Heavy truck battery swapping or charging – which one do operators prefer?
Driven by both policies and markets, the sales of new energy heavy trucks have been rising steadily, and sales have grown rapidly. Electric heavy trucks are still the mainstream model of new energy heavy trucks. In the first seven months of this year, sales reached 12,629 units, including 6,624 battery-replacement heavy trucks and 6,005 rechargeable heavy trucks.
From the cumulative sales, battery swappable heavy-duty trucks exceeded charging heavy-duty trucks, but from the three months of May, June and July, battery swap heavy-duty trucks accounted for a continuous decline in the new energy heavy-duty trucks accounted for 49.97%, 45.98% and 37.29% respectively. For further information, you can click to check top 10 electric truck battery swap manufacturers in China.
Table of Contents
In July, 895 units of battery swappable heavy trucks were sold, 1,158 units of rechargeable heavy trucks were sold, and the monthly sales of rechargeable heavy trucks exceeded the monthly sales of battery swappable heavy trucks – is this a sign that battery swap heavy trucks are not popular anymore? Is the operator going to stop using battery swap heavy trucks?
Which is better, a rechargeable heavy truck or an battery swappable heavy truck? How can operators of new energy heavy trucks weigh their own needs and the environment in which they are used to achieve the goals of green, low-carbon, efficient and highly profitable transportation?
Why battery swappable heavy trucks is unpopular
Since 2021, the swappable heavy truck in the policy support, to achieve high-speed growth, in just more than two years, as of the end of July this year, the accumulated sales exceeded 22,000 units, and became the first complementary energy model in the new energy heavy truck.
The advantages of swappable heavy trucks are very obvious: 5 minutes for an efficient battery swap, shortening the energy supply time, solving the problem of range, and improving the work efficiency; and the mode of “separation of vehicle and electricity” can effectively reduce the cost of the user’s vehicle purchase.
The low cost of electric heavy trucks is well known; the construction of professional battery swapping station can effectively alleviate the problem of difficult charging of heavy trucks; battery centralized and unified management of power batteries by professionals improves the safety of power batteries and prolongs the life of batteries.
With many advantages of battery swap heavy truck, the market prospect is great, but in recent months all of a sudden become unpopular, its market sales are poor, the reasons are many. Battery swap heavy truck operating costs remain high, did not achieve the ideal speed and efficiency.
According to the research, the comprehensive switching cost (including battery lease fee, electricity fee, management fee, etc.) of the heavy truck battery swapping station is about 1.5-2.0 RMB/kWh, and the average power consumption during round trip (heavy load + no load) is about 1.5-2.0kWh/km, which makes the operation cost per km about 2.25-4.0 RMB.
Under ideal conditions, the operating cost of electric heavy trucks is about 2.25 RMB/km. When heavy loads go downhill, electric heavy trucks can realize efficient energy recovery, consume less electricity or even replenish electricity to reach zero power consumption and reduce costs.
The reality is that in many operation scenarios, the operation cost is hardly ideal. In most of the scenarios, the operating cost per kilometer is more than 3RMB, and the highest operating cost may reach 4RMB/km, which is not a significant cost advantage compared with the fuel heavy truck.
In the short reverse transportation, vehicle centralized operation, in the same operation route, run the same mileage, vehicle battery swapping time is relatively concentrated, there will be a centralized battery swap situation, when the battery swap vehicle more than 7 (standard battery swap station for 7 swappable batteries), there will be a wait for the battery swap (swappable battery must be full of electricity to carry out the change), waiting for the longest time of more than 1 hour.
In this way, the efficiency of battery swap is greatly reduced, failing to effectively improve transportation efficiency and increase revenue. And charging heavy truck in the double gun fast charging state, 1-1.5 hours can also be fully charged, it is evident that battery swap heavy truck reduce waiting time is also relative.
As we all know, the cost of charging is lower than battery swapping station cost, especially at night, the cost is lower, the construction of charging station near the operation site, can effectively reduce the operation cost of electric heavy truck.
Rechargeable heavy trucks face relatively few geographic constraints, requiring only the construction of charging stations, while charging piles are more adaptable and can be easily installed in different locations. In contrast, battery swap stations require the construction and maintenance of more equipment and facilities.
For areas with more stringent environmental restrictions, rechargeable heavy trucks are more convenient. This is the main reason why some users choose rechargeable heavy trucks. A relevant person said, battery swap heavy truck reduces the acquisition cost of the vehicle, but increases the battery leasing fee, in the short reverse transportation, charging heavy truck is more flexible, lower operating costs, only electricity and service fees.
Relevant person said, the company’s hundreds of electric heavy truck all for charging heavy truck, because the charging interface is the national unity, according to the owner’s transportation needs, in the country to realize the flexible scheduling, where there are goods, where to transport.
How to choose between swapping and charging heavy trucks
In terms of sales, in terms of actual application scenarios, choose heavy truck battery swapping or charging, is battery swap heavy truck really out of favor? The answer is no.
The battery swap heavy truck and the rechargeable heavy truck have their own characteristics. In high-frequency operation scenarios, battery swap heavy truck can swap power in 5 minutes without waiting, which really improves the operation efficiency of electric heavy trucks. In low-frequency operation scenarios, utilizing rest time or queuing time to charge and replenish energy in time can effectively reduce operation cost.
Electric heavy truck senior operation expert said, “in the existing technical conditions, the basic principle of electric heavy truck replenishment demand is, in the short pour transportation, rather charge than swap, in the medium and long distance transportation, rather swap than charge.”
He said, in the short reverse transportation, electric heavy truck transportation mileage is shorter, electric heavy truck fleet in loading, unloading goods, there is a queuing phenomenon, in the loading, unloading site near the construction of charging stations, the use of the queuing time as well as the night leisure time, in time to the electric heavy truck charging replenishment, can effectively reduce the operating costs.
In medium and long-distance transportation, vehicles spend more time in transportation and need to replenish energy quickly. Battery swap is the best solution to effectively reduce the waiting time for replenishment, improve operational efficiency and ultimately enhance operational revenue.
He emphasized that in the high-frequency short-drop operation scenario of 24-hour operation, battery swap heavy truck can improve operation efficiency and realize cost reduction and efficiency.
Heavy truck battery swapping or charging – which is more cost-effective
Lower cost of charging station construction. The construction of charging station is relatively easy, only need to connect the power supply and install charging equipment, and the charging technology is relatively mature and stable, the cost of equipment is also lower (about 65,000RMB/pile). Charging heavy trucks have higher flexibility, and vehicle scheduling is more free.
The construction of battery swap station requires larger site and investment cost (more than 7.5 million RMB/station), and the battery swapping technology is more complex than the charging technology, with relatively high technical content, requiring higher equipment cost, operation cost and maintenance cost. The battery swap heavy truck needs to improve transportation efficiency to enhance operational efficiency.
But charging heavy truck acquisition cost is high, battery swap heavy truck acquisition cost is low, charging heavy truck for the rapid promotion of electric heavy trucks, electric heavy truck scale, batch application role is huge. Looking at the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of rechargeable heavy trucks versus battery swap heavy trucks, in high-frequency operating scenarios, battery swap heavy trucks have a lower TCO.
The battery swap heavy truck improves working efficiency, solves the problem of difficult charging, and reduces the operator’s initial purchase cost, but its operating cost has a great relationship with the actual transportation road conditions. Operators choose battery swap heavy truck or charging heavy truck, more need to analyze the specific situation, in order to achieve the real cost reduction and efficiency.
To sum up
For electric heavy trucks to quickly replace fuel heavy trucks, reducing operating costs is the best way. In the case of low transportation prices, more vehicles and less cargo, charging heavy trucks, battery swap heavy truck who has a lower application cost, who will be more popular.
Lucky
Hi, I am Lucky, graduated from a well-known university in China, now mainly engaged in article editing on lithium motorcycle batteries, and the battery swapping station, I am committed to offering services and solutions about battery swap station for various industries.
Heavy truck battery swapping or charging – which one do operators prefer?
Driven by both policies and markets, the sales of new energy heavy trucks have been rising steadily, and sales have grown rapidly. Electric heavy trucks are still the mainstream model of new energy heavy trucks. In the first seven months of this year, sales reached 12,629 units, including 6,624 battery-replacement heavy trucks and 6,005 rechargeable heavy trucks.
From the cumulative sales, battery swappable heavy-duty trucks exceeded charging heavy-duty trucks, but from the three months of May, June and July, battery swap heavy-duty trucks accounted for a continuous decline in the new energy heavy-duty trucks accounted for 49.97%, 45.98% and 37.29% respectively. For further information, you can click to check top 10 electric truck battery swap manufacturers in China.
In July, 895 units of battery swappable heavy trucks were sold, 1,158 units of rechargeable heavy trucks were sold, and the monthly sales of rechargeable heavy trucks exceeded the monthly sales of battery swappable heavy trucks – is this a sign that battery swap heavy trucks are not popular anymore? Is the operator going to stop using battery swap heavy trucks?
Which is better, a rechargeable heavy truck or an battery swappable heavy truck? How can operators of new energy heavy trucks weigh their own needs and the environment in which they are used to achieve the goals of green, low-carbon, efficient and highly profitable transportation?
Why battery swappable heavy trucks is unpopular
Since 2021, the swappable heavy truck in the policy support, to achieve high-speed growth, in just more than two years, as of the end of July this year, the accumulated sales exceeded 22,000 units, and became the first complementary energy model in the new energy heavy truck.
The advantages of swappable heavy trucks are very obvious: 5 minutes for an efficient battery swap, shortening the energy supply time, solving the problem of range, and improving the work efficiency; and the mode of “separation of vehicle and electricity” can effectively reduce the cost of the user’s vehicle purchase.
The low cost of electric heavy trucks is well known; the construction of professional battery swapping station can effectively alleviate the problem of difficult charging of heavy trucks; battery centralized and unified management of power batteries by professionals improves the safety of power batteries and prolongs the life of batteries.
With many advantages of battery swap heavy truck, the market prospect is great, but in recent months all of a sudden become unpopular, its market sales are poor, the reasons are many. Battery swap heavy truck operating costs remain high, did not achieve the ideal speed and efficiency.
According to the research, the comprehensive switching cost (including battery lease fee, electricity fee, management fee, etc.) of the heavy truck battery swapping station is about 1.5-2.0 RMB/kWh, and the average power consumption during round trip (heavy load + no load) is about 1.5-2.0kWh/km, which makes the operation cost per km about 2.25-4.0 RMB.
Under ideal conditions, the operating cost of electric heavy trucks is about 2.25 RMB/km. When heavy loads go downhill, electric heavy trucks can realize efficient energy recovery, consume less electricity or even replenish electricity to reach zero power consumption and reduce costs.
The reality is that in many operation scenarios, the operation cost is hardly ideal. In most of the scenarios, the operating cost per kilometer is more than 3RMB, and the highest operating cost may reach 4RMB/km, which is not a significant cost advantage compared with the fuel heavy truck.
In the short reverse transportation, vehicle centralized operation, in the same operation route, run the same mileage, vehicle battery swapping time is relatively concentrated, there will be a centralized battery swap situation, when the battery swap vehicle more than 7 (standard battery swap station for 7 swappable batteries), there will be a wait for the battery swap (swappable battery must be full of electricity to carry out the change), waiting for the longest time of more than 1 hour.
In this way, the efficiency of battery swap is greatly reduced, failing to effectively improve transportation efficiency and increase revenue. And charging heavy truck in the double gun fast charging state, 1-1.5 hours can also be fully charged, it is evident that battery swap heavy truck reduce waiting time is also relative.
As we all know, the cost of charging is lower than battery swapping station cost, especially at night, the cost is lower, the construction of charging station near the operation site, can effectively reduce the operation cost of electric heavy truck.
Rechargeable heavy trucks face relatively few geographic constraints, requiring only the construction of charging stations, while charging piles are more adaptable and can be easily installed in different locations. In contrast, battery swap stations require the construction and maintenance of more equipment and facilities.
For areas with more stringent environmental restrictions, rechargeable heavy trucks are more convenient. This is the main reason why some users choose rechargeable heavy trucks. A relevant person said, battery swap heavy truck reduces the acquisition cost of the vehicle, but increases the battery leasing fee, in the short reverse transportation, charging heavy truck is more flexible, lower operating costs, only electricity and service fees.
Relevant person said, the company’s hundreds of electric heavy truck all for charging heavy truck, because the charging interface is the national unity, according to the owner’s transportation needs, in the country to realize the flexible scheduling, where there are goods, where to transport.
How to choose between swapping and charging heavy trucks
In terms of sales, in terms of actual application scenarios, choose heavy truck battery swapping or charging, is battery swap heavy truck really out of favor? The answer is no.
The battery swap heavy truck and the rechargeable heavy truck have their own characteristics. In high-frequency operation scenarios, battery swap heavy truck can swap power in 5 minutes without waiting, which really improves the operation efficiency of electric heavy trucks. In low-frequency operation scenarios, utilizing rest time or queuing time to charge and replenish energy in time can effectively reduce operation cost.
Electric heavy truck senior operation expert said, “in the existing technical conditions, the basic principle of electric heavy truck replenishment demand is, in the short pour transportation, rather charge than swap, in the medium and long distance transportation, rather swap than charge.”
He said, in the short reverse transportation, electric heavy truck transportation mileage is shorter, electric heavy truck fleet in loading, unloading goods, there is a queuing phenomenon, in the loading, unloading site near the construction of charging stations, the use of the queuing time as well as the night leisure time, in time to the electric heavy truck charging replenishment, can effectively reduce the operating costs.
In medium and long-distance transportation, vehicles spend more time in transportation and need to replenish energy quickly. Battery swap is the best solution to effectively reduce the waiting time for replenishment, improve operational efficiency and ultimately enhance operational revenue.
He emphasized that in the high-frequency short-drop operation scenario of 24-hour operation, battery swap heavy truck can improve operation efficiency and realize cost reduction and efficiency.
Heavy truck battery swapping or charging – which is more cost-effective
Lower cost of charging station construction. The construction of charging station is relatively easy, only need to connect the power supply and install charging equipment, and the charging technology is relatively mature and stable, the cost of equipment is also lower (about 65,000RMB/pile). Charging heavy trucks have higher flexibility, and vehicle scheduling is more free.
The construction of battery swap station requires larger site and investment cost (more than 7.5 million RMB/station), and the battery swapping technology is more complex than the charging technology, with relatively high technical content, requiring higher equipment cost, operation cost and maintenance cost. The battery swap heavy truck needs to improve transportation efficiency to enhance operational efficiency.
But charging heavy truck acquisition cost is high, battery swap heavy truck acquisition cost is low, charging heavy truck for the rapid promotion of electric heavy trucks, electric heavy truck scale, batch application role is huge. Looking at the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of rechargeable heavy trucks versus battery swap heavy trucks, in high-frequency operating scenarios, battery swap heavy trucks have a lower TCO.
The battery swap heavy truck improves working efficiency, solves the problem of difficult charging, and reduces the operator’s initial purchase cost, but its operating cost has a great relationship with the actual transportation road conditions. Operators choose battery swap heavy truck or charging heavy truck, more need to analyze the specific situation, in order to achieve the real cost reduction and efficiency.
To sum up
For electric heavy trucks to quickly replace fuel heavy trucks, reducing operating costs is the best way. In the case of low transportation prices, more vehicles and less cargo, charging heavy trucks, battery swap heavy truck who has a lower application cost, who will be more popular.