a sentiment that’s particularly strong in the US market. Tesla, for example, flirted with the concept in 2013, before Elon Musk concluded that there wasn’t enough interest from Tesla drivers. A major problem is that when a driver swaps a battery, they might be swapping their new battery for one that has seen significantly more use, a fact that weakens the appeal of the swap concept.

Secondly, the battery in an EV is a major structural element of the car. Some experts therefore argue that a standardised battery pack is unlikely to prove popular with OEMs. However, neither of the above factors is an equally significant impediment for the commercial vehicle sector and it’s here that industry experts believe the swapping concept will gain traction.

To find out more, visit pailton.com

FPM Group and WA Management to

collaborate on quality and environmental management systems

After meeting at a recent Chamber networking, the FPM Group and WA Management will be working together to achieve ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification for the Group.

The FPM Group are a multidisciplinary organisation offering refurbishment, fit out, facilities management and mechanical and electrical solutions to the commercial, industrial, educational, and retail sectors. With a focus on quality, cost-effectiveness and following environmental regulations, ISO certification would serve to bolster their already strong business model.

WA Management are a Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Compliance Management Consultancy offering a wide range of services including training, Health and Safety, and management system implementation.

They will be providing a turnkey solution for the implementation and continuous support for both certifications. By undertaking an initial gap analysis and regular internal audits, implementing a management manual, holding biannual management reviews, and offering direct support throughout the ISO certification audit, WA Management will be there every step of the way to provide expert consultancy.

By achieving UKAS accredited certification to an ISO standard, The FPM Group will demonstrate compliance to one of the international standards developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

ISO 9001 is a management system focused on quality – providing the company with a systematic approach to provide consistent quality of services and products and exceed customer expectations. For companies, ISO 9001 is often a requirement for being placed onto a customer’s approved supplier list. Beyond this, ISO 9001 also helps companies to increase efficiency, continuously improve, and optimise their performance through business risk management.

ISO 14001 is an environmental management system – this focuses on the best approaches to mitigate environmental aspects and impacts through measuring and improving the company’s environmental performance. The benefits of holding this certification are twofold, as not only does this serve as proof to external parties (such as local authorities, nearby residents, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies) that you are environmentally responsible, but it can also increase profits and competitiveness by reducing environmental liability and business costs.

David Needham, Operations Director for the FPM Group, said that the expansion of the company and the ambitious growth plans meant that continuously improving customer satisfaction was imperative, and by following industry best-practice and focusing on quality, we will achieve higher operating efficiency

With over 35 years of experience providing support with the implementation and running of management systems, WA Management are well-equipped to help the FPM Group integrate ISO 9001 and 14001 into their business, complementing the high standard of service, quality, and delivery they already provide to their customer base.

Neil Ward, Training Consultant of WA Management, has said that meeting FPM at the Chamber networking event has provided a great opportunity for both companies.

“We are very grateful to have been brought together by the Chamber. We are really looking forward to working alongside the FPM Group to implement these systems – as they already have such a clear view of quality and environmental standards, we cannot wait to see what they achieve with their ISO certifications.”