The Problem:
41% of UK residents are concerned over the practicalities of being able to charge an EV at home (Vensons survey). Access to charging, and speed of charging are two key challenges restricting EV uptake. For existing fuel stations, their entire business model is based on a 2 minute turnaround time for petrol and diesel filling. Even if EV charge times can come down to 20 minutes, this is a significant step up. Battery swapping is a viable solution, but OEMs do not want standardised EV design.The Solution:
At 4SB, we are designing and manufacturing a small, swappable battery for electric vehicles. This attaches to the EVs main battery, with a goal to give drivers 90 miles of range available in a 2 minute swap. Our batteries do not replace EVs main batteries - they complement them. We believe we've hit the sweet spot of enabling swappable batteries, whilst ensuring minimal standardisation to EV design. 4SB plan to begin integrating swap stations in urban areas, replacing traditional fuel lanes.The Differentiator:
At 4SB, our technology is underpinned by three core innovations, which are undergoing patent filing. These are: the attachment mechanism that secures the 4SB battery, the electrical integration system between the two batteries, and the loading and locating system that facilitates battery swapping. Our key differentiator from competitors (NIO, Ample etc.) is that we are the only company developing a secondary battery, applicable to almost every EV on the market, and putting EV design first.Biggest Achievement:
4SB’s biggest achievement to date has been our ability to form partnerships with other organisations. This reaffirms our belief that our core team is forward-thinking, friendly, and easy to do business with. We are successfully working with Heriot-Watt University, University of Strathclyde, and Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP), and have delivered valuable projects with these partners. We have also achieved pitching competition wins at Scottish EDGE, INSPIRE 100, and Converge Challenge.
