In order to encourage the development of electric vehicles (EVs) with built-in batteries and to promote battery swapping as an alternative energy source, the Ministry of Power released the “Guidelines for Installation and Operation of Battery Swapping and Battery Charging Stations – 2024.” At designated stations, battery swapping enables the rapid replacement of a depleted EV battery with a fully charged one. The rules are applicable to battery swapping and charging station operators, owners, and providers nationwide.
Promoting the “Battery as a Service” (BaaS) concept, supporting battery swapping as an alternative to direct EV charging, and creating a strong ecosystem for battery swapping are the main goals. Users or fleet operators can lease swappable EV batteries from third-party providers or manufacturers of battery technology under the BaaS concept.
Replacing a discharged swappable battery with a fully charged one is known as “battery swapping,” and the ecosystem that supports this rapid exchange process includes the services and infrastructure involved.
Additionally, the guidelines present the idea of Battery-to-Grid (B2G), which enables interchangeable batteries to store energy and return electricity to the grid as required.
Battery charging and swapping stations are also subject to important clauses from the more general “Guidelines for Installation and Operation of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure – 2024.”
In order to provide safety, accessibility, and effective energy management for the developing EV ecosystem, the recommendations seek to establish a smooth battery-swapping network.