Ample and ENEOS are bringing the first-ever EV battery swap stations to Japan

EV battery swap specialist Ample has announced it is bringing the first-ever modular swap stations to Japan with the help of partner ENEOS. The first Japanese swap stations will be erected in Kyoto and used by several local fleets.

Ample is a California-based startup specializing in modular battery stations that are easy to install and move, all while occupying a minimal footprint. The company’s goal is to help enable 1 billion electric vehicles on roads worldwide someday.

That process began win 2021, when Aaple began deploying its first generation of autonomous battery-swapping stations around San Francisco. From there, it gathered valuable data working alongside rideshare companies like Uber and last-mile delivery startup Sally.

By May 2023, Ample had introduced its second-generation swap station, adding accommodations for larger EV models while cutting the entire process from ten to five minutes. This led to new OEM collaborations, including a global partnership with Mitsubishi Fuso and, most recently, an agreement to integrate EV battery swap capabilities into passenger vehicles built by Stellantis.

Now, Ample is taking its technology international, introducing its battery swap stations to Japan.

Ample secures battery swaps in Japan with several fleets

Per news from Ample today, it will begin rolling out its battery swap stations in Kyoto, Japan, with the help of its partner ENEOS, a Japanese oil corporation that also specializes in service stations. The implementation will operate as part of ENEOS’ Japan Protocol, in which the company has vowed to reduce CO₂ emissions across its entire supply chain and invest in decarbonizing Japan as a whole.

To begin, Ample will install two drive-through swapping stations side-by-side in Kyoto, which will be utilized by several new fleet partners, including Kyoto City and Kyoto Prefecture, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, NTT An ode Energy, Nippon Life Insurance Company, Omron Filed Engineering Corporation, Tokyo Century, Nippon Car Solutions, Tokyo R&D, and Asahi ETIC.

Kyoto’s MK Taxi will also take advantage of Japan’s first battery swap stations. The company currently operates the largest taxi fleet in Kyoto and has made efforts to electrify its fleet but has encountered issues with downtimes during charge sessions and insufficient charging infrastructure.

Given its success in the US with Uber, Ample believes it is an excellent fit for MK Taxi and its other new partners to deliver battery swaps in just five minutes – all from compact, modular stalls that can be installed in 3 days.

Japan has laid out admirable decarbonization goals to ban the sale of new combustion vehicles by 2035, creating the inevitable need for more EV chargers and battery swap stations. Ample shared that it is proud to be a part of Japan’s journey to make those goals happen.