Why battery replacement is redefining the economic efficiency of regular e-truck services

An investment asset costing several hundred thousand euros should do one thing above all else: work. However, in long-distance transport, a large portion of the truck fleet is idle for up to 14 hours a day – legally required and economically questionable. While machinery and equipment are used to maximum capacity in almost every industry, downtime is a factor in trucks.

Technological advances in battery swapping systems now offer the opportunity to solve this fundamental problem – especially in scheduled scheduled services . A new way of operating vehicles is emerging: efficient, modular, and scalable.

Profitability begins with capacity utilization

The key metric in the logistics business remains vehicle availability . A truck only earns money when it's on the move. Rigid rest periods, long charging breaks for battery-electric vehicles, and high investment costs per unit result in massive idle costs – for both the fleet and the infrastructure.

Battery swap solutions decouple energy requirements from driving operations:

The energy is charged while the vehicle continues to drive .

Downtime for charging is eliminated – vehicles can be used almost around the clock .

Driver shifts are scheduled at transfer points , not tied to the vehicle.

Challenge: Grid connection instead of vehicle

With the market ramp-up of battery-electric trucks, a bottleneck is emerging that is already noticeable today: the grid connection capacity at logistics locations.
The Megawatt Charging System (MCS) may be technically impressive – but it requires gigantic load peaks and corresponding infrastructure, which can only be built with a great deal of time and money.

The alternative: changing the battery.

Charging times are shifted to load-appropriate charging windows

Batteries are charged stationary , grid-friendly and controllable

Investments are concentrated on a few exchange stations – not on every depot

Charging of the batteries can be done in “wellness mode” with a slow charging power, which promotes the durability of the batteries

Greiwing Truck & Trailer with first two battery swap trucks in Europe

As part of the federally funded eHaul research project ( www.ehaul.eu )*, in which the Technical University of Berlin is the consortium leader, Greiwing Truck & Trailer already has two semi-trailer tractors with swappable batteries in real-life operation. The goal of the project is to evaluate the entire value stream of battery swapping logic – from energy infrastructure and vehicle technology to process integration.

The project is being supported by a consortium that includes logistics experts, vehicle manufacturers, and the Fraunhofer Institute . Greiwing Truck & Trailer is supplying the two converted vehicles.

* The domain www.ehaul.de refers to the spin-off of Jens Jerrasch, the project manager of the eHaul project.

Strategy paper: Think economically about battery replacement

Together with leading logistics service providers and the Fraunhofer Institute , Greiwing Truck & Trailer has initiated a strategic white paper that demonstrates how battery swapping concepts can be implemented economically in Germany and Europe. The focus is on:

Scalability and standardization

Interface compatibility across OEM boundaries

Logistical integration into existing scheduled services

Cost comparison with fast charging and diesel operation
Experience from other markets

While Europe is still discussing concepts, China has already reached the third generation of battery swap stations . Manufacturers such as Geely, NIO, and CATL operate functioning networks along logistics axes – with robot-assisted battery swapping , standardized batteries, and centrally controlled load management.

European industry must be careful not to be left behind.
However, many European OEMs continue to view the battery as a strategic differentiator – which, however, runs counter to an open, system-compatible battery swap model . Logistics, however, doesn't think in terms of unique selling points, but rather in terms of availability and cost per kilometer.

Conclusion: Whoever drives, earns – whoever stands still, loses

Battery swapping isn't just a technical solution—it's an economic key to effectively integrating electric trucks into large fleets and scheduled services. The advantages are obvious:
– Higher vehicle utilization
– Lower charging infrastructure costs
– More planning security and driver satisfaction
– Grid-friendly load management
– Fast market ramp-up without bottlenecks

Greiwing Truck & Trailer is committed to ensuring that this innovation does not fail due to old ways of thinking – but rather gets on the road.