Battery swapping for heavy-duty commercial vehicles as a complement to conductive charging

The white paper examines battery swapping for heavy-duty battery-electric vehicles as a complement to conductive charging. Against the backdrop of stricter CO₂ targets and practical challenges in the electrification of commercial vehicle fleets – such as limited grid connections, charging times and operational processes – the paper outlines international and national developments, the current status and the perspectives of relevant stakeholders from the logistics, energy and automotive sectors. Furthermore, potentials, barriers and economic aspects (total cost of ownership) are analysed. The results show that battery swapping can offer advantages in terms of vehicle availability, flexibility and grid integration, particularly in predictable, high-demand usage profiles. At the same time, challenges remain regarding standardisation, regulation and business models. The white paper categorises these aspects and outlines starting points for pilot projects and possible further developments in Europe.