Octopus Energy partners with CATL on Swaptopus battery swap venture for electric trucks

Octopus Energy has teamed up with CATL to launch a joint venture that will construct a network of battery-swapping stations targeting Europe’s growing fleet of electric trucks.

Swaptopus targets Europe's expanding electric truck fleet. The UK-based energy firm and the Chinese battery maker revealed the new entity on June 22 during Octopus Energy’s Energy Tech Summit in London. Swaptopus merges CATL’s advanced battery systems and its track record running swap stations in China with Octopus’s strengths in power procurement, energy trading, and proprietary software.

The initiative introduces to the continent a system that has already achieved widespread adoption in China.

Battery swapping replaces charging for heavy-duty trucks. Truck operators would drive into a hub, exchange a spent battery pack for a fresh one, and return to the highway after only a brief stop. This method sidesteps the extended downtime that normally comes with recharging massive truck batteries.

The joint venture has not disclosed the number of planned hubs, rollout timeline, or specific locations.

Partnership leverages complementary strengths of each company. CATL will provide the core battery hardware along with practical expertise drawn from its large-scale swapping network already operating in China. Octopus will contribute its capabilities in sourcing electricity, managing trades, and running digital platforms that keep the system functioning.

The announcement marks the first formal step toward deploying the swapping model for commercial electric trucks in the UK and broader European markets.