Octopus Energy and CATL Launch Battery-Swap Network for European Freight

Octopus Energy and CATL have announced Swaptopus, a battery-swap network targeting electrification of heavy freight across Europe. Trucks exchange depleted packs for charged ones in minutes, bypassing the hour-plus charging times that undermine vehicle utilisation economics. CATL operates a comparable system in China; Octopus brings European grid and software infrastructure. The model sidesteps charging downtime but requires standardised battery packs across competing truck manufacturers—a coordination challenge European OEMs have not yet solved.