Honda begins selling ‘swappable’ battery packs

That's what I've been saying could be possible .    If a company like Honda that builds just about every type of vehicle  built a modular battery and developed motors and controllers to be used across the entire range of vehicles. They could be able to make so many vehicles that share powertrain component's and be able to sell for less and or have much higher margins on their products. 

 Maybe they have  a modular battery that  you use 1 or 2 packs on a 450 sized dirtbike, and 10 or 20  on a minivan, etc. Design the pack for the most demanding applications and then work down from there.  Having the batteries split up into smaller packs could make it easier to repair battery issues . Unplug a modular and replace it instead of the entire battery all for a few bad cells.  That could also make it safer to break into the packs for replacing cells at that level if their batteries still use cells. 

And then develop motors that can be used in as many different vehicles as possible and then limit the power output Via software  Maybe You have 3 motors to cover all the different sizes of motorcycles, and then make motors that can work in both cars and ATVS/UTV's and You could have  less than 10 motors and power all of the vehicles they make now. 

That's interesting, Honda is pretty much wanting to market this battery like a  gas can.  In that they want to sell it to be used by other OEMS similar to how they sell engines for power equipment now. 

They show it in a scooter, but they do not say what its intended for. Just that  they want it to be a universal power solution for electric equipment. 

They also won an award for involvement in rebuilding  batteries ,so hopefully these will be built with some serviceability in mind.  

If it takes off, I could see companies have battery swap stations similar to the way some places sell propane in a tank and you give them the old tank. 

I would be more interested in what really makes the battery itself better. Its really just an idea and marketing if the build of the battery itself is nothing special. But even then it is a step towards universalizing electric powered stuff. How cool would that be if the same packs that You used in a snow blower would also power your race bike, and your wife's minivan? 

 Honda was one of the brands working together on a standardized battery.  I wonder if the other brands will use Honda batteries or if they will make their own versions of the same battery? Or if that is a part of a separate program.    

The Chinese electric auto manufacturer NIO has been doing swappable batteries for years already

I've been thinking for a while that this is going to be the answer. Gas stations will have large charging banks, kind of like a propane tank exchange type deal. You pay, swap your batteries out for fresh ones, and put yours into the charging bank. 

Between that and BYD's sodium based technology, electric is beginning to become a lot more accessible and inviting. 

Seems like battery swap would be the future. If and when they go standardized. Otherwise, no worky. As an old welder, that's how we got oxy/ecet. You buy the first set and then it's just a swap after that. Doesn't matter where you go. Propane is the same thing. I live in an old area of Long Beach. As it stands now, I cannot have an EV.  I only have street parking and it's 100 feet from my tiny garage. There are thousands of Long Beach residents in a similar situation. A somewhat futuristic swap mechanism would change the scenario.

Honda is marketing theirs to other OEMS.  Similar to how they sell their engines that get used in Shifter karts, pressure washers,  generators, Golfcarts, small and medium sized power equipment. Not  just putting it into a single item and only that item.  Think of  a power tool system  like Milwaukee . You can use any M18 battery in any M18 tool. And they have a wide range of tools. Apply that to  power equipment , motorcycles and other vehicles and You have what Honda is saying they have. Maybe not that wide of a range yet, but that's what it looks like they are trying to work towards.    

There are lots of manufacturers that have swappable batteries. But they make them proprietary so your stuck with using their battery in their vehicle and that's it. Honda is trying to standardize a swappable pack so that its similar to using gas . You power your lawn mower , MX bike and minivan off the same fuel. And Honda wants their battery to be that for electric.   

 The propane tank swap concept describes it best.  You would go swap batteries  in a similar way to going to a gas station and filling a gas can.     

In that same article they  have another link to info about the in motion wireless charging roads they are also working on.   That would be cool to have the option of an EV lane that charges while you drive on a highway. I have seen it talked about before and they said that it pretty much provided enough power to run the vehicle and not drain the vehicles battery.  So You could drive forever on one of those roads without needing to recharge. 

Be really cool if it also allowed you to just have the vehicle drive for you so you could just relax and enjoy the ride. Or drive in the regular lane and control the vehicle like normal.   

 The link did not provide much info  on power levels. It said  they have a target of 150KW max output for larger vehicles.  

It is a link in the article that the OP linked to. But here is the direct link if anybody wants to check it out. 

https://theevreport.com/honda-taisei-in-motion-wireless-charging-road