According to Fisker, the first customers for the Ample-powered Ocean EVs will be fleet operators, but the plan is to broaden the vehicle use case for its customers.
The swappable battery packs are made out of multiple same-size modules, which measure roughly the same as a shoebox, allowing any EV to receive a compatible battery that can be swapped for a freshly charged one at a swap station. Fisker plans to adapt or manufacture the Ocean SUV with this system in mind.
The American automaker says that high-mileage drivers, such as those in the ride-hailing industry, would be a good fit for the Ocean EVs with swappable power sources. The battery-swapping mechanism can supposedly change a discharged battery with a full one in less than ten minutes.
Fisker Ocean
This partnership with Ample could finally bring this technology to a wider audience in the United States. For context, NIO has performed over 20 million battery swaps at its quick change stations in China and Europe, but in the US, this approach has failed to take off.
The Fisker Ocean EV has been officially certified for sale in Europe, with deliveries scheduled to begin on the Old Continent on May 5. Furthermore, the California-based carmaker estimates that it will deliver its first vehicles to the US later this year after the homologation process is completed.
Here's how Ample's battery swapping technology works:
Source: Fisker
