infinite range through battery exchange

the problem:
the highly limited driving range of even the newest electric vehicle continues to disappoint. and expecting someone who is travelling a long distance to lose valuable time while their vehicle recharges is not realistic. a trip from san diego to san francisco with even the newest electric car would take days instead of hours…not good!

the solution:

exchangeable battery pack vehicles (ebpvs) & battery pack exchange stations

when a battery pack become depleted the consumer should have the option of exchanging it instantly for a charged one, without hassle or delay. this would allow for travel to our destinations, no matter how distant, with even less delay than we currently experience at our conventional gas stations. the new “power stations” would service the ebpvs and provide all the amenities, be as abundant and as profitable as a conventional gas station.

the vehicles’ battery pack would plug in and out like a cartridge and be instantly accessible by specially designed automated equipment that would quickly swap the depleted battery with a fully charged one. this would enable the consumer to simply glide into a power station, park the car properly over the exchanging device, swipe his or her payment card to a nearby kiosk, and zoom off again with a fully charged battery.

the batteries in this scenario are not the property of the car owner, but of either the vehicle manufacturer, or one of the power station service providers. to purchase the vehicle, a deposit is paid by the owner that guarantees the proper care of the batteries while in his or her possession.