Janus Electric Ignites U.S. Market with $1.25M Battery Swap Pilot in California

Janus Electric’s U.S. Breakthrough

Janus Electric Holdings Limited, an Australian leader in heavy vehicle electrification, has taken a significant leap into the North American market with a new pilot project in Southern California. The company announced a multi-million dollar collaboration with Ability Trimodal, a well-established logistics provider, to deploy two battery-swapping Class 8 trucks and install a solar-powered Charge & Change Station at Ability’s Carson facility.

This initiative, dubbed Project BATTERY SWAP, represents Janus’ first commercial foray into the U.S. drayage sector; a critical segment responsible for freight movement around major ports. The project’s value of approximately US$1.25 million underscores the scale and ambition behind this pilot, which aims to demonstrate the viability of Janus’ innovative battery swap technology combined with renewable energy integration.

Addressing Key Industry Challenges

Drayage operations have long faced two major hurdles in electrification – vehicle downtime due to charging and the strain on local electrical grids. Janus’ solution tackles both by enabling rapid battery swaps; completed in about four minutes, faster than refueling diesel trucks; and by powering the swap station with onsite solar energy. This approach promises not only to reduce emissions but also to improve operational efficiency and energy independence.

Electric Vehicle Choice (EVC), Janus’ authorized dealer in Southern California, will retrofit the two Class 8 trucks using Janus’ patented Conversion Module. Meanwhile, Promise Energy will oversee the installation of the Charge & Change Station integrated with solar panels, ensuring a clean and reliable energy supply. The pilot routes will serve the busy San Pedro Bay Ports complex, including the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, providing real-world data on performance, costs, and emissions.

Strategic Implications and Future Potential

Beyond the immediate operational benefits, Project BATTERY SWAP is designed to validate a scalable commercial model for the U.S. market. Janus plans to leverage Station-as-a-Service and Battery-as-a-Service revenue streams, offering fleet operators flexible subscription and per-use options. The pilot’s success could pave the way for expanding this network of swap stations across other high-throughput terminals and inland logistics hubs.

Janus’ leadership highlights the project’s potential to redefine freight transport by breaking through the barriers of downtime and grid dependency. The integration of rapid battery swapping with solar power could set a new standard for zero-emission heavy transport, offering a cleaner, faster, and more resilient alternative to diesel fleets.

As the pilot progresses, Janus and its partners will collect detailed operational data to refine the technology and business model. This evidence will be critical for convincing other fleet operators to adopt battery swapping at scale, potentially accelerating the electrification of heavy transport across the U.S.