Mitsubishi's battery swap network to cut EV charging time to 5 mins

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), Mitsubishi Motors, U.S. startup Ample, and Yamato Transport have launched a major battery swapping initiative in Tokyo to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption and support Japan’s climate goals of reducing emissions by 46% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The project, backed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, will deploy over 150 battery-swappable commercial EVs and 14 automated modular swapping stations by September 2025. This follows a successful 2024 pilot in Kyoto that demonstrated cross-brand battery swapping feasibility for commercial deliveries and taxi services. The initiative focuses on commercial fleet electrification, a strategic priority since transportation accounted for about 19% of Japan’s CO2 emissions in 2022. The vehicles involved include MFTBC’s eCanter light-duty electric truck and Mitsubishi Motors’ kei-class Minicab EV, with Yamato Transport as the first major customer for last-mile delivery operations. The key technological advantage lies in Ample’s fully automated swapping stations, which can replace batteries in just five minutes without drivers leaving their vehicles, minimizing downtime and labor challenges. These compact stations are designed for quick deployment in urban environments and may also provide grid services such as renewable energy storage, further contributing to emission reductions. The consortium aims to build a robust battery swapping infrastructure in Tokyo and invites additional automakers, fleets, and logistics companies to participate, expanding the initiative’s impact on Japan’s sustainable transportation future.