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Better Place One Minute Battery Switch, Video Included

One of the key problems associated with owning an electric vehicle, the swapping of a depleted battery with a fully charged one, is about to be solved with the help of Tokyo-based taxis. California based Better Place, a provider of electric vehicle services, announced a partnership with Tokyo's largest taxi operator, Nihon Kotsu, aimed at finding a way around this problem.

The goal is to find the best way to allow for an one minute-swap time. Starting January next year, four Nihon Kotsu taxis will run from the Roppongi Hills shopping and office complex, under a trial commissioned by the Japanese government, just-auto.com reported.

Better Place's swapping system allows for the removal of the battery from the underside of the vehicle. In the future, Better Place will provide roadside battery switch stations where the depleted batteries will be switched to fully charged one in less than five minutes.

As the manufacturer says, the switch is made automatically. A platform below the vehicle will align under the battery, initiate the battery release process and lower the battery from the vehicle. It will then replace the depleted battery with a fully-charged one. Needless to say, the driver doesn't even have to leave the car while the process is completed.

In the near future, Better Place plans to expand the trials and the switch stations in other countries as well. So far, the company is seeking partners in Israel, Denmark, Australia, the United States and Canada, countries where Nissan's Zero Emission Partnership is already present.

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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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