Battery swapping has some great strengths - much quicker than even fast charging, and none of the thermal/lifespan problems that come with super-fast 300kW char

Battery swapping has some great strengths - much quicker than even fast charging, and none of the thermal/lifespan problems that come with super-fast 300kW chargers. It's good for the people who can't charge at home to have a range of options available. And of course if battery swapping let range-nervous drivers feel safe buying a 150-mile-range car rather than a 300-mile-range car, that would lower the upfront costs of vehicles significantly. The downside, as I see it, is presumably you're locked into a single-vendor battery rental and charging contract for the entire life of the vehicle. After all, if I could take my car with 100,000 miles on the battery to a swap station, pay $20 and drive out with a brand new battery that was mine to keep forever? Great deal for me. Not such a great deal for whoever pays for a swap, loses their nearly new battery and gets my heavily worn battery. And presumably you're going to struggle to sell the car second hand if the buyer has to pick up your $100/month battery lease.