CIOInsider India Magazine
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Pathi Mohan Rao, CTO
Buddhabrata Chakravorty, CEO
India's EV tech startup ecosystem is flourishing, driven by a combination of government incentives, increasing environmental awareness, and the rising cost of traditional fuels. A cutting-edge player in the Indian EV tech startup scene, Swapp Design is known for its innovative approach to solving the challenges of electric mobility. At the core of Swapp Design's philosophy is the belief that design is not merely about aesthetics but fundamentally about functionality and problem-solving. This principle guides their focus on creating solutions that are not only efficient but also accessible and sustainable. Through their innovative approach, Swapp Design is setting new benchmarks in the EV tech industry, demonstrating how design-centric engineering can lead to practical, sustainable solutions for the future of mobility. Let’s hear more about the firm in this one on one interaction.
Can you describe the growth journey of Swapp Design as a design-focused solution provider transforming the battery swapping landscape in the electric vehicle industry?
At Swapp Design, our journey has been deeply rooted in our commitment to design-centric solutions. We believe that design goes beyond the visual appeal of a product; it's fundamentally about how it functions. Through our experience, we've seen how similar solutions can have vastly different impacts, largely due to their inherent designs.
Our approach is driven by a set of specific design constraints that focus on a frictionless user experience, and sustainability. We aim to offer a recharge experience that is as quick and effortless as refueling a vehicle. Our goal is to enable a battery swap in under five minutes, without any human intervention, and without requiring the vehicle to be lifted, or requiring the occupants to step out of the vehicle.
In terms of engineering, we prioritize frugal solutions. Our SwappBots, which are autonomous mobile robots, are
designed to be fully functional and eff-icient while being cost-effective to build - each unit costs less than INR 1 Lakh. This commitment to affordability doesn’t come at the expense of functionality or reliability.
We also emphasize interoperability. Our Swapp Stations are designed to accommodate any four wheeler, regardless of its body type, ensuring broad usability across different vehicles. Additionally, our battery systems are created for easy disassembly, facilitating the repurposing of used cells with minimal effort before they are recycled.
For us, design-centricity is not just a principle but the key to our innovative engi - neering solutions, driving us to revolutionize the EV bat- tery swapping land- scape
All our R&D activities are conducted in India, allowing us to tailor our innovations to local needs and resources. This localization ensures that our solutions are well-suited to the specific demands of the Indian market.
These focused design constraints have led us to develop an autonomous battery-swapping system for electric four-wheelers. For us, design-centricity is not just a principle but the key to our innovative engineering solutions, driving us to revolutionize the EV battery swapping landscape.
Could you explain the unique factors that distinguish your battery solutions from those of other industry players?
Our battery solution is a confluence of multiple dimensions: electrical, mechanical, thermal, and electronic. Our technology has core differentiations in each of these aspects. In terms of electrical and electronic design, our system employs a modular architecture, where multiple battery modules combine to form a cohesive pack tailored to the EVs requirements. Our proprietary Battery Module Management System (BMMS) supports this modularity, enhancing overall performance. From a mechanical and thermal perspective, our modules are engineered for durability and ease of disassembly, which facilitates efficient value recovery before recycling. This approach not only optimizes functionality but also reinforces our commitment to sustainability through a circular design methodology.
How do you guarantee the safety and reliability of your solutions?
We understand that safety and reliability are crucial, particularly in safety-critical applications like electric mobility. To achieve this, we implement industry best practices, including planned redundancy and failsafe mechanisms. With each team member bringing over a decade of automotive experience, we've learned the significance of following established industry standards while also developing Swapp Design-specific processes. These experiences have given us the expertise to consistently prioritize safety and reliability in our solutions.
How is your team structured, and what level of expertise do they bring?
The Swapp Design team consists of seven full-time employees. We invest significant effort into selecting the right talent, often reviewing over 500 applications for a single role. Our selection process emphasizes three key qualities: a deep understanding of the subject matter, a solid grasp of physics principles, and alignment with Swapp Design’s core values. This rigorous approach ensures that our team not only has the necessary expertise but also embodies the spirit of innovation and excellence that drives our work.
What does Swapp Design's future roadmap look like, & what developments can be anticipated over the long term?
For the years to come, our roadmap is centered around advancing the R&D of our core products: the battery module, the SwappBot, and the Portal. Our immediate goal is to achieve homologation (road worthy certification) for these products. For the Battery Module, we are committed to enhancing its scalability, interoperability, robustness, sustainability and ease of swapping.
The SwappBot, an autonomous mobile robot, is designed to manage the battery-swapping process between the EV and the Swapping Station without any human intervention. The Portal serves as an adapter that houses the battery modules beneath the EV chassis and wirelessly communicates with the SwappBots to enable seamless autonomous battery swapping.
Looking ahead, we plan to scale our solutions, refine our product offerings, and broaden our market reach. Our ongoing focus will be on driving innovation, promoting sustainability, and providing a seamless user experience within the EV sector.
