Securing its first commercial orders in the North American market, Janus Electric Holdings Ltd (ASX:JNS) has taken a significant step in its international expansion strategy. The company will supply two battery-swapping Class 8 prime movers and a Janus Charge and Change Station to Ability Trimodal Transportation Services in Southern California.
Valued at about US$1.25 million, the project marks Janus’ entry into the US drayage sector, with Electric Vehicle Choice (EVC) responsible for the truck conversions and Promise Energy to deliver the supporting infrastructure at Ability Trimodal’s Carson facility.
Pilot operations will serve the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, generating emissions and operational data to test the scalability of Janus’ Charge Station-as-a-Service and Battery-as-a-Service models.
Details of Project Battery Swap
Project Battery Swap involves converting two of Ability Trimodal’s Class 8 prime movers using the Janus Conversion Module (JCM). The supporting Charge and Change Station, powered in part by rooftop solar, will enable rapid battery swaps designed to minimise downtime. The project is expected to validate Janus’ retrofit and service ecosystem for U.S. fleets.
Pilot routes will be focused on drayage operations at the busy San Pedro Bay Ports, one of the largest freight hubs in the country. Data will be collected on energy throughput, uptime, cost per mile and emissions reductions, providing real-world metrics to support future deployment.
“This is a pivotal step for Janus in North America. By pairing battery swap with onsite solar at Ability Trimodal’s Carson facility, we’re addressing the two big barriers to zero-emission drayage—downtime and grid constraints—while delivering data that fleet operators require to commit and analyse scale,” Janus Electric founder and chief operating officer Lex Forsyth said.
Strategic significance for US operations
The pilot is intended to demonstrate the commercial viability of a replicable model in the US drayage market. It introduces potential revenue streams through Station-as-a-Service and Battery-as-a-Service, underpinned by per-swap and per-energy fees.
Ability Trimodal president Greg Owen emphasised the operational benefits.
“Battery swapping just makes sense for drayage—it fits our Class 8 duty cycles, refuels in about four minutes (faster than diesel), and uses far less depot space than rows of tethered chargers. It also allows us to couple the station with rooftop solar for clean, reliable energy. We’re excited to be the first fleet bringing Janus’ solution to the U.S. drayage and trucking market.”
The project is also supported by EVC co-founder Jeramy Ostrander, who described the Janus system as a “game-changer” after seeing its application in Australia.
Next steps and scale-up potential
The agreement’s next phase includes completion of software and ecosystem service agreements, preparation of a US-fit conversion contract, and the installation of the Carson Charge and Change Station. Vehicle conversions will be undertaken by EVC, with commissioning and pilot operations to follow.
During the pilot, operational data will be gathered on swap times, utilisation rates, total cost of ownership, and emissions abated. These insights will guide Ability Trimodal and Janus in assessing expansion opportunities.
The pilot is designed to scale from a single near-dock facility to a broader network spanning key terminals and inland nodes. Expansion planning will be informed by contracted demand and demonstrated cost efficiencies, with the longer-term aim of proving that zero-emission Class 8 trucks can outperform diesel alternatives in both speed and efficiency