Ample, a U.S.-based company specializing in battery swapping technology, has launched its first European deployment by installing modular battery swap stations in Madrid. The first operational stations are now live, with additional installations planned throughout the city center as part of an ongoing rollout.

Designed for fast urban integration, Ample’s battery swap stations can be deployed in just three days. The goal is to address key challenges to electric vehicle adoption in cities—such as long charging times, range anxiety, and the limited availability of space for traditional charging infrastructure.

The system provides a complete vehicle recharge in approximately five minutes by automatically replacing depleted battery packs with fully charged ones. The modular, vehicle-agnostic technology does not require any driver involvement and is especially suited for high-use fleet operations in densely populated areas.

Madrid’s deployment is supported by the Spanish government, which views battery swapping as a critical element in achieving its national target of 5.5 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. The initiative is also aligned with efforts to reduce emissions in urban centers by 65%. With the highest number of EV registrations in Spain, Madrid is rapidly expanding its electric mobility infrastructure to meet these ambitious goals.

Ample’s key partner in this launch is automotive group Stellantis. Its car-sharing platform, Free2Move, is introducing a fleet of Fiat 500e vehicles in Madrid that are specially adapted for battery swapping. The initial deployment includes 40 vehicles, with plans to scale up to 100 by mid-2025. These vehicles will rely on Ample’s stations to ensure maximum uptime and availability.

The Madrid project builds on Ample’s recent expansion into Asia. Earlier in 2024, the company began deploying its swapping stations in Tokyo in partnership with Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. That collaboration focuses on logistics and commercial use, and has included pilot tests with modified Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter light-duty trucks in Kyoto.

Ample’s latest swapping station design, unveiled in 2023, supports a drive-through configuration that allows vehicles to enter from one side and exit from the other. This layout improves efficiency for commercial fleets compared to other systems like Nio’s, which require vehicles to reverse into the station.

With its entry into Madrid, Ample is taking a major step toward building a scalable, fast, and flexible EV charging ecosystem designed to meet the demands of modern urban mobility.

By Impact Lab