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Seems like there would be a market in NYC for those e-bikes/scooters that can swap batteries at a kiosk like the Gogoro stuff out east. I for one would not com

Seems like there would be a market in NYC for those e-bikes/scooters that can swap batteries at a kiosk like the Gogoro stuff out east. I for one would not complain if there was more commoditization of ebike and scooter batteries. I hate that every single ebike company ships their own custom battery solution that is outrageously expensive per watt. I'd also love to see the same thing happen with tool batteries.

criddell 3y ago
I think forcing battery standardization is exactly the kind of thing the government should be working on. If your TV remote requires 2 AA batteries, you can get those anywhere. If an ebike or cordless drill requires a battery, consumers have to do too much work and spend too much money and in the end it's wasteful.
- el_duderino_ 3y ago
  Why do you think we need the government to standardize batteries?
  - criddell 3y ago
    To increase competition, reduce waste, and reduce prices to consumers.
  - fragmede 3y ago
    because a standard hasn't emerged in the decades it's been for one to emerge. the closest we've got after the AA and AAA is the 18650 and that's not all that common as a consumer battery.
    - criddell 3y ago
      I might be wrong, but I believe the 18650 is the commodity cell inside most proprietary battery packs. I wonder if they could keep their proprietary pack design, but instead force the individual cells to be replaceable (ie don’t use solder tabs)? That would be standardized enough for me.
      - jandrese 3y ago
        Unfortunately it is not that simple. All of the cells in a pack need to be balanced the same so it’s not as easy as just swapping in a replacement for a dead cell. Even if you replace all of the cells at once they need to be balanced. The biggest time sink when building DIY battery packs is testing and charging every cell to the exact same voltage.
        criddell 3y ago
        You should definitely replace all of the cells at once, even if you are just using drugstore batteries. If you don't they are not going to last very long. Manufacturers are not being as careful as you are. They bundle batteries from the same manufacturing batch with no testing and rely on battery monitor and balancing ICs. https://www.ti.com/battery-management/monitors-balancers/overview.html https://www.ti.com/battery-management/monitors-balancers/ove...

criddell 3y ago

I think forcing battery standardization is exactly the kind of thing the government should be working on. If your TV remote requires 2 AA batteries, you can get those anywhere. If an ebike or cordless drill requires a battery, consumers have to do too much work and spend too much money and in the end it's wasteful.

el_duderino_ 3y ago
Why do you think we need the government to standardize batteries?
- criddell 3y ago
  To increase competition, reduce waste, and reduce prices to consumers.
- fragmede 3y ago
  because a standard hasn't emerged in the decades it's been for one to emerge. the closest we've got after the AA and AAA is the 18650 and that's not all that common as a consumer battery.
  - criddell 3y ago
    I might be wrong, but I believe the 18650 is the commodity cell inside most proprietary battery packs. I wonder if they could keep their proprietary pack design, but instead force the individual cells to be replaceable (ie don’t use solder tabs)? That would be standardized enough for me.
    - jandrese 3y ago
      Unfortunately it is not that simple. All of the cells in a pack need to be balanced the same so it’s not as easy as just swapping in a replacement for a dead cell. Even if you replace all of the cells at once they need to be balanced. The biggest time sink when building DIY battery packs is testing and charging every cell to the exact same voltage.
      - criddell 3y ago
        You should definitely replace all of the cells at once, even if you are just using drugstore batteries. If you don't they are not going to last very long. Manufacturers are not being as careful as you are. They bundle batteries from the same manufacturing batch with no testing and rely on battery monitor and balancing ICs. https://www.ti.com/battery-management/monitors-balancers/overview.html https://www.ti.com/battery-management/monitors-balancers/ove...