Electric car maker Tesla debuts quick battery swap system

LOS ANGELES, June 21 (UPI) -- Tesla Motors has introduced a system is says will allow a swap of a car's battery pack in less time than it takes to fill up a traditional car's gas tank.

At a demonstration of the system in California, Tesla chief Elon Musk said battery swap stations will be installed throughout a network of "supercharging" stations the company is installing around the nation, CNN reported Friday.

Tesla owners can recharge their cars at such recharging stations in about an hour or opt for the quicker battery swap, which will cost between $50 and $80, similar to what it costs to fill the tank in a gasoline-powered vehicle.

"The only decision you need to make when you come to one of our Tesla stations is, do you prefer faster or free," Musk said.

The new system is intended to overcome fears many drivers have about the capacity of electric cars to make long road trips, he said.

"Our goal here was to eliminate the objections that people have. We want to show that [Tesla] can actually be more convenient than a gasoline car. Hopefully this is what convinces people that electric cars are the future."

Tesla plans to have more than 100 locations by the end of this year, allowing drivers to drive from Los Angeles to New York, he said.