AWARD YEAR
2015
CATEGORY
Community
GOALS
Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
KEYWORDS
electric cars, infrastructure, transportation
COUNTRY
Taiwan
DESIGNED BY
Horace Luke, Gogoro
WEBSITE
http://www.gogoro.com/
Gogoro's Battery-Swapping Smartscooter
Gogoro's zippy electric Smartscooter and battery swap stations could revolutionize urban transit.
The Gogoro Energy Network is a modular battery-swapping infrastructure that can be deployed across a city to provide broad consumer access to portable power through battery vending machines called GoStations. The battery is charged in six seconds. The Smartscooter is the first vehicle to be integrated into the Gogoro Energy Network, and both will begin initial rollout in 2015. The team is currently in talks with cities around the world to determine the best fit for launch. Riders don't need to wait to refuel or recharge the Smartscooter. When a depleted battery needs to be swapped with a charged one, riders can make a six-second swap at any GoStation. The Gogoro Battery is an engineering breakthrough with a variety of technologies including 25 sensors, near field communication (NFC) connectivity and 256-bit security encryption. It utilizes Panasonic's industry-leading cylindrical 18650-size automotive-grade lithium-ion energy cells to deliver the ultimate in safety, performance, efficiency and portability.