Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020
Vehicle Design, Battery Design and Distribution Model
to Implement Battery Swapping in Battery Electric Vehicles,
by Drawing Parallels with the Indian LPG-Distribution
Network which has Effectively Implemented Cylinder-
Swapping Methodology
Aditya Rai, Sanchit Vijh, and P Baskara Sethupathi
SRM University
CITATION: Rai, A., Vijh, S., and Sethupathi, P., "Vehicle Design, Battery Design and Distribution Model to Implement Battery
Swapping in Battery Electric Vehicles, by Drawing Parallels with the Indian LPG-Distribution Network which has Effectively
Implemented Cylinder-Swapping Methodology," SAE Technical Paper 2016-28-0024, 2016, doi:10.4271/2016-28-0024.
Copyright © 2016 SAE International
Abstract
To increase the range of a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), a lot of
ideas have been proposed. A prominent one among them is the
Battery swapping methodology or Rapid Battery Interchange (RBI),
where standardized batteries can easily be removed from the BEV
and replaced with recharged batteries quickly. The feasibility of this
methodology has been highly debated and contested.
This paper studies the feasibility of a very popular distribution and
maintenance network currently used for LPG distribution in India, to
be applied to battery distribution used across different makes and
models of BEVs.
In India, 33.6 million households subscribe to LPG Cylinders for
domestic cooking usage. These standard sized (14.2Kg) cylinders are
refilled and redistributed via multiple public sector and private
companies. The paper also focuses on another advantage that can be
borrowed from this system, which is the ability of the government to
subsidies this resource, allowing quick mass-outreach of the facility,
aligning it with the Indian Government’s FAME (Fast Adoption and
Manufacture of Electric & Hybrid Vehicles) plan.
LPG distribution model also has challenges common with Battery
swapping. The distributer is responsible for safety, installation,
supply, maintenance and regulations.
The research focuses on drawing parallels with the existing LPG
Cylinder manufacture, distribution and maintenance and finds
appropriate applications to a Battery Swapping network.
2016-28-0024
Published 02/01/2016
Introduction
While emphasis by academicians and researchers has been regularly
placed on building an infrastructure for Electric Vehicles with
charging stations being as easily accessible as petrol filling stations,
the rate of recharge is too slow to be a practical replacement to the
quick refueling of Internal Combustion Engine vehicles.
This paper proposes that Petrol/Diesel Distribution network is not the
correct inspiration as an effective support infrastructure for Electric
Vehicles, rather, Domestic LPG distribution network inspired battery
swapping/exchange network would be a more feasible support
infrastructure to electric vehicles. While vehicles may be charged at
normal charging stations at homes and workplaces, when the need for
quick recharge arises, the fastest method would be to replace the
discharged battery with a fully charged one.
The long charging times and limited energy storage capability of
batteries for electric vehicles have urged researchers to look for
several alternatives to the slow on-vehicle charging. These solutions
have been categorized into three by C.Arthur MacCarley[1]:
1. Fast Charging, where the onboard batteries are charged using
much higher current to reduce charging times,
2. Battery Material Reloading, where the chemical energy
holding components of the battery are changed, and
3. Battery Interchange, or battery swapping, where the complete
battery pack is exchanged, usually aided by some automated
mechanisms.
Among these, battery interchange, has not received much attention,
but can be a field capable of accommodating major innovations.
Faced with the health hazards of using biomass based fuels for
domestic cooking and heating, the government in the 1960s
undertook the complex and hefty task of popularizing LPG as a
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020

domestic fuel. Cost and unavailability were the issues plaguing LPG
popularity back then, which are now the major issues restricting
popularity of electric vehicles.

However, Public and private sector units have succeeded in

effectively implementing a Cylinder Swapping form of continuous
fuel supply to over 33.6 million (Census 2001) domestic households
in India itself.

The forms of government encouragement, support and assistances

provided in the form of subsidies, revenue guarantees and other
business incentives provided to LPG distributors played a significant
role in its success [2].

With the focus now on popularizing zero tailpipe emission vehicles,

under the government agenda of Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Figure 1. Rue Cardinet Battery swapping and Charging station, Paris, 1899 [4].
Electric Vehicles (FAME) Program, similar policy roll outs for the
adoption of Battery Interchanging/Battery Swapping technology
could go a long way in encouraging the general masses to adopt
electric vehicles as personal transport.

Battery Swapping
Background of Battery Swapping
According to Ernest Henry Wakefield [3], in a well-researched
history of the electric automobile, the first known battery-electric
propulsion automobile was assembled in 1881 by Gustave Trouve, a
French electrical engineer. The second known electric automobile
was built by Professors W. E. Ayrton and John Perry of London in the
mid-1880. This Perry tricycle also used lead-acid batteries.
At the turn of the 19th Century, electric automobiles dominated over
steam and hydrocarbon combustion vehicles in the expanding
automotive market, due to their clean, quiet, efficient operation, and
superior performance. By the end of the century, an explosion of
manufacturing entities for electric vehicles took place in both Europe
and the United States. By 1900, more than 1000 hacks, or electric-
powered taxis were operational in the city of Paris.
In 1903, automobile registrations in New York State showed a
majority of electric vehicles, with the Locomobile Company of
America claiming to have alone sold over 4,000 vehicles, reported in
a 1903 periodical “Horseless Age” [3].
Figure 1, reprinted from the History of the Electric Automobile:
Battery-Only Powered Cars [3], shows the lithograph of French
Electric taxis or Hacks at the Rue Cardinet Charging Station in Paris
in 1899, capable of serving nearly 200 hacks at a time. The battery
pack on these hacks were suspended underneath the carriage-work,
and were removed and replaced with a recharged battery using a
lateral trolley system. Battery packs were charged once out of the
vehicle and scheduling for recharging was in a manner that optimally
utilized the output of the coal-powered generators which provided the
electric power for the swapping facility. A similarly configured
vehicle and charging facility was developed earlier in 1896, to serve a
small taxi fleet in New York by the Morris and Salom Company, as
shown in Figure 2, reprinted from [3].
Figure 2. Electric Taxi Charging Station, New York, 1896, from [3].
After around 1920, battery electric vehicles lost their popularity with
the onslaught of rapidly improved internal combustion engines, and
the establishment of a robust fuel distribution network [4].
Electric propulsion now remains popular only in applications where zero
emissions and quiet or intermittent operation are imperative: indoor-
operated vehicles such as forklifts, golf-carts and mining vehicles.
Need for Battery Swapping
The major problem with storage of energy in an electrochemical
battery is understood when one considers that one kg of unleaded
gasoline (petrol) has a specific energy density of around 11,300
Watt-hours per kg (Wh/kg) [1]. A generic lead-acid battery is capable
of only about 25 Wh/kg, around 450 times less than gasoline [6].
Due to the poor heat energy conversion efficiency (about 25%) of an
internal combustion engine (ICE) and with the higher efficiency of
modern electric drive systems (over 90%), the overall cycle
efficiency of an EV is more than twice that of an ICE vehicle in urban
driving, because an ICE vehicle idles when stationary, and is
incapable of braking energy recovery, while an EV is powered only
when torque is required, and may recover energy during braking if
regenerative braking is implemented. After applying these factors of
efficiency, the energy density advantage of gasoline compared to a
lead-acid battery shrinks to a factor of approximately 62 [1]. This is
still not a satisfactory figure.
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020
Recently developments and advancements in battery chemistries are
capable of achieving nearly 1000 Wh/kg of energy density, but are
very costly [1].
Table 1. Comparison between energy capacities of Gasoline and Electric Vehicles
With the current battery technology, only two practical means for
extending the range of battery-electric vehicles are recognized:
Fast-charging of on-board battery packs, or Rapid Battery
Interchange, where discharged batteries may be quickly replaced by a
recharged one. [1]
Hybrid propulsion, in which an ICE drives a generator to supply
some motive energy for an electric vehicle, is considered an
alternative, but will not be true zero emission vehicles.
Fast Charging
A normal lead acid battery, such as ones used in golf carts take about
10 hours to recharge, while it takes 2-3 hours for some of the
advanced lead-acid batteries [5]. Fast charging refers to the
accelerated charging of a battery up to some partial depth of charge
[1]. Fast charging is a misnomer, since it takes around 15 minutes at
the minimum, which is very long when compared to the refueling
times of normal ICE vehicle.
Unfortunately, the electric power needed to fast charge a vehicle battery
is very large. As an example, if one considers a 20kWh battery is to be
charged up to 40% of its capacity from a regular 220V supply within 15
minutes, considering a 75% efficiency of process, a minimum of 42.7kW
would be needed [1]. The impact of such high intermittent demands
caused by fast charging on the electrical utility grid has not been
sufficiently studied. Another drawback is that batteries of almost any
chemistry cannot accept such high rates of charge and can get
overheated, progressively damaging the batteries [1].
Battery Exchange
Battery Exchange or Battery Swapping, performed in real-time by
some automated mechanism, involving the physical exchange of the
discharged vehicle battery with a charged one, in a short period of
time. To distinguish this "automated high-speed exchange" feature
from the older ideas, it has been termed Rapid Battery Interchange
(RBI) [1].
For comparison of energy transfer rates, it was observed that a regular
refueling nozzle transferring fuel at 10 gallons a minute is
transferring energy at a rate of over 20MW, similar to a small power
station [1].
In battery exchange, considering if a discharged 18kWh lead acid
battery weighing 1000 kg is exchanged in a minute, the equivalent
energy transfer rate would be approximately 2.9 MW. After adjusting
for efficiency factors as mentioned earlier, The energy transfer rate
for a Rapid Exchange battery is close to 2.6MW, while that for
gasoline refueling is 2.5MW, being very similar [1].
Table 2. Comparison of Energy Transfer Rates
Battery exchanging in vehicles such as industrial fork lifts has been
developed suitably over time [1]. Battery-electric forklift trucks are
usually used for indoor warehouse operations. The weight of the lead-
acid battery packs in not of much concern, since it complements the
counterweight on the truck. Forklifts sometimes serve continuously
for almost twelve hours a day, while a battery pack usually lasts
around four hours. The battery pack is exchanged multiple times a
day with another charged one. Usually, a vehicle is provided with
three batteries to be used in rotation.
Examples of Successful Implementation of Battery Swapping
1. From 1974 to 1981, Gesellschaft fur Elektrischen
Strassenverkehr (GES) converted twenty MAN type SL-E
transit buses for battery-electric operation, using Bosch and
Siemans drivetrains along with Varta batteries that were placed
on a separate trailer. These were placed on test service in some
cities of West Germany [1].
2. From 1974 to 1981, GES had also converted 130Mercedes LE-
306 and Volkswagen delivery vans [1]. These Mercedes vans
were equipped with a sliding tray in the underside of the chassis
for battery replacement [1].
3. In 1970’s in England, an electric transit bus was built by
Ribble Motor Services, sponsored by the British Dept. of
Transportation. It operated in daily service in Runcorn city. It
carried its batteries on a trailer that was detached and replaced
with a recharged battery to extend the service range [6].
4. Between 1975 and 1979, Four Mitsubishi ME460 buses clocked
more than 322,000km of total mileage while being operated in
Japan’s city of Kobe along five bus routes [6].
Vehicle Design for Battery Swapping
The design of the automobile or vehicle must be done giving due
consideration to the special requirements of operation and ease of
replacement of battery. According to C. Arthur MacCarley, Rapid
battery interchange (RBI) generally requires the automation of the
following functions [1]:
1. Positioning the vehicle and the exchange apparatus.
2. Disconnecting the discharged battery.
3. Disengaging or unfastening the battery from the vehicle
receptacle.
4. Extracting the battery.
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020
5. Removing discharged battery away from the path of the
recharged battery.
6. Locating and extracting replacement battery.
7. Inserting the replacement battery into vehicle receptacle.
8. Fastening and securing of replacement battery in receptacle.
9. Electrical reconnection to the vehicle of the battery.
10. Repositioning of apparatus to permit departure of vehicle.
Many of the above requirements can be incorporated, but each shall
pose challenges to vehicle design and require developing specialized
equipment to change batteries.
Basic Replacement Configurations
C. Arthur MacCarley [1] focuses on replacement options capable of
full automation. This list is not exhaustive, and more innovations are
possible. Included figures depict each of the six basic configurations
proposed [6].
Bottom of Vehicle Exchange
A rectangular, battery of low height module is placed in the bottom of
the chassis, optimized for easy extraction and replacement. Among
the earliest adapters of this configuration were the New York Taxi
service in 1896 and for hacks in Paris in 1898 [6].
Figure 3. Exchange from bottom of vehicle.
Bottom battery placement is used on many commercial EVs, since
intrusion on interior passenger or payload space is minimal. Exchange
is accomplished by vertical removal of the discharged battery pack,
positioned at the external bottom of the vehicle. The package is then
removed away from under the vehicle, or the vehicle is moved forward
to align with a replacement battery pack, which is inserted in the space
underneath the vehicle. Alignment with the vehicle is critical, and
accommodation of vehicle height varying in the presence and absence
of battery weight presents design challenges.
A fully automated version of this method must involve provision for
correction of misalignment with the battery receptacle on the vehicle,
means to disconnect, release and lower the discharged battery and
transferring it away, and then lift, secure and reconnect a new battery
into the receptacle.
Electrical connection for the battery pack and even the connections for
individual batteries within the pack can be facilitated by top-mounted
contacts. This method can be applicable to a range of vehicles,
including passenger cars, trucks and transit buses. One limitation is that
the height of most batteries can end up reducing the interior cabin
space, but this is less of a concern for Lorries and trucks.
Exchange from Rear or Front
The battery packs are extracted and replaced from the rear or front of
the vehicle. Several configurations are possible. An automated
approach can involve reversing the vehicle up to an automated
exchange mechanism that removes and replaces the battery module.
The 1984 patent by Gwyn (rear exchange) and 1994 US patent by
Swanson (for front exchange) proposed various methods for the
queuing and extraction of batteries using this approach [6].
Figure 4. Rear Battery Exchange
The location of the entire battery is in the rear or front of a vehicle
making it compatible in design with passenger automobile’s current
layout and can be used for floor plans also. But the concentration of
weight at either the front or rear of the vehicle could drastically affect
the handling and safety performance of the vehicle unless properly
incorporated in the design.
Replaceable Battery Trailer
The vehicle batteries are stored entirely on a trailer towed behind the
vehicle. Battery exchange can be done by replacing this trailer. This
method can be very effective for buses, considering the minimal
modifications needed to a conventional bus to be then driven on
electrical power. Unfortunately, a trailer may be too cumbersome for
automobiles and light trucks.
Figure 5. Replaceable Battery Trailer
A variant of this method was used successfully by the fleet of the
twenty M.A.N. SL-E Elektro-Buses in Dusseldorf, Germany. Here
the trailer remained fixed and the batteries were replaced from the
specifically designed trailer. This process was almost fully automated
after manual alignment of the trailer with the exchange apparatus. [7]
Exchange from Side Pockets
Here the batteries are positioned in pockets on the sides of the
vehicle. This positioning is preferable for low-floor transit buses
since it ensure minimal intrusion into passenger space. The ability to
position batteries lower in the chassis and within the wheelbase also
ensures better weight distribution. Exchange of batteries can be done
by automated systems such as fork-lifts or other such specially
designed vehicles. A 1973 U.S. patent by Hafer has described a
similar concept, which seems to have been first used in an
experimental version of a popular Battronic delivery van in 1974.
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020
Figure 6. Side Pocket Battery Exchange
Unfortunately, this may not be a very feasible method for passenger
cars, due to the intrusion into passenger space and side access areas
by the battery. Automating the swapping mechanism would present
its own challenges owing to the complexity involved in aligning the
batteries and the various motions required for extraction and
replacement of the battery.
Lateral Pass-Through
This method involves the positioning of battery such that it shall be
inserted into the vehicle from one side and the exhausted battery shall
be pushed out of the other side, as shown in the figure. This method is
very restrictive for vehicle design, since a removal as well as
insertion mechanism must be provided that works in tandem. It may
also not be conducive for regular vehicle design that involved
structural and functional members running longitudinal in the vehicle.
It would be necessary to develop a vehicle design for such battery
replacement from the ground up itself.
Figure 7. Lateral Pass through
Its advantages include a much faster replacement time since both
insertion and retraction is carried out simultaneously. The 1982 US
patent by Hane and Others describes a similar configuration.
Longitudinal Pass-Through
Another variant of the pass-through technique is the alignment of the
battery along the axis of travel. The replacement of batteries can be
done by rolling the vehicle such that a stationary new battery replaces
the existing battery while the vehicle alone moves. A major limitation
of such a layout is the requirement of an unobstructed transmission
tunnel, which would further require independent wheel motors to
eliminate the need of a differential. Another issue could be the width
of the battery intruding into the passenger space in smaller vehicles.
Figure 8. Longitudnal Pass through
The advantages that come forth are the speed of exchange with relative
ease as well as better weight distribution in the vehicle. Similar layouts
have been used in the past such as the 1970 ESA Sundancer.
LPG Distribution in India
About LPG in India
LPG is a blend of Butane and Propane organic gasses, which is
liquefied under moderate pressure. With a molecular mass and
density higher than air, it tends to settle close to low lying surfaces. A
Mercaptan odorant is added to the blend to help detect a leak, since
LPG otherwise lacks a detectable odor [2].
LPG being an environment-friendly fuel had tremendous potential
as a replacement for traditional domestic fuels like coal and
firewood. The use of LPG as cooking fuel has become a necessity
for people in both cities and rural areas. Today, it is considered an
ideal fuel for modern Indian kitchens, due to its safety, reliability
and convenience [2].
LPG is distributed in 5 kg cylinders for rural and inaccessible areas,
14.2 kg cylinders for domestic use, and 19 kg and 47.5 kg for
industrial use [8].
Indian Government launched LPG in the mid-60s as a clean and
efficient cooking fuel, bringing about a ‘kitchen revolution’ [2]. It
led to drastic improvement in the health conditions of women,
especially in rural areas where it replaced the smoky and unhealthy
“chulha”. [8]
Popularity of LPG Use in India
The current primary cooking fuel use patterns (Census of India, 2001)
shows that LPG is used by 33.6 million (or 17.5% of the total) homes
in India [8]. In urban areas, the most commonly used fuel is LPG
(47.96%) [2].
Need for Popularizing LPG in India
Given the extensive use of firewood for cooking in India, studies
were conducted on emissions from biomass-based stoves, including a
detailed study of greenhouse gases from small-scale combustion
devices in developing countries -with special reference to household
stoves [9].Table 3 shows the concentration of pollutants from a
typical wood based cooking stove while Table 4 indicates the default
emission levels for methane (CH4), carbonmonoxide (CO), and total
non-methane organic compounds (TNMOC) and nitrousoxide (N2O),
through various residential fuel options.
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020
Table 3. Indoor concentration of health-damaging pollutants from a typical
wood fired cooking stove. [9] (Numbers in parentheses indicate safe levels)
Table 4. IPCC default (uncontrolled) emission factors for residential fuel
combustion (g/kg). [9]
These health hazards of using firewood, coal and other biomass fuels
was a major reason why emphasis was laid on popularizing LPG as a
domestic fuel nationally.
These environmental and health hazards are very similar to the ones
plaguing the society, this time due to the use of conventional fossil
fuel using automobiles. Emphasis now has to be directed towards
making the environment safer by switching away from hydrocarbon
based fuels to cleaner electric automobiles.
Popularity of LPG Distribution Today
Figure 9. State wise distribution of LPG usage in 2000-2001
The 2001 Census shows that there were 33.6 million or 17.5%of the
households in the country using LPG as their primary cooking fuel.
This comprised of 5.67% of total population or 7.845 million homes
in rural areas and 47.96% of total population or 25.752 million homes
in urban areas. These large numbers of consumers have been
encouraged to shift towards the costlier yet safer and cleaner fuel by
various government schemes and policies.
The state wise annual usage of LPG, through government authorized
distributors, during the year 2000-2001 is given in Figure 9 [8].This
constant growth rate of consumers as well as distributors shows that
the policies behind the program were successful.
Due to continuous effort from the government and the PSUs
responsible for LPG distribution, LPG has become one of the most
popular fuels for domestic use. This can be easily understood from
the growth rates shown by the following graphs. The increase in
consumption of LPG by all sectors (in 1000 Tons), number of
consumers (in millions) and number of distributors over the period of
1980 to 1996 has been shown in figure 10, figure 11 and figure 12
respectively. The data is as informed by Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas in 2003 [8].
Figure 10. Increase in Consumption of LPG from 1980 to 1996[8]
Figure 11. Increase in Number of Consumers from 1980 to 1996 [8].
Figure 12. Growth in Number of Distributors from 1980 to 1996[8].
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020
Working of LPG Distribution
LPG Bottling Systems
Primarily four types of Cylinders are currently being marketed by the
Public Sector Oil Companies - Indian Oil Company (IOCL),
Hindustan Petroleum Company (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum
Company (BPCL): the 5kg, 14.2 kg, 19 kg and 47.5 kg each.
The 19 and 47.5 kg cylinders are meant for industrial and commercial
use while domestic consumers are provided with the 14.2 kg
cylinders and now 5 kg for low-income or inaccessible homes.
Special facilities are needed to refill LPG cylinders, hence for faster
refilling, transportation and delivery, LPG bottling plants have been set
up near the markets, which reduces lead time after orders are received.
The initial cost of new bottling plants is about Rs 2,600 (US$ 57.8)
per ton per annum (tpa) capacity, with a plant of 70,000 tpa having
been built at Rs 180 million (US$ 4 million) and another of138,000
tpa, at Rs 360 million (US$ 8 million) (as per data provided by
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 2003).
LPG Marketing Schemes by the Public Sector
1. Some of the recent schemes to popularize and promote domestic
LPG usage nationally [8] are enumerated below:
2. IOCL has expanded its network to over 22,000 sales points
backed by 182 bulk storage points, and 78 LPG bottling plants.
3. In 2002, IOCL launched smaller 5 kg cylinders for the benefit of
the people in rural and hilly areas.
4. During the year 2001-02, HPCL commissioned 178 retail outlets
and 210 LPG distributorships and managed 1.742 million new
LPG connections.
5. HPCL also introduced the 5 kg cylinders in the states of Punjab,
Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir in August 2002.
6. HPCL now has a scheme called “rasoi ghar” for communal use
of LPG stoves in villages. Here, unlike regular connections the
individual households are not needed to pay any deposits or
even invest on stoves. They have to only pay for the use of the
fuel and the facility based on the duration of usage.
7. By November 2002, 49 community kitchens had been
established in various parts of the country.
8. In 2001-02, BPCL opened 140 new retail outlets and 313 new LPG
distributorships, and managed 1.568 million new LPG connections.
9. BPCL’s brand of LPG called Bharatgas, attempting to provide a
better channel for their customers to directly interact with them,
has introduced an online customer service B2C (Business to
Consumer) initiative.
10. In order to reach inaccessible rural customers, BPCL had
introduced the Rural Mobile Vehicle (RMV), in 1999, in the
state of Punjab which is up to more than 20 now.
These schemes have helped in deeper penetration of LPG usage in
homes even in rural and inaccessible areas. Such schemes are usually
needed when a new and expensive technology has to be introduced
for the safety of the population, or for environmental concerns.
LPG Subsidies for Ensuring Popularity
Subsidies have been provided by the Indian government so as to
encourage faster adoption of this newer domestic fuel. Usually, the
initial cost of LPG connection, involving deposits for the cylinder
and the cost of new stoves capable of burning LPG, is quite high. To
offset this burden from the consumer, two major categories of
subsidies are provided to LPG consumers [8]:
1. Operating (fuel) subsidies - LPG is provided at a subsidized
rate to households, to reduce domestic inflation, and cushion
the consumer from the high cost volatility of LPG due to global
petroleum price fluctuations.
2. Initial (first-cost) subsidies - Subsidizing initial costs seem
preferable to fuel (or refill) since it reduces possibilities of
misuse and diversion of resources to commercial users, while
also facilitating quicker adoption by reducing the initial
investment required.
These subsidies have been achieved by either direct subsidy with the
government mandating LPG companies to sell below their cost, and
then claim the under-recoveries from the government, or by cross-
subsidizing where funds from one category of consumers is used to
subsidize the fuel for the other category. An apt mix of these
categories has been used to disburden the consumers from the high
cost of adopting a cleaner newer fuel.
Adaptations from the LPG Distribution for
Battery Swapping Infrastructure Development
Back in 1960s when domestic LPG usage and distribution had to be
popularized, the seriousness of the government and it dedicated effort
into building a reliable and effective support infrastructure ensured
that it became the most popular domestic fuel. If a similar dedicated
effort is put into popularizing Battery Electric Vehicles capable of
Rapid Battery Interchange (or battery swapping), the transportation
system could see a revolution.
Parallels with LPG Distribution
The government entrusted multiple Public Sector Units (PSUs) with
the task of processing, transporting and distributing LPG nationally.
The major oil refineries which may also have a distribution network
of their own are [8]:
1. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL),
2. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)
3. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)
4. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC)
5. Reliance Petroleum Limited (RPL) (Private Sector)
These are also the same organizations responsible for about
12,000 LPG distribution dealers, as well as about 45,000 petrol
pumps in India. This makes them the ideal organizations to share
knowledge on distribution of fuel to vehicles and cylinder
swapping technology which can then be interpolated to Battery
Swapping technology for Automobiles.
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020

For storage and distribution, one has to consider installations, depots, Table 5. Comparison of Challenges faced by LPG and RBI distributors, and
bottling and tankage capacity. Large storage points attached to their solutions.
refineries or to ports are called installations, which are capable of
serving as supply sources to locations in the region, while depots are
small storage and distribution centers that generally cater to the needs
of a city or town. At present, oil companies have installations in
almost all major cities and port locations and depots at all district
headquarters.

Figure 13. Route map of LPG production and Distribution

The same type of storage structure may be needed for the

manufacture, storage and distribution of the standardized batteries
needed for effective implementation of Rapid Battery Interchange.

Above that, India has over 12000 LPG distributors to serve 33.6
million consumers [8]. We also have 45,000 petrol stations serving a
total of around 15.5 million cars on Indian Roads [10]. Such a large
network is what is needed to successfully implement battery electric
vehicles with battery swapping technology.

Parallels of Challenged for Battery Swapping (RBI)

and LPG Distribution
Most of the issues faced during implementation of domestic LPG
distribution are similar to ones faced by Battery Swapping or RBI
technology implementation. The following table 5 shows the parallels
between challenges faced by the LPG distribution network and how
they compare with challenges that currently face battery electric
vehicles, with a focus on BEVs capable of Rapid Battery Interchange
for quick extension of range.

Since IOCL, BPCL, HPCL and ONGC are the Major Public Sector
Units involved in both LPG distribution as well as Petrol/Diesel
distribution all over the country, they have the correct skill bank to A Simplified Distribution Model and Its Impact
become promoters of Battery Swapping infrastructure using the
To better understand how this Rapid Battery Interchange technology
existing point to point distribution and refilling capabilities.
can be implemented and how it affects the BEV owners, a simple
usage model for an electric vehicle is shown below:

• For regular usage, charging can be done at home or at normal

charging stations, where a full charge can take 8-10 hours and
provide a range of 50-80km.
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020

• Regenerative braking and other auxiliary charging systems will
be used during normal vehicle running.
• For long distance travel, strategically located Fast charging
stations can be used at resting stops of over 15 minutes which
provide an additional range of 20-40km.
• For continuous long distance driving on popular highways,
properly located Rapid Battery Interchanging stations (RBI
Stations) can be used to get a completely charged battery pack
in less than 5 minutes.
• In case of Emergency, an RBI station strategically located within
the city can be used to get a recharged battery at short notice.
• For long distance city driving also, regular battery interchanges
at RBI stations can be used, for example, by taxi vehicles.
Table 6. Implementation of Battery Swapping in regular usage.
b. Positioned on highways that are frequented by city dwellers,
the confidence in BEVs of general public which avoids
BEVs due to their regular out-station trips would increase.
As a pilot project, if a particular model city is chosen for
implementation of such an infrastructure to support BEVs, a dense
intra-city RBI network can be complemented with an inter-city
network on all highways connecting this city to popular neighboring
cities.
For example: If Delhi was to implement this network, RBI stations
must be within 20km radius each other, as well as at 80 km spacing
on highways connecting Delhi to Agra, Meerut, Roorkee, Dehradun,
Chandigarh, Jaipur, etc. Thus, any regular vehicle owner could then
use a BEV for his usual vehicle usage.

Proposed Route Map for Implementing a Successful

RBI Network
To set up an effective and successful Rapid Battery Interchange or
Battery Swapping network, a route map is proposed, keeping in mind
the route map followed by the Indian Government during the
LPG-revolution in 1960s.

After drawing parallels with the LPG distribution network, the

following route-map seems to be the most apt to quickly adopt a
Battery Swapping or RBI capable transportation system.

After understanding these usage scenarios, Rapid Battery Interchange

station locations can be strategically planned. This paper proposes
two major categories of networks:

1. Intra-City Network: To serve long distance drivers within the

city, where quick replacements can eliminate the down-time
of the vehicle, making electric vehicles more appealing to the
general masses residing in cities. Well spaced (20km Radius) RBI
stations can completely eliminate the need for slow charging, and
make BEVs better equipped to replace IC engine vehicles.
a. These RBI stations must be well spaced out yet easily
accessible to drivers that drive long distances to work.
b. This would facilitate intra-city taxi’s to use BEVs as taxis.
c. These RBIs would be saviors for emergencies such as
hospital trips at night when the vehicle is not fully charged.
d. The ability to get a fully charged battery in minutes
would make owners more confident, and hence help
popularity of BEVs.
2. Inter-City Network: To serve those city drivers who
occasionally drive out of town, an inter-city network on popular
highways would greatly increase the utility of BEVs.
a. These RBI stations can be equally spaced at 50km each,
allowing a driver to drive from one city to another by
simply exchanging batteries at each of the RBI stations.
Figure 14. Route-map to adopt Battery Swapping Technology at the earliest.
 Downloaded from SAE International by The Library | University of Bath, Friday, October 23, 2020

Summary/Conclusions 6. MacCarley C. Arthur, “Design and Safety Considerations for

The details of feasible Battery Swapping or Rapid Battery
Interchange technology were studied in detail along with the details
of LPG distribution network in India.
It can be inferred that LPG is serviced point to point for domestic usage
and has succeeded in becoming a popular domestic fuel owing to the
dedicated efforts poured into the system by the government and its
Public Sector Units. The seriousness and resolve displayed by the
government and its agencies even today towards making LPG the fuel
of choice for households is commendable, and can serve as inspiration
for agencies involved in popularizing electrical vehicle in India.
A detailed comparison of challenges faced by Battery Swapping
implementation and those faced by LPG distribution reveals that LPG
distribution and management network can easily serve as a model for
success of the battery swapping network.
A simplified distribution solution for battery swapping stations and its
usage model for electric vehicle owners was also developed. A route
map for quick implementation of RBI or Battery Swapping
technology in BEVs nationally is also proposed.
Automated Battery Exchange Electric Vehicles” Seoul 2000
FISITA World Automotive Congress.
7. Collie, M.J., ed. Electric and Hybrid Vehicles. Appendix C
-Batteries for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles. Noyes Data Corp.,
Park Ridge, New Jersey, 1979.
8. Antonette D’Sa and Narasimha MurthyK.V.; Report on the use
of LPG as a domestic cooking fuel option in India, June 2004
9. Smith, K.R., 2000. “National Burden of Disease in India from
Indoor Air Pollution”, Inaugural article, National Academy of
Sciences, 97(24): pp.13286-93
10. https://quandl.com/data/MOSPI/NUM_motor-vehicles-
registered-in-india-taxed-and-tex-exempted, (Number of
Vehicles in India)
Contact Information
Aditya Rai
Address: G-104, SRM University, Kattankulathur, TN-603203, India.
adityarai_home@yahoo.com
Ph: +91 8056006843

India can serve as a role model to the world by directing existing Definitions/Abbreviations
resources along with technical and management know-how from the BEV - Battery Electric Vehicles
LPG industry to the BEV support network industry to make BEVs a
LPG - Liquefied Petroleum Gas
popular personal transport choice, thus moving towards a better
environment in India. FAME - Fast Adoption and Manufacture of Electric &Hybrid
Vehicles
ICE - Internal Combustion Engine
References
RMS - Root Mean Square
1. MacCarley C. Arthur, “A Review of Battery Exchange
Technology for Refueling of Electric Vehicles”, 2000 Future Car AMPS - Amperes
Congress Arlington, ISSN 0148-7191 RBI - Rapid Battery Interchange
2. PoongodiP. Mrs., “A study on Impact of LPG on Indian MW - Megawatt
Economy” International Journal of English Language, Literature GES - Gesellschaft fur elektrischen Strassenverkehr
and Humanities Volume II, Issue VI, October 2014 - ISSN
TNMOC - total Non-methane Organic Compounds
2321-7065
IOCL - Indian Oil Company
3. Wakefield, E., "History of the Electric Automobile: Battery-
Only Powered Cars," (Warrendale, Society of Automotive HPCL - Hindustan Petroleum Company
Engineers, Inc., 1993), doi:10.4271/R-122. BPCL - Bharat Petroleum Company
4. William, Hamilton. Electric Automobiles, McGraw-Hill, N.Y., ONGC - Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited
1980. RPL - Reliance Petroleum Limited
5. Jones, Clyde R., Convert Your Compact Car to Electric. Domus
Books, Northbrook, Ill, 1981.

The Engineering Meetings Board has approved this paper for publication. It has successfully completed SAE’s peer review process under the supervision of the session organizer. The process
requires a minimum of three (3) reviews by industry experts.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of SAE International.

Positions and opinions advanced in this paper are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of SAE International. The author is solely responsible for the content of the paper.

ISSN 0148-7191

http://papers.sae.org/2016-28-0024