Empirical evaluation of battery swapping technology adoption in urban electric taxi operations
基于872辆电动出租车的实际运营数据，评估电池更换技术相比插电充电在缓解续航焦虑和提升运营效率方面的效果，发现其在低温和常温下效果显著，高温下不显著。
Battery swapping is an efficient recharging method for electric vehicles (EVs). In taxi fleets, its shorter recharging time reduces drivers’ concerns about remaining battery energy and shortens downtime during services. In this study, we analyse real-world operational data from 872 electric taxis to assess the effectiveness of adopting battery swapping technology (relative to plug-in charging) on reducing range anxiety and improving operational efficiency. Our findings show that battery swapping technology significantly mitigates range anxiety among electric taxi drivers. This effect is largely driven by its pronounced impact under low- and moderate temperature conditions, with non-significant effects observed in high-temperature environments. Additionally, its impact on operational efficiency exhibits a similar pattern—battery swapping significantly improves efficiency in low- and moderate temperature settings. These findings offer new empirical evidence on the operational implications of battery swapping, particularly under varying temperature conditions.