With the vigorous development of the new energy vehicle market, the battery swapping cabinet project, as a key link to solve the anxiety of electric vehicle range, has gradually attracted the attention of investors.
In recent years, many cities in many countries have piloted battery swapping cabinet projects, aiming to alleviate the problem of inconvenient charging of electric vehicles. Far-sighted investors have seen the huge potential of this market and have invested heavily in the construction of battery swapping cabinets. According to industry reports, the market size of battery swapping cabinets is expanding rapidly, and it is expected to continue to maintain a rapid growth trend in the next few years.
At the same time, the penetration rate of battery swapping in domestic and foreign markets has also shown a positive growth trend. According to the data, the penetration rate of battery swapping in domestic and foreign markets has reached about 20%, and this figure has continued to rise in the past few years.
Take the express delivery industry as an example:
Each courier needs at least two batteries per day (including the original battery on the car) to ensure the normal operation of the electric vehicle. Assuming that a battery swapping cabinet can provide battery replacement services for 60 couriers per day, then according to the data of a total of 3 million courier employees, the number of battery swapping cabinets required will theoretically reach 50,000 units.
In the field of food delivery:
The takeaway guy needs to replace more batteries every day. Assuming that a battery swapping cabinet can provide battery replacement services for 30 delivery boys every day, then according to the data of 3.1 million delivery boys using electric vehicles, the number of battery swapping cabinets required will theoretically reach about 100,000 units.
However, the profitability of the battery swapping cabinet project does not depend solely on market demand and the number of cabinets. Operating costs are also one of the important factors affecting profitability.
Running a battery swapping cabinet, we can conduct an in-depth analysis from two aspects: battery loss and electricity bill.
First of all, battery loss is an unavoidable cost in the operation of battery swapping cabinets. The service life of most lithium batteries is designed to be around 1000 times. Based on the frequency at which the delivery person replaces the battery twice a day, the service life of the shared battery is about one year. Assuming that a battery swapping cabinet is equipped with 12 batteries, and the cost of each battery is 800 yuan (taking into account factors such as network price and battery deposit charged by the operator), then the battery cost of a battery swapping cabinet will reach 9,600 yuan a year.
Secondly, electricity is also one of the costs that cannot be ignored in the operation of battery swapping cabinets. By observing a "knight battery swap" outlet in Shenzhen, we found that a set of battery swap cabinets can serve 20 delivery workers during peak hours. Assuming that the average number of delivery workers served throughout the day is 30, and each person needs to replace the batteries twice a day, the total number of batteries required for the whole day will reach 60. Taking into account the time and amount of power required to fully charge each battery, we can calculate the daily electricity cost of the battery swapping cabinet.
Despite these costs, the battery swapping cabinet project still has the potential to be profitable. According to industry data, the annual income of operating a battery swapping cabinet can reach 14,400 yuan. This means that after deducting costs such as battery wear and electricity bills, the battery swapping cabinet project is still expected to achieve considerable profitability.
However, investors still need to conduct in-depth market research and risk assessment before deciding to invest in battery swapping cabinet projects. Understanding the local EV ownership and battery swap demand, as well as the situation of competitors, is an important basis for formulating an investment strategy. In addition, factors such as site selection, operating cost control, and operational process optimization are also key to the success of the project.
Looking forward to the future, with the further improvement of the penetration rate of battery swapping in domestic and foreign sales markets and the continuous development of the express delivery industry, the development prospects of the battery swap cabinet project will be broader.