Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to Establish Electric Vehicle Battery Swap Standards for Commercial Vehicles

From scattered support to systematic planning, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is set to advance the development of a battery swapping standard system for commercial vehicles. On April 28, 2025, MIIT published the “Key Points for Automotive Standardization Work in 2025,” emphasizing the continuous optimization of the new energy vehicle (NEV) standard system and the proactive layout of standards research in cutting-edge fields. The document analyzes and evaluates the trends and potential applications of emerging technologies, promoting the establishment and release of standards for electric vehicle battery swapping systems.

According to statistics from Electric Vehicle Observation, the term “battery swapping” appears six times in the document, explicitly calling for the promotion of safety standards for battery swapping in commercial vehicles. It aims to accelerate the development of standards related to charging performance, chassis battery swapping, and compatibility testing. Due to key factors like battery energy density, the attributes of transportation tools, and high acquisition costs, battery swapping technology has certain market and technical advantages in specific scenarios, particularly for heavy-duty trucks.

The frequent references to commercial vehicle battery swapping in MIIT’s standardization points signal a significant shift. The rapid development of commercial vehicle battery swapping in China relies on dual drives from policies and standards. Beginning with local pilot programs and evolving to top-level design at the national level, the policies and regulations governing battery swapping have transitioned from scattered support to systematic planning. Since 2015, multiple cities have provided experimental environments for battery swapping technology through subsidies and demonstration projects. The 2020 “New Energy Vehicle Industry Development Plan (2021-2035)” was the first to explicitly support battery swapping models, leading to a gradual improvement in the policy framework.

With the implementation of battery-swapped heavy-duty trucks in intercity logistics, ports, and mining areas, government authorities have begun focusing on the standardized development of this model. In 2022, the national standard project for “Safety Requirements for Electric Commercial Vehicle Battery Swapping” was initiated, marking the first regulation of battery swapping technology from a safety perspective. The core goal of these policies is to address two major bottlenecks in the electrification of commercial vehicles: high acquisition costs and low refueling efficiency. For instance, the “battery bank” model can reduce user purchase costs by 30% by decoupling battery assets. In areas like Tangshan’s Caofeidian Port, battery-swapped heavy-duty trucks have completely replaced diesel vehicles, with a return on investment period shortened by 40% compared to charging models.

However, the implementation of these policies still faces contradictions. On one hand, local subsidies (such as Chongqing’s subsidy of 400 yuan per kW for battery swapping stations) have stimulated regional market growth. On the other hand, national standards are not yet fully unified, with cross-brand battery swapping compatibility only increasing from 30% to 80%, limiting large-scale replication. Currently, MIIT has clearly proposed the promotion and implementation of safety standards for battery swapping in commercial vehicles within the “Key Points for Automotive Standardization Work,” aiming to accelerate the establishment of standards related to chassis battery swapping and compatibility testing. This initiative will not only clarify the technological and safety baseline for the industry but also provide a technical reference for local governments and enterprises in building battery swapping networks.

Debates around battery swapping technology versus charging are primarily focused on economic viability and scenario adaptability. There is a range of opinions within the industry regarding the advantages of battery swapping compared to fixed fast charging. Proponents argue that battery swapping reduces the vehicle acquisition threshold by decoupling battery assets from the vehicle and optimizes lifecycle management through a “battery-as-a-service” model. In high-frequency operational scenarios, when battery swapping stations have sufficient utilization rates, their unit energy costs are expected to be lower than those of fast charging. Opponents, however, point out that battery swapping places higher demands on battery standardization and the layout of swapping stations. If the utilization rate of swapping stations fails to meet expectations or the standardization process is slow, cost advantages may not materialize, and the complexity of logistics and equipment safety risks increases operational uncertainty.

From the perspective of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), battery-swapped heavy-duty trucks show significant advantages in closed high-frequency scenarios such as mining areas and ports. According to a report from the State Power Investment Corporation, the operating costs of a single vehicle over five years can save 265,000 yuan with the battery swapping model compared to fuel vehicles, and reduce battery loss costs by 15% compared to charging models. While charging models relying on ultra-fast charging technology (such as 800V high-voltage platforms) can shorten refueling times, the construction costs of a single 480kW ultra-fast charging station can reach over one million yuan. Moreover, frequent ultra-fast charging can reduce battery cycle life from 1,200 times to 800 times, increasing long-term costs.

In terms of market choices, China has developed a unique approach where “commercial vehicle battery swapping leads, with passenger vehicles following.” In 2024, sales of battery-swapped heavy-duty trucks in China reached 29,000 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 95.4% and accounting for 35% of the new energy heavy-duty truck market, making it the largest application market for battery-swapped heavy-duty trucks globally.

The battery swapping ecosystem in China faces challenges such as high investment in battery swapping station construction, poor compatibility due to unstandardized interfaces and communication standards, and difficulties in realizing economies of scale. End users express a lack of confidence in the model due to limited coverage radius of swapping stations, insufficient matching of battery swapping frequency and profitability, and imbalances in cost and risk sharing arising from the separation of battery rental and usage rights. At the ecological level, the battery swapping model is hindered by a lack of regulatory rules for battery asset management and retired battery utilization, as well as ineffective profit distribution mechanisms among operators, vehicle manufacturers, and users, making it difficult to form a sustainable business loop.

While China’s commercial vehicle battery swapping standard system has initially taken shape, it still needs to overcome challenges in technical unification, regulatory collaboration, and international alignment. Current standards focus on safety baselines, such as the “Safety Requirements for Electric Commercial Vehicle Battery Swapping,” which regulate core indicators like battery pack interfaces and thermal management. However, cross-brand communication protocols and compatibility of battery swapping equipment still require further refinement. Additionally, the construction of swapping stations involves approvals from multiple departments for land use, power grid access, and environmental regulations. Some regions have simplified processes through “road rights prioritization + battery swapping station rewards,” but a national regulatory framework has yet to be established. Furthermore, as the wave of electric commercial vehicles expands internationally, Chinese battery swapping standards (such as the ChaoJi charging protocol) have gained international recognition, yet there are still data recognition obstacles regarding carbon footprint requirements set by the EU’s new battery law.

Consequently, the key points also emphasize the need to “fully participate in the formulation of international technical standards, accelerate the development of international standards for electric vehicle battery swapping, and continuously enhance the international status and influence of Chinese standards.” Looking ahead, future standards will evolve toward scenario-specific and intelligent designs. For instance, designing a 513kWh large-capacity battery pack for the high-gradient working conditions in mining areas or enhancing the efficiency of battery swapping station scheduling by 30% through the “Qiji Cloud” platform. Regulatory frameworks may also introduce blockchain technology to trace the entire lifecycle data of batteries, in order to comply with the EU’s carbon footprint disclosure requirements.

Battery swapping standards will significantly impact the future of the industry. As a crucial technical route for advancing the electrification of heavy-duty trucks, battery swapping has already established large-scale application demonstrations in China and has entered a new phase of standardization construction. Facing challenges such as infrastructure investment, standard compatibility, and innovation in operational models, the industry urgently needs to enhance battery swapping interfaces and communication protocols, optimize safety and testing standards across the board, and build a data-driven regulatory platform to achieve an organic integration of technology and operations. In the context of parallel drives of standardization and marketization in battery swapping for commercial vehicles, complete vehicle manufacturers must accelerate R&D in integrated design for chassis battery swapping, high-voltage quick swap technology, and Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) business models to lower vehicle procurement thresholds and enhance product competitiveness. Component suppliers should focus on the standardization and modularization of core components such as battery swapping robots, liquid cooling modules, and intelligent battery packs, providing compatible solutions across multiple platforms. However, as details regarding policy on infrastructure investment and power grid access approvals are yet to be fully clarified, the biggest challenge for enterprises lies in balancing initial investments with long-term returns while distilling viable business models in a complex operational and regulatory environment.