Kaufland Romania and e-Mobility Rentals: battery swap stations in 5 cities in the country

Kaufland Romania announces the installation of new battery swap stations for electric cars, within the partnership with e-Mobility Rentals, a Romanian start-up dedicated to mobility. The new Battery Swap stations will be located by the end of 2024 in the parking lots of ten Kaufland stores in Constanta, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Brașov and Timișoara.

The collaboration between Kaufland and e-Mobility began in September 2023, initially taking place exclusively in Bucharest, and is currently in full expansion. Through this partnership, the retailer uses compact electric vehicles provided by e-Mobility Rentals for the “Kaufland Delivers” service. The vehicles are equipped with exchangeable batteries, which can be quickly replaced at Battery Swap stations located in Kaufland parking lots, thus ensuring continuity of deliveries.

The central goal of the e-Mobility project is to deliver orders over short and medium distances, given the limited range of electric cars and the perishability of some foods. The main innovation brought by this service is in the way of feeding. Thus, due to the small size of the cars, when the battery discharges, it is directly replaced by a charged one. Spare batteries are stored in specially arranged spaces within the Kaufland car parks.

“After launching the first national network of charging stations for electric cars in 2016, Kaufland Romania continues the series of partnerships for more sustainability. By hosting Battery Swap stations in our car parks, we aim to contribute to reducing the impact on the environment, and since the start of the collaboration, in 2023, we estimate an amount of 353 tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided. We are happy to be able to support e-Mobility Rentals in the expansion of the innovative ecosystem based on the rapid change of batteries including in the country and to facilitate new deliveries using ecological transport for our customers,” said Valer Hancaș, Director of Communication and Corporate Affairs Kaufland Romania.

The development of the network of Battery Swap stations, which currently includes six cities in Romania, marks an important step in increasing the operating capacity of the electric mobility system dedicated to companies, throughout the country. Among the main benefits of the project are efficient, safe and environmentally friendly delivery, which contributes to reducing pollution and improving air quality in other cities besides Bucharest.

“With Kaufland’s support, we can offer an innovative and green option for local or regional communities and businesses. The e-Mobility Rentals solution has already proven its ability to support the environmental goals assumed by companies’ ESG policies, reducing the footprint of harmful carbon dioxide emissions. With a strong partner like Kaufland, non-polluting transport becomes much more accessible on a large scale, and thus we can expand this sustainable ecosystem in Romania”, said Alexandru Slavu, COO e-Mobility Rentals.

Currently, e-Mobility Rentals has 12 Battery Swap stations in Bucharest and Constanța, an infrastructure that serves the company’s entire fleet of electric vehicles. Users also have at their disposal a mobile application called e-Mobility Rentals. It is available for iOS and Android systems and allows locating the nearest station, fleet monitoring and efficient battery exchange management.

This service is mainly used by food delivery companies and hypermarket chains, with more than half of the e-Mobility fleet being leased to players in these sectors. According to the representatives of the start-up, the plans also include expansion to companies in the area of ​​ride sharing, commerce or car fleets. In addition, collaborations with municipalities, local administrations or utility companies are also targeted, which could benefit from the e-Mobility Rentals solution.