Mitsubishi Fuso is demonstrating battery swapping capabilities for its electric trucks with the start of a trial on public roads in Kyoto, Japan from this month.

Selected electric light duty eCanter models have been equipped with new energy solution company Ample’s swappable battery modules as a part of the trial.

The eCanter’s batteries will be swapped at Ample’s battery swapping stations deployed in Kyoto City in collaboration with ENEOS Holdings Inc. Yamato Transport Co. will be trialling the battery-swapped eCanter for local collection and delivery operations.

When the eCanter enters the Ample fully-automated swapping station, robots automatically exchange batteries within the target time of five minutes, which Mitsubishi Fuso demonstrated at the Japan Mobility Show in 2023.

This trial will determine the viability and benefits of the battery swapping process, and whether it is scalable for use in Japan and other markets globally.

“This joint demonstration is an important step towards Mitsubishi Fuso’s ambition to drive EV truck expansion,” Mitsubishi Fuso says in the statement.

“Since launching the eCanter in 2017 as the first series-produced all electric vehicle in the LDT segment, MFTBC has taken the lead in decarbonising transportation.

“In addition to offering the existing eCanter, which has already accumulated over 12 million kilometres of mileage in customer hands worldwide, MFTBC aims to commercialise a battery-swapping EV truck.

“This would enable MFTBC to offer even more customers the chance to transition to carbon neutral logistics by providing a range of options comparable to that available for conventional diesel light-duty trucks.”

Mitsubishi Fuso believes that battery-swapping EV trucks would be able to address worries about driving ranges, and shortening the downtime of vehicles by taking away the need to sit and charge.

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