Octopus Energy and CATL have announced a new joint venture (JV) to create a network of battery-swapping hubs covering the UK and Europe.
The hubs will allow electric HGVs to replace depleted batteries in minutes, removing long charge times and eliminating one of the biggest barriers to decarbonising heavy transport.
The initial UK mega hubs are expected to open in 2027, with about 30 planned by 2035. Every hub will be capable of servicing thousands of trucks per day.
Once fully operational, the partners believe the network could support 300,000 electric trucks and unlock more than £30 billion of private investment.
Credit: Octopus/CATL
This JV – called Swaptopus – combines CATL’s battery swapping-station knowledge, already deployed at scale across China, with the energy supply experience of Octopus.
The two companies are also looking at options to scale Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology across CATL’s global network of automotive partners.
William Rowe, CEO and Founder of Swaptopus, said: “We believe the future of land-based transport is electric and autonomous, and battery swapping is a massive part of the enabling infrastructure.
“Not only does it significantly reduce downtime, but since the batteries at the swapping stations can be charged and discharged when the grid needs it, they act as a virtual power plant and in turn lower costs for consumers.”
Dr. Robin Zeng, Chairman and CEO of CATL, said: “Battery swapping will be a significant part of the future of commercial transport.
“We have field-proven this technology in China, and we are delighted to bring it to the UK and Europe as part of our joint venture with Octopus.”
DP World expands electric truck trial for hauliers
DP World has expanded its Low Carbon Truck Programme with a new initiative to give UK hauliers practical experience of operating battery-electric HGVs.
The Electric Vehicle Introduction and Transition Accelerator (EVITA) allows operators to rent electric trucks for 12-week periods out of Southampton and test them in real-world operations.
Running from July 2026 until 2029, it builds on an initial pilot launched earlier this year in partnership with the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Sustainable Road Freight and Project JOLT.
More than 1,500 trucks from about 60 UK hauliers are already registered to the Low Carbon Truck Programme.
Several operators have already taken delivery of electric trucks through the expanded initiative, including Williams Shipping and ATL Haulage.
Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and MAN will initially provide electric trucks for the scheme, with the fleet increasing to four vehicles from October.
Participants will also have access to DP World’s electric truck charging facilities in Southampton, including twin 360kWh chargers located at the port’s driver welfare centre.
The programme aims to help operators better understand how eHGVs perform on their own routes and within their existing supply chains by offering access to vehicles at costs similar to diesel-powered alternatives.
DP World expects it to create up to 100 trial opportunities over the next three years.
John Trenchard, Vice President of Sustainable Supply Chains for Europe at DP World, said: “With the EVITA trial, DP World is demonstrating its commitment to enabling the industry to adopt more sustainable methods of moving goods through a practical and commercially attractive pathway.”