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Gogoro's solar-powered scooter battery charging station is here

It packs enough green energy to charge 10 batteries.

Electric scooter-maker Gogoro's latest battery-charging location is its cleanest yet. As usual, riders pull up, swap out their depleted batteries (two per vehicle), and drive off with fully-charged ones. The only difference is the new GoStation is the first to run on solar power.

When we hopped on the Gogoro two years ago, we felt the company nailed the scooter part. But we were skeptical as to how it would go about its mission to end range anxiety. Since then, the manufacturer has installed more than 350 GoStations in its native Taiwan, with plans to reach over 500 locations by the end of the year. It's also partnered with German startup Coup to add its scooters to its on-demand rental fleets in Berlin and Paris.

Located in the Bali district of New Taipei City, Taiwan, the new GoStation produces an average of 6.21 kWh of power daily, courtesy of its eight solar panels. That's enough juice to fill up ten batteries each day, meaning it will still have to rely on grid power. Gogoro aims to meet extra demand by installing more solar panels in the space behind its latest location.

Riders that pull up to the GoStation can use its screen to see how much power it is generating from solar energy, in comparison to how much is from the grid. It also displays how many batteries the green energy has recharged, how that's impacted its carbon footprint, and how many trees' worth of carbon absorption it equates to. For those hooked on its (recently updated) app, Gogoro will award you with a new "Apollo's Swap" badge for using the solar-powered location.

The new GoStation brings the Taiwanese startup one step closer to its clean energy goals. Gogoro says it's also exploring additional alternatives to coal, including hydroelectric power, tidal energy, and nuclear power.