Aiden Lee is one of many people who commute on two wheels in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital city. While most riders stop at petrol stations to refuel, Lee opts for one of the increasingly popular battery-swapping stations that are said to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels. Taiwanese startup Gogoro provides Lee and over 450,000 other subscribers with rechargeable batteries, which can be swapped for freshly charged ones at any of the company’s 2,300 stations across Taiwan. According to Gogoro, these stations already outnumber petrol stations in four major Taiwanese cities, and the firm’s goal for 2022 is to surpass the number of petrol stations island wide.

Founder and CEO of Gogoro, Horace Luke, explains that battery-swapping works better for mopeds than electric cars as the batteries and stations do not need to be as large. Unlike the infrastructure required for electric cars, Gogoro’s battery-swapping stations are comparable to vending machines that can be placed in different locations based on the consumers’ needs. The system is already proving successful in Taiwan, with more than 240 million battery swaps since 2015, which is equivalent to keeping around 360,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Although previous attempts to roll out battery swaps for electric cars have been challenging due to the high cost of building charging facilities and the time needed to charge much larger cells, Gogoro’s technology could be the key to achieving a more sustainable transport system. According to government sales figures, e-bikes make up 21 percent of all motorbikes in Taiwan, with sales of traditional petrol models in double-digit decline annually. Gogoro is now looking at expanding regionally and listing on the New York Stock Exchange. The company’s innovative technology could pave the way for a new industry that prioritises sustainability and the reduction of global warming and climate change.

The European region can learn several things from the success of Taiwan’s Gogoro battery-swapping system. One key takeaway is the potential of this technology to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels. By providing an alternative to traditional petrol stations, Gogoro’s battery-swapping stations are proving to be a popular and convenient solution for commuters in Taiwan. This model could be replicated in Europe, especially for mopeds and other two-wheeled vehicles, where the battery and station sizes can be smaller and more easily manageable.

Another lesson is the importance of innovative thinking when it comes to reducing carbon emissions. Gogoro’s CEO, Horace Luke, emphasises the benefits of a battery-swapping system that is comparable to vending machines, which can be placed in different locations based on consumers’ needs. This means that the infrastructure required for this system is less complex and costly than that of electric cars. European countries could learn from this and explore similar options for sustainable transport.

Finally, Gogoro’s success is also a testament to the potential of new industries that prioritise sustainability and the reduction of global warming and climate change. As sales of traditional petrol models decline, the market for sustainable transport solutions is growing. European businesses and policymakers could take note of Gogoro’s innovative approach to sustainable transport and work towards creating similar industries that prioritise sustainability, innovation, and convenience.