This Yamaha-backed plan hopes to eliminate electric bicycle charging forever

Range anxiety on e-bikes (for those who even worry about that) might soon be a thing of the past. ENYRING, a Yamaha Motor-backed startup offering swappable battery subscriptions for electric bicycles, has announced a new partnership with Swobbee, the leading battery-swapping infrastructure provider in Europe. And now they’re set to soon bring their services to Amsterdam and Berlin.

Instead of ever needing to charge their own battery again, e-bike riders could swap it out for ready-to-ride batteries at swap stations.

The recently revealed partnership will see Swobbee supply both hardware and backend software for ENYRING’s upcoming battery-swapping platform, set to launch later this year. With the goal of making e-bike ownership more seamless and sustainable, the system will allow riders to exchange depleted batteries for fully charged ones at a network of smart swap stations.

“Swobbee’s modular swapping stations and reliable backend software provide the perfect foundation for delivering on our promise of unlimited range and low entry costs for e-bike riders,” said Satoru Moriyama, CEO of ENYRING. “This partnership allows us to hit the ground running in our target cities while ensuring a smooth and scalable user experience.”

ENYRING was founded by Yamaha in 2023 with a mission to eliminate range anxiety and lower the barrier to e-bike ownership. The company’s subscription-based model focuses not only on rider convenience but also on maximizing battery lifespan and promoting reuse, a key part of its sustainability strategy.

Swobbee, based in Berlin, has already deployed over 100 battery-swapping stations across Europe and recently began expanding into the U.S. following a successful pilot program with the City of New York. The company is backed by cleantech investor InnoEnergy and has prior experience working with Yamaha, powering a shared e-moped service in Berlin using Yamaha’s NEO electric scooters.

“We are proud to deepen our relationship with Yamaha through this exciting new venture with ENYRING,” said Thomas Duscha, CEO and Co-Founder of Swobbee. “Together, we’re not only building smarter cities but also setting new standards for sustainability and convenience in micromobility.”

Both companies emphasize a closed-loop, eco-friendly approach to battery usage, minimizing waste while providing practical, scalable solutions for urban riders. With initial rollouts planned in Berlin and Amsterdam, two of Europe’s most micromobility-friendly cities, the collaboration could pave the way for broader adoption of battery-swapping networks across the continent.

If successful, this pilot could mark the beginning of a new chapter in how e-bikes are powered, one where charging is optional, and range is no longer a limitation.

Battery swapping, while less effective for larger electric vehicles like cars and trucks, is quick and convenient for smaller vehicles like electric bicycles and scooters.

Companies like Gogoro have demonstrated the efficacy of the technology at large scale, with Gogoro boasting hundreds of millions of battery swaps across its wide network of swap stations and electric scooters.

Swobbee leads electric battery swapping operations for two-wheelers in Europe, while other companies like Vammo in South America and Spiro in Africa have demonstrated that the technology can be effective in markets all over the world.

For electric bicycles, ENYRING’s battery-swapping model is especially compelling. Instead of waiting hours for a charge, riders can be back on the road in seconds, making the technology ideal for delivery fleets, shared mobility services, and even daily commuters. As infrastructure expands and interoperability improves, battery swapping could become a an important segment of the broader urban micromobility ecosystem, offering a faster, cleaner, and more user-friendly alternative to traditional charging for specific niches of users.