Mitsubishi FUSO involved in battery swapping initiative in Japan
The program will deploy more than 150 battery-swappable commercial electric vehicles and 14 modular battery swapping stations across Tokyo. In addition, the project will deploy swappable EVs, including MFTBC's eCanter light-duty truck and Mitsubishi Motors' Minicab electric vehicles (a kei-car class commercial electric vehicle with monobox design) to serve commercial delivery fleets.
Along with other primary players, such as Mitsubishi Motors, Ample and Yamato Transport, Mitsubishi FUSO is involved in a very significant battery swapping initiative about to take place in Japan. The aim is to pilot battery swapping from September 2025. Indeed, FUSO will be soon merged with Hino Trucks, according to an agreement recently made official by parent companies Daimler Truck and Toyota.
Back to the battery swapping test, the program will deploy more than 150 battery-swappable commercial electric vehicles and 14 modular battery swapping stations across Tokyo. In addition, the project will deploy swappable EVs, including MFTBC’s eCanter light-duty truck and Mitsubishi Motors’ Minicab electric vehicles (a kei-car class commercial electric vehicle with monobox design) to serve commercial delivery fleets.
FUSO, Yamato Transport and Ample among the partners of the battery swapping program
Coming to the other partners of the initiative, Yamato Transport, Japan’s largest shipping and logistics group and a leader in electrification, will be the initiative’s first major customer and will focus on last mile applications. The American battery swapping company Ample will provide battery swapping technology for the participating EV platforms and will install and operate swapping stations.
The effort directly supports Japan’s ambitious economy-wide climate goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 46% from 2013 levels by 2030, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In 2024, Yamato Transport, MFTBC and Ample ran a successful commercial delivery pilot alongside battery swapping taxis in Kyoto. The demonstration validated both the system’s operational benefits as well the ability of Ample’s platform to operate simultaneously across different vehicle types and brands.
