On June 22, CATL announced a partnership with UK energy company Octopus Energy to establish a joint venture focused on building a battery-swapping network for heavy-duty trucks in Europe. Under the plan, the partners will deploy the first batch of demonstration battery-swapping stations by 2027, initially covering major UK motorway corridors and key logistics ports. By 2035, the network is expected to expand to more than 30 stations, with coverage gradually extending into Scotland and Wales, creating a battery-swapping network spanning the UK’s principal freight corridors. MOU Signing ceremony between CATL and Octopus Energy The centerpiece of the partnership is the introduction of CATL’s Qiji battery-swapping technology to the European heavy-truck market. Compared with conventional charging, battery swapping offers significantly shorter energy replenishment times, improving vehicle utilization rates. Once operational, the network is expected to provide energy services for logistics companies, port operators, retail enterprises, and private fleet owners across the UK. The two companies also plan to integrate battery-swapping facilities into large logistics distribution hubs, extending applications into urban delivery and short-haul transportation. CATL’s move into Europe’s battery-swapping market comes as the region’s heavy-truck electrification accelerates. Europe’s zero-emission heavy-duty vehicle sales by vehicle type (left) and EU Member State (right) Industry data show that more than 23,700 zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles were registered across Europe in 2025. In the European Union, electric heavy-truck sales rose 72.3% year-on-year. While electric trucks currently account for only about 4.2% of the European truck market, their growth rate remains substantially higher than that of the broader commercial vehicle sector. At the same time, China’s new-energy heavy-truck industry is entering a period of rapid expansion. Sales of new-energy heavy trucks in China reached 231,000 units in 2025, up 182% year-on-year, with market penetration exceeding 28%. SANY’s electric heavy-duty truck In the first quarter of 2026, sales totaled 43,900 units, the highest level for the period in nearly eight years. Earlier this year, China’s 11 government departments proposed raising new-energy heavy-truck penetration to 40% by 2030, with the national fleet expected to reach approximately 1.6 million vehicles. Supported by rapid growth in the domestic market, Chinese companies are increasingly exporting both products and operational models overseas. Alongside CATL, Chinese truck and commercial vehicle manufacturers including BYD, Geely, SANY, Sinotruk, Windrose and SuperPanther are also accelerating their expansion into European markets.
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