ENG | ESP
BATTERY SWAP STATIONS
An innovative, attractive and modular Battery Swap Station designed for an East African e-mobility company
Project Type //
Transport, Commercial, New Built
Chronology//
2022-2023
Location //
Kigali, Rwanda
Design team //
Nerea Amoros Elorduy
Victor Gonzalez Marti – Cometa Architects
Faidra Matziaraki – Cometa Architects
Yves Twizeyimana
Victor Iyakaremye
Jonathan Kateega
Alvaro Portoles – Cometa Architects
Engineering team //
Eric Rugugiro
Lisette Gaju
Thierry Gashema
Client//
Private
This project is the creation of a modular and scalable battery swap station that can serve as the cornerstone of a regional network for an East African e-mobility company. The stations must adhere to the following characteristics: sustainability, cost-effectiveness, security, modularity, scalability, and ease of assembly and disassembly. Additionally, they must be recognizable and create a strong brand that will attract clients while also adapting to various contexts, such as different terrains, climates, and business requirements.
After conducting extensive research, including spatial and performance analysis of existing stations, as well as workshops with e-mobility drivers and staff, we have come up with a project that utilizes a lightweight three-dimensional steel structure made of reusable and locally available bolted steel hollow sections.
The primary structure can be effortlessly deployed with minimal earthworks and virtually no concrete. It will be prefabricated in a workshop, transported on a flatbed vehicle, and then bolted in place for quick deployment and easy disassembly. The overarching structure can then accommodate battery charging modules or service modules to adapt to the client’s evolving needs and various contexts.
The station can extend in length and width with the addition of roof and platform modules. It can include stages for swapping batteries, mechanical service, vehicle washing, and a waiting area for clients.
The roof uses triangular shapes set within structural cubes to achieve the maximum slope and enough height to evacuate rainwater quickly and dissipate heat. This structure is versatile and can support various “skins” to adapt to different site variations, making it suitable for deployment in various locations.
The station uses the company’s color scheme and lighting to create a brand and attract existing and new clients. It incorporates transparency, see-through elements, and opacity to highlight the specific swapping system of the company, create shade and rain protection, and let light in and out. This carefully crafted design ensures that the station is not only functional, sustainable and comfortable but also aesthetically pleasing.
CREATIVE ASSEMBLAGES 