(Reuters) – Italian scooter maker Piaggio & C. SpA said on Monday it signed a letter of intent with KTM AG, Austria, Honda Motor Co., Ltd, Japan, and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd, Japan, to set up a consortium for swappable batteries for motorcycles and light electric vehicles.
“The founding members of the consortium believe that the availability of a standardized swappable battery system would both promote the widespread use of light electric vehicles and contribute to a more sustainable life-cycle management of batteries used in the transport sector”, Piaggio said in a statement.
The consortium, which will start operating in May and is open to all investors interested in joining, aims to define standard technical specifications for swappable batteries for mopeds and motorcycles, it added.
The aim of the Consortium will, therefore, be to define the standardized technical specifications of the swappable battery system for vehicles belonging to the L-category: mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles. By working closely with interested stakeholders and National, European and International standardization bodies, the founding members of the Consortium will be involved in the creation of international technical standards.
Stefan Pierer, KTM AG CEO: “Sustainability is one of the key drivers to the future of mobility and electrification will play a major role in achieving this goal. For powered two-wheelers the constraints of electric drivetrains regarding range, charging time and initial cost are still evident. To overcome these challenges and provide a better customer experience, a swappable battery system based on international technical standards will become a viable solution. Considering the entire lifecycle, a widespread application of batteries compliant with a common standard will support secondary use as well as circular economy. We are glad to be part of the Consortium as we strive towards our goals in the e-mobility sector.”
KTM has been a part of the electric two-wheeler industry from the very get-go and has developed key products in the electric segment in its drive for innovation, while encouraging new entrants to motorcycling and also helping to grow the next generation of riders.
Source:batteryindustry
