South Korea – A new industry briefing from LG Energy Solution (LGES), headquartered in Seoul, argues that battery-swapping systems are moving beyond two- and three-wheelers into the commercial vehicle sector, offering operators a faster and more efficient alternative to plug-in charging. The study notes that in freight and passenger transport, where every hour of vehicle downtime has a cost, the ability to exchange a depleted battery for a fully charged unit in minutes is emerging as a decisive factor in the competitiveness of electric fleets.

According to LG, “policy-led initiatives are accelerating adoption. In Germany, the 'eHaul” project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, opened the country’s first automatic battery-swapping station for heavy electric trucks in 2023. In Asia, China’s NIO has built more than 3,000 stations, while India is supporting nationwide guidelines for swapping and a Battery-as-a-Service model to cut upfront costs. Meanwhile, European pilots backed by Horizon Europe are developing standardisation roadmaps for swappable systems, and U.S. operators such as Ample and Swobbee are demonstrating urban logistics applications.”