Gachaco, the electric vehicle battery swapping service founded by automakers Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, and power firm Eneos in the Japanese market in March 2022, has just announced in a press release the launch of the program for individual riders in Tokyo on December 25.
Gachaco’s battery-sharing service
Gachaco’s Japanese founders focused on conducting trial runs and establishing battery-swapping systems solely for business clients in the months since its launch in March last year.
Finally, Gachaco announced the opening of its battery-sharing service for Tokyo-based individual riders on Monday. Interested customers do not need to wait for a long time as the plan will officially launch on January 9, 2024, as per Ride Apart.
Gachaco swappable batteries are currently only compatible with certain Honda electric two- and three-wheelers, including the Benly e:, Gyro e:, Gyro Canopy e:, and the EM1 e:. However, the EM1 e: is the sole model available for individual customers.
In a significant development, these swappable batteries can also support multiple models from various automakers in the future as part of the Japanese giant’s cooperative effort.
Battery as a service strategy benefits
Gachaco’s strategy to offer battery as a service enables it to cut its expensive cost from the overall purchase price. For context, the EM1 e:’s manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) declines to only 97,200 yen, already including tax and local Tokyo government subsidies.
Gachaco’s battery subscription service will offer a range of options to meet varying customer preferences and usage patterns.
The light subscription plan only costs 1,078 yen (about $8) per month, while the standard subscription plan is available for 2,805 yen (about $20) per month. Notably, all these costs already include tax.
Gachaco also offers pay-as-you-go and pay-per-use services for only sub-$ 200 yen per kilowatt hour ( under $1.50/kWh).
Potential expansion
Gachaco has not yet announced any plans about the possibility of expanding the battery-sharing service in the global market as of today.
However, it must be noted that Honda has already launched the EM1 e: in various countries beyond its home market, including Europe and Indonesia. The company has further plans to introduce the battery swap-capable model to other markets in the future.
Such an expansion strategy may not come as a surprise, considering the increasing popularity of swappable battery scooter companies like Gogoro and Kymco Ionex across the world. This latest announcement indeed marks a significant development from Gachaco’s initial focus on business clients to include individual riders.
