Multiple automakers and motorcycle makers in Japan have formed a new company called Gachaco to provide a sharing service for standardised swappable batteries for electric motorcycles.
The companies behind the venture are Eneos Holdings, Honda Motor, Kawasaki Motors, Suzuki Motor and Yamaha Motor.
Eneos will build a BaaS (Battery as a Service) platform both for electric mobility and other battery recycling systems.
Honda, Kawasaki Motors, Suzuki and Yamaha Motor have agreed to a common specification for a swappable electric motorcycle battery and are studying the establishment of sharing systems to encourage the use of electric motorcycles as mobility that is “environmentally friendly and highly convenient”.
“We believe that the five companies, which share the common goal of popularizing electric mobility, can further contribute to the realization of a recycling-oriented society by working together to provide sharing service of standardized swappable batteries for electric motorcycle,” a statement said.
Gachaco expects to launch the sharing service using Honda’s Mobile Power Pack e:, which meets the common standards for electric motorcycles, by autumn 2022, starting in Tokyo and other major cities in Japan.
Battery exchange stations will be located at convenient places such as railway stations and at Eneos service stations.
Gachaco will also promote the use of standardised swappable batteries for other applications, such as storage batteries installed at commercial facilities and private homes. End of life batteries from the Gachaco sharing service will be collected for secondary and tertiary use and, finally, recycling.