Battery Swapping for Truck Electrification in the United States

Battery swapping—switching out a battery low on charge with a fully charged battery so a truck can continue its journey—has potential to help electrify medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Swapping reduces the time trucks must wait for charging, extending their range and reducing downtime. This technology could help to scale up and support transportation electrification in the United States.

This topic brief explores the potential for battery swapping to support truck electrification by assessing its market status, advantages, disadvantages, and research gaps. The brief also highlights the work of Revoy and Ample, two companies deploying this technology in the United States. Overall, battery swapping is in its early stages domestically but has been steadily gaining ground in China.