SUN Mobility advances heavy electric vehicle adoption with modular battery swapping

SUN Mobility, a provider of energy infrastructure and services for electric vehicles (EVs), showcased its modular battery-swapping technology for heavy electric vehicles (HEVs) at an event in Chennai. The workshop was attended by over 100 private bus operators and operator associations from Tamil Nadu.

During the event, SUN Mobility signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with several bus operators in the region to support the adoption of EVs in the heavy vehicle segment. The workshop included discussions on the company’s offerings, a cost-benefit analysis, and the potential for replacing diesel-powered buses with battery-swapped electric buses while maintaining a similar cost structure and refueling experience.

SUN Mobility recently partnered with Veera Vahana, a bus manufacturer, to present a fully integrated mobility solution for electrifying bus and truck fleets at Prawaas 4.0, an international conference organized by the Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI). The event highlighted the need to electrify commercial fleets, particularly heavy vehicles, to reduce emissions, improve air quality, and enhance operational efficiency. The showcased technology generated over 10,000 inquiries for electric buses.

The modular battery-swapping technology addresses challenges faced by bus operators, such as high upfront costs, limited financing options, lengthy charging times, and the need for extensive charging infrastructure. According to Ashok Agarwal, CEO-HEV at SUN Mobility, the solution is designed to reduce the upfront cost of electric buses by 40%, making them comparable to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) buses. Additionally, it lowers operational costs by up to 20% and increases bus utilization by reducing downtime through a swapping process that takes less than three minutes.

Battery swapping is particularly beneficial for high-frequency mofussil operations in Tamil Nadu, where buses often have 2-10 minute intervals between trips and operate up to 16 hours a day. Unlike fixed battery systems that require extended charging times, the modular battery-swapping solution offers a practical alternative. The compact battery design also enhances payload-carrying capacity.

Buses and trucks, while comprising only 5% of the total vehicle population, contribute about 50% of tailpipe emissions. With 90% of the commercial vehicle segment privately owned, cost-sensitive fleet operators stand to benefit significantly from battery-swapping technology, which can support broader EV adoption.

Since its inception in 2017, SUN Mobility has integrated its technology into over 26,000 vehicles across two-, three-, and small four-wheeler fleet segments. The company operates more than 650 battery-swapping stations nationwide, facilitating approximately 60,000 swaps daily and covering 1.6 million kilometers. These figures reflect an 84% year-on-year increase in utilization.

SUN Mobility’s joint venture with IndianOil aims to leverage IndianOil’s extensive network of over 37,000 fuel stations to enhance the accessibility of battery-swapping technology. Through this partnership, the company offers “Battery as a Service” (BaaS), providing users with a streamlined EV experience while addressing concerns about battery cost, obsolescence, maintenance, and charging time.