Ample together with ENEOS is installing the first modular battery replacement stations in Japan. Special stations will appear in Kyoto and will be used by several local fleets.
Ample is a California-based startup that specializes in modular battery stations that are easy to install and move, while taking up minimal space.
The rollout of the battery swap stations will take place as part of Japan's ENEOS protocol, in which the company has pledged to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the supply chain and invest in the decarbonisation of Japan as a whole.
To start, Ample will install two transit exchange stations in Kyoto that will be used by several new 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.
It is understood that Kyoto MK Taxi will also use Japan's first battery replacement stations. The company currently operates the largest fleet of taxis in Kyoto and is making efforts to electrify its fleet, but has faced problems with downtime during charging sessions and insufficient charging infrastructure.