- Swaptopus plans battery hubs capable of supporting 300,000 electric trucks
- CATL and Octopus want truck batteries replaced in minutes
- European freight industry could avoid long billing delays with trade
Octopus Energy has outlined plans for large-scale battery projects aimed at accelerating the transition to electric freight transport across Europe.
The company works with battery giant CATL on battery technologies for freight transportation, energy storage and grid services.
Although the immediate focus is on commercial transportation infrastructure, the partnership could ultimately help introduce battery swapping to the European trucking market.
Battery swapping takes priority over home storage
Octopus and CATL have formed a joint venture called Swaptopus to expand battery swapping infrastructure across European freight networks.
Instead of waiting for charging sessions to end, electric trucks will swap depleted batteries within minutes.
CATL’s largest commercial vehicle batteries can reach 1,000 kWh, about 20 times the capacity of an average electric passenger car.
“Electric trucks already outperform diesel in operating costs, the challenge is keeping them moving. Battery swapping changes that. Instead of waiting for hours, trucks can be back on the road in minutes,” said Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Octopus Energy Group.
“By combining Octopus’ software and energy expertise with CATL’s world-class battery technology, we are making clean freight practical at scale across Europe. »
The first major battery swap centers are expected to begin operating sometime in 2027, starting with sites in the United Kingdom.
Octopus and CATL intend to expand this network to more than 30 major hubs operating across Europe by 2035.
According to figures published alongside the announcement, the infrastructure could ultimately accommodate more than 300,000 electric trucks.
The companies also estimate the project could unlock more than £30 billion in private investment over the coming years.
Vehicle-to-Grid plans could support future batteries
Beyond freight transportation, the two companies are also exploring energy storage technologies and broader electricity management opportunities across Europe.
One proposal is to extend Vehicle to Grid technology across CATL’s entire global network of automotive manufacturing partners and customers.
The companies estimate that millions of future electric vehicles could potentially return electricity to national energy grids during peak demand.
“Battery swapping will be an important part of the future of commercial transportation. We have field tested this technology in China and we are excited to introduce it to the UK and Europe…” said Dr Robin Zeng, Chief Executive Officer of CATL.
“Together, our expertise in battery swapping, B2G (Battery-to-Grid) and energy storage, combined with Octopus’ AI-based energy trading and management technologies, will accelerate the electrification of road transport in the region.
Swaptopus believes battery swap centers could eventually serve purposes far beyond keeping electric trucks on the road.
“We believe the future of ground transportation is electric and autonomous, and battery swapping is an important part of the enabling infrastructure,” said William Rowe, CEO and founder of Swaptopus.
“Not only does this significantly reduce downtime, but because the batteries at the exchange stations can be charged and discharged when the grid needs them, they act as a virtual power plant and thus reduce costs for consumers.”
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