[Electrum Podcast] Exploring Battery Swapping Solutions In Indonesia

Welcome to the Electrum Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving into the electrifying world of electric mobility and the groundbreaking potential of battery swapping technology.

In today’s episode, we explore the innovative solutions Electrum has introduced, the technology behind them, and the incredible impact they’re having on urban mobility and sustainability. Featuring insights based on Electrum’s blog, “Hello, World! Electrum’s Journey Begins Here”, we bring you a transcript of our engaging discussion and a SoundCloud link to the episode.

Note: This is an imagined podcast episode, generated by NotebookLLM, inspired by Electrum’s blog post.

[00:00:00] Bernard: Okay, so imagine this, you're cruising around Jakarta on your electric motorbike, wind in your hair, sun shining,

[00:00:06] Paula: and

[00:00:07] Bernard: then, uh oh, low battery.

[00:00:09] Paula: You're stranded.

[00:00:10] Bernard: Exactly. But hold on, instead of like pulling over and waiting for hours at a charging station.

[00:00:17] Paula: Right.

[00:00:17] Bernard: You just zoom into a flop station.

[00:00:19] Paula: Like a pit stop.

[00:00:20] Bernard: Yeah, exactly, like a pit stop. And in minutes, you're back on the road with a fresh battery.

[00:00:24] Paula: It's amazing.

[00:00:25] Bernard: Pretty cool. Yeah. Right. And that's what's happening right now in Jakarta, thanks to a company called Electrum.

[00:00:30] Paula: It's a pretty fascinating approach.

[00:00:32] Bernard: Definitely. And that's what we're diving deep into today.

[00:00:35] Paula: Yeah, deep dive into Electrum.

[00:00:37] Bernard: Their whole battery swapping model, their tech, you know, the whole thing.

[00:00:40] Paula: How they're making a real impact on sustainable urban mobility.

[00:00:43] Bernard: Exactly. And we're basing this deep dive on a blog post. Straight from Electra.

[00:00:49] Paula: Way from the source. So

[00:00:50] Bernard: we can really get into the nitty gritty of how it all works.

[00:00:52] Paula: And what's really cool is how they actually developed this whole solution. Yeah. They didn't just like, assume what riders needed. They went [00:01:00] straight to the source, like talking to drivers. They referenced a study by Populix.

[00:01:05] Bernard: Oh, interesting. What is Populix?

[00:01:06] Paula: It focused on consumer perceptions of EVs.

[00:01:09] Bernard: Ah, okay, that makes sense.

[00:01:10] Bernard: So what did they learn from all that, from those conversations in that study?

[00:01:14] Paula: Well, some concerns were pretty much what you'd expect. Range anxiety.

[00:01:18] Bernard: Sure.

[00:01:19] Paula: Not enough repair shops for EVs yet.

[00:01:22] Bernard: Makes sense.

[00:01:22] Paula: But for Jakarta's riders, what really stood out were the cost and time of charging.

[00:01:27] Bernard: Ah, yeah. It makes sense.

[00:01:28] Paula: Imagine you're a ride hailing driver every minute you're plugged in.

[00:01:32] Bernard: Yeah.

[00:01:32] Paula: It's a minute you're not earning.

[00:01:33] Bernard: That's a huge problem.

[00:01:35] Paula: Huge pain point.

[00:01:36] Bernard: Especially when your livelihood depends on being on the road.

[00:01:39] Paula: Absolutely.

[00:01:40] Bernard: So how did Electrum tackle this?

[00:01:42] Paula: Well, they got creative and they came up with this solution.

[00:01:45] Paula: It's both clever and super convenient.

[00:01:48] Bernard: Okay. I'm intrigued.

[00:01:49] Paula: Battery swapping.

[00:01:50] Bernard: Okay.

[00:01:51] Paula: With a network of these strategically placed swap stations all

[00:01:55] Bernard: across

[00:01:56] Paula: Jakarta.

[00:01:57] Bernard: So instead of plugging in for hours, you just [00:02:00] swap out your dead battery for a fully charged one.

[00:02:02] Paula: Yeah.

[00:02:02] Bernard: Kind of like, I don't know, changing a propane tank on a grill.

[00:02:06] Paula: Exactly. Minimizes downtime, keeps those riders moving and earning. And

[00:02:11] Bernard: I read that their payment model is based on the kilowatt hour difference.

[00:02:14] Paula: Yeah, it's pretty smart. So

[00:02:16] Bernard: drivers only pay for the electricity they use.

[00:02:18] Paula: Precisely makes it more transparent and cost effective.

[00:02:22] Bernard: For sure. Speaking of cost, they also found some ways to make the motorcycles themselves more affordable, right?

[00:02:27] Paula: Oh yeah, absolutely. One of their key strategies was decoupling the cost of the vehicle from the battery. Oh, interesting. So that opens up all these different ownership and rental options.

[00:02:38] Bernard: Like what?

[00:02:39] Paula: You can buy the bike and battery together, or opt for a monthly rental plan for the battery. Okay. Or even own the bike and rent the battery only when you need it.

[00:02:48] Bernard: Oh, that's cool.

[00:02:49] Paula: You just pay a bit more per swap.

[00:02:51] Bernard: So many options.

[00:02:52] Paula: It's all about flexibility.

[00:02:54] Bernard: I like, it's like choosing a phone plan that fits your usage, you know?

[00:02:58] Paula: Exactly. And

[00:02:58] Bernard: I read that they have a [00:03:00] specific plan for ride hailing drivers.

[00:03:02] Paula: Oh yeah, they do.

[00:03:03] Bernard: Like Adi, who was featured in their blog post.

[00:03:06] Paula: They recognized that ride hailing drivers, they often have this daily income flow.

[00:03:12] Bernard: Makes sense.

[00:03:13] Paula: So they introduced a really cost effective daily rental plan.

[00:03:17] Bernard: Oh wow.

[00:03:17] Paula: Allows drivers like Adi to align their payments with their daily earnings. Yeah.

[00:03:22] Bernard: That's brilliant. It makes the transition to electric so much smoother financially.

[00:03:26] Paula: For sure.

[00:03:27] Bernard: So it really seems like they put a lot of thought into making these electric motorcycles accessible.

[00:03:34] Paula: Definitely.

[00:03:34] Bernard: Convenient for a lot of different riders.

[00:03:36] Paula: Absolutely.

[00:03:37] Bernard: But what about the tech itself, like the reliability? Are these motorcycles and batteries actually built to last?

[00:03:42] Paula: Well, that's where Electrum's use of technology gets really interesting.

[00:03:46] Bernard: Okay, tell me more.

[00:03:47] Paula: They use IoT sensors. And data analytics

[00:03:52] Bernard: for

[00:03:52] Paula: proactive maintenance.

[00:03:53] Bernard: So they know when something's going to break before it breaks.

[00:03:55] Paula: Basically. And they do over the air updates, just like your phone. Oh,

[00:03:59] Bernard: cool. To

[00:03:59] Paula: [00:04:00] constantly improve the system.

[00:04:01] Bernard: And how are the batteries themselves?

[00:04:03] Paula: Oh, they've got sophisticated battery health management algorithms.

[00:04:07] Bernard: So it's like a smart motorcycle that can practically take care of itself.

[00:04:10] Paula: Pretty much.

[00:04:11] Bernard: That's incredible. But I am curious, are they actually making a dent in Jakarta's pollution problem?

[00:04:17] Paula: Wow.

[00:04:17] Bernard: Are they really promoting that sustainable urban mobility?

[00:04:21] Paula: Let's take a look at the numbers. The numbers are pretty impressive.

[00:04:24] Bernard: Okay, lay it on me.

[00:04:26] Paula: They've got over 2, 500 electric motorcycles already deployed in Jakarta.

[00:04:31] Bernard: Wow, that's a lot of bikes.

[00:04:33] Paula: And those motorcycles, they travel a combined 100, 000 kilometers every day.

[00:04:37] Bernard: That's like circling the globe more than twice.

[00:04:40] Paula: It is pretty mind boggling.

[00:04:42] Bernard: Definitely. But what about the actual environmental impact?

[00:04:45] Paula: Yeah.

[00:04:45] Bernard: Like, reducing carbon emissions. That's a huge part of sustainable urban mobility.

[00:04:50] Paula: Absolutely. And Electrum is making a real difference there.

[00:04:52] Bernard: Okay, good.

[00:04:53] Paula: Their current fleet is estimated to reduce emissions by the equivalent of planting almost 64, 000 trees [00:05:00] annually.

[00:05:00] Bernard: That's like creating a whole forest every year.

[00:05:02] Paula: It really shows the power of a well designed system.

[00:05:05] Bernard: For sure.

[00:05:05] Paula: One that prioritizes convenience and affordability.

[00:05:09] Bernard: And actually drives real change towards a greener future.

[00:05:13] Paula: Exactly.

[00:05:14] Bernard: So this is all super impressive, but can this model actually be replicated elsewhere?

[00:05:19] Paula: Mmm. Like

[00:05:20] Bernard: what are the challenges to scaling up battery swapping for wider adoption?

[00:05:25] Paula: That's the million dollar question?

[00:05:27] Bernard: Literally.

[00:05:28] Paula: One of the biggest hurdles is infrastructure.

[00:05:30] Bernard: Yeah, that makes sense.

[00:05:32] Paula: Electrum's success, it really hinges on having a strong network of these swap stations. Right. Conveniently located all over the city.

[00:05:40] Bernard: So to scale this model, infrastructure needs to grow.

[00:05:44] Bernard: Right. Not just within Jakarta.

[00:05:46] Paula: But across Indonesia. And beyond. Potentially.

[00:05:49] Bernard: You need enough swap stations to make it actually convenient.

[00:05:51] Paula: Yeah, like gas stations.

[00:05:52] Bernard: Right. If there were only a handful in the entire city.

[00:05:54] Paula: No one would use them.

[00:05:56] Bernard: It wouldn't work.

[00:05:56] Paula: Exactly. So building out that infrastructure, [00:06:00] it requires some serious investment.

[00:06:02] Bernard: For sure.

[00:06:03] Paula: Careful urban planning.

[00:06:04] Bernard: Yeah.

[00:06:05] Paula: And collaboration between governments, energy providers. And companies

[00:06:08] Bernard: like Electrum.

[00:06:10] Paula: Exactly, it's not just about having the tech.

[00:06:12] Bernard: Right, it's a whole ecosystem. Yeah,

[00:06:14] Paula: a whole system that needs to be in place.

[00:06:16] Bernard: What other challenges do you see?

[00:06:18] Paula: Well, grid capacity is a big one.

[00:06:20] Bernard: Yeah, that makes sense.

[00:06:21] Paula: And access to renewable energy sources. Of

[00:06:23] Bernard: course.

[00:06:23] Paula: As more vehicles go electric, the demand for electricity is going to skyrocket.

[00:06:28] Bernard: Right.

[00:06:28] Paula: If the grid can't handle that using clean energy

[00:06:32] Bernard: We're just shifting the emissions problem.

[00:06:34] Paula: From tailpipes to power plants?

[00:06:36] Bernard: Which wouldn't be ideal.

[00:06:37] Paula: Not at all.

[00:06:38] Bernard: This really highlights how interconnected, sustainable transportation and energy production are.

[00:06:44] Paula: 100%.

[00:06:44] Bernard: We need to make sure we're not just moving the emissions around.

[00:06:47] Paula: Couldn't agree more, and that's where VDG comes in. VDG. Vehicle to grid technology. Okay. Imagine these batteries acting like mini power stations.

[00:06:54] Paula: Oh, wow. Feeding energy back to the grid when demand is high.

[00:06:58] Bernard: Oh, that's cool. So EVs could [00:07:00] actually help stabilize the grid.

[00:07:02] Paula: Yeah.

[00:07:03] Bernard: And integrate those renewable energy sources. Energy sources.

[00:07:05] Paula: Exactly. It's a super exciting area.

[00:07:08] Bernard: Yeah, has a ton of potential.

[00:07:09] Paula: For a more resilient and sustainable energy future.

[00:07:13] Bernard: I'm into it. But there's another potential benefit of battery swapping that I think we should touch on.

[00:07:18] Paula: Oh yeah, definitely. Go for it.

[00:07:20] Bernard: Okay, so in the traditional EV model, the battery is tied to the car. So when the battery dies, you have to replace it, even if the vehicle itself is fine. Yeah.

[00:07:31] Paula: Yeah.

[00:07:32] Bernard: Which can be expensive and wasteful.

[00:07:33] Paula: And creates more waste.

[00:07:35] Bernard: Right. But with the swapping system, the batteries are managed separately.

[00:07:39] Paula: Yeah.

[00:07:39] Bernard: So they can be used more efficiently throughout their lifespan.

[00:07:41] Paula: Absolutely. Potentially reducing the total number of batteries needed.

[00:07:45] Bernard: Less waste overall.

[00:07:46] Paula: Less waste. And they can be upgraded easily as battery technology gets better.

[00:07:50] Bernard: That's huge for sustainability.

[00:07:52] Paula: It is.

[00:07:53] Bernard: So battery swapping, it seems like it has the potential to solve so many challenges with EVs.

[00:07:59] Paula: A lot of [00:08:00] potential.

[00:08:00] Bernard: From convenience and cost to grid stability and even battery lifecycle management.

[00:08:07] Paula: It's a pretty compelling model.

[00:08:08] Bernard: It is, but as with any new technology, there are some potential downsides and things we need to consider carefully.

[00:08:15] Paula: For sure.

[00:08:16] Bernard: So let's dive into those in part three of our deep dive. Let's do it.

[00:08:19] Paula: What are some of the potential downsides or areas where we need more research and development?

[00:08:24] Bernard: Let's talk about that. One area we definitely need to look at is the environmental impact of making the batteries themselves.

[00:08:32] Bernard: Right. Because even though EVs are cleaner than gas powered vehicles on the road,

[00:08:36] Paula: Yeah.

[00:08:37] Bernard: The mining and manufacturing of batteries, that can have some serious environmental consequences.

[00:08:42] Paula: It's like you solve one problem but create another.

[00:08:45] Bernard: It's all about taking a holistic view. Yeah.

[00:08:47] Paula: Right, the whole life cycle.

[00:08:48] Bernard: Exactly. Yeah. And what happens to those batteries when they're no longer useful?

[00:08:52] Paula: We don't want mountains of dead batteries.

[00:08:54] Bernard: Exactly. We need strong recycling programs.

[00:08:56] Paula: Makes sense.

[00:08:57] Bernard: And responsible end of life management.

[00:08:59] Paula: So we're not just [00:09:00] creating a new hazard.

[00:09:01] Bernard: Right. But luckily, there's been a lot of progress in battery recycling tech.

[00:09:05] Paula: Oh, that's good.

[00:09:06] Bernard: And companies like Electrum are really involved in finding those sustainable solutions.

[00:09:10] Paula: For disposal and reuse.

[00:09:12] Bernard: Exactly. That's

[00:09:13] Paula: great to hear. It seems like the industry is aware of these issues and actively trying to fix them.

[00:09:18] Bernard: But let's zoom out a bit. Could battery swapping work in other cities?

[00:09:23] Paula: It's a good question.

[00:09:24] Bernard: Beyond Jakarta.

[00:09:24] Paula: Jakarta is kind of a unique environment.

[00:09:26] Bernard: Right. With all the motorcycles and the pollution.

[00:09:28] Paula: Yeah. But the success of any transportation solution, it really depends on the context.

[00:09:33] Bernard: Of

[00:09:33] Paula: course. The needs and infrastructure of each city.

[00:09:36] Bernard: So a city with great public transport and fewer motorcycles might not benefit as much from swapping.

[00:09:42] Paula: It might make more sense to invest in better public transport or promote cycling.

[00:09:47] Bernard: It's all about finding the right solution. With

[00:09:49] Paula: a specific situation.

[00:09:51] Bernard: Not just a one size fits all.

[00:09:52] Paula: Exactly. And this case study, it's great because it gets us thinking outside the box.

[00:09:57] Bernard: I like that.

[00:09:57] Paula: Exploring different sustainable [00:10:00] solutions.

[00:10:00] Bernard: Because battery swapping is just one piece of the puzzle.

[00:10:03] Paula: There's also innovation in EV design.

[00:10:05] Bernard: Right. Battery

[00:10:06] Paula: technology.

[00:10:06] Bernard: Charging infrastructure.

[00:10:08] Paula: AI.

[00:10:08] Bernard: Autonomous driving.

[00:10:09] Paula: It's really exciting.

[00:10:11] Bernard: It is. We went from Jakarta's pollution to this really cool solution.

[00:10:15] Paula: And now we're talking about transforming transportation all over the world.

[00:10:19] Bernard: And that's what I love about these deep dives.

[00:10:22] Paula: Yeah.

[00:10:22] Bernard: Exploring these ideas. Challenging assumptions. And getting inspired to make a difference.

[00:10:27] Paula: Battery swapping might not be perfect for every city.

[00:10:30] Bernard: True.

[00:10:30] Paula: But it shows how important innovation is. User centric design and a commitment to a more sustainable future.

[00:10:39] Bernard: Absolutely. We have the power to shape the future of transportation. We

[00:10:42] Paula: do. And that

[00:10:43] Bernard: future is looking pretty bright.

[00:10:44] Paula: Yeah.

[00:10:45] Bernard: Innovations like battery swapping leading the way.

[00:10:47] Paula: I think so too.

Closing Notes

Thank you for joining us on this deep dive into Electrum’s innovative battery swapping solutions. As we explored today, this model is not just about making EVs more convenient but also about creating a sustainable, user-friendly ecosystem that redefines urban mobility.

We hope this discussion has inspired you to think about how technology can shape a cleaner, more efficient future for transportation. Stay tuned for more sessions where we unravel more groundbreaking ideas and stories driving the shift toward sustainability.

Note: This was an imagined podcast episode, generated by NotebookLLM, based on Electrum’s blog post, “Hello, World! Electrum’s Journey Begins Here”.