Japan has long been a leader in automotive innovation. Home to some of the world’s most iconic carmakers and one of the first mass-market electric vehicles, Japan is now focused on what comes next—building an infrastructure that delivers power as efficiently as the vehicles themselves.
Nowhere is this more critical than in Tokyo, a city that moves millions of people and goods daily through its dense network of delivery vans, light-duty trucks, and taxis. For electrification to work at scale, energy solutions must be fast, reliable, and space-efficient.
That’s why Tokyo is expanding its EV infrastructure with citywide battery swapping. Supported by a grant from the Tokyo Metropolitan Environmental Public Corporation, Ample together with Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, is deploying a network of swapping stations across Tokyo, ensuring seamless access for EV fleets throughout the city. This initiative will bring a scalable, zero-emission alternative to gas stations—helping Tokyo move closer to its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030.
For commercial fleets, downtime is lost revenue. Battery swapping solves this by allowing drivers to replace a depleted battery with a fully charged one in just five minutes. Because batteries charge gradually at the station rather than drawing high loads from the grid, swapping also reduces strain on Tokyo’s energy infrastructure while ensuring a steady supply of power. This expansion of Ample’s swapping network will provide additional coverage and capacity, with each station able to support over 100 vehicles.
From Kyoto to Tokyo
Ample entered the Japanese market in early 2024, launching battery swapping in Kyoto with Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) and ENEOS Holdings. The deployment showed how modular battery swapping keeps fleets moving, eliminates long charging times, and eases grid demand. Now, that success is coming to Tokyo. Ample’s modular swapping stations are designed for rapid deployment, requiring no major construction and going live in just three days. That means instead of waiting years for infrastructure to catch up, fleet operators can begin electrifying today.
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation are playing key roles in this expansion, furthering Japan’s leadership in electrification. Mitsubishi Fuso has been a pioneer in zero-emission trucks, advancing electric mobility with its electric truck platform. Mitsubishi Motors is an innovator in the electrification space, launching one of the first electric vehicles.
By combining Ample’s battery swapping technology with its expertise, Tokyo is setting a new standard for how major cities can electrify at scale — paving the way for other cities to follow.
SOURCE: Ample
