Optimal Service Operation Strategy in Battery Swapping Supply Chain

To explore the operation strategy of battery leasing and battery swapping services (the two services), this paper constructs a battery swapping supply chain consisting of the battery manufacturer and the vehicle company. Taking the battery manufacturer as a core enterprise, this paper examines four service operation strategies: two self-operated services, self-operated battery swapping services, self-operated battery leasing services and two outsourcing services. Through comparative analysis, the findings indicate that the optimal strategy for the battery manufacturers depends on the vehicle body price. Specifically, when the vehicle body price is low, self-operating both services maximizes profitability and effectively stimulates demand for battery-swapping vehicles. Conversely, when the price is high, a complete outsourcing strategy is preferable, as it is the most effective way to stimulate battery-swapping vehicle demand. Similarly, the optimal strategy for the vehicle company is influenced by the vehicle body price. The vehicle company should provide the two services only when the vehicle body price is low; otherwise, they should focus on producing battery-swapping vehicles. Moreover, to stimulate demand for battery-swapping services, the determination of the optimal strategy is contingent upon several key variables, including the vehicle body price, the battery-swapping service price sensitivity, and the battery-swapping operating cost-sharing ratio.