U Power Limited announced that its Hong Kong taxi battery-swapping project is on track to begin operations in the second quarter of 2026. The update follows the company’s completion of initial production on an order for 1,000 battery-swapping heavy-duty trucks in Thailand. Together, the milestones signal a broader commercial rollout of U Power’s battery-swapping business across Asia.
Highlights
- U Power completed production of the first batch of battery-swapping heavy-duty trucks for deployment in Thailand as part of a 1,000-unit order.
- The company’s Hong Kong taxi battery-swapping project is expected to complete station deployment and launch operations in Q2 2026.
- U Power built Hong Kong’s first commercially operational demonstration battery-swapping station in June 2025.
- The company says it is the first to achieve scaled commercial battery-swapping operations for commercial vehicles in overseas markets outside mainland China.
Thailand Heavy-Truck Progress
U Power began promoting its UOTTA battery-swapping model for commercial vehicles in 2020. The company achieved initial validation in mainland China before listing on the Nasdaq in 2023 as what it described as the world’s first publicly traded battery-swapping technology company.
Since then, the company has expanded internationally through partnerships with Thailand-based SUSCO Public Company Limited and Whale Logistics Group. In 2025, U Power launched a taxi battery-swapping business in Phuket, Thailand, and introduced its UNEX heavy-duty truck battery-swapping project to the Thai market.
Hong Kong Taxi Battery-Swapping Deployment
U Power began developing its Hong Kong strategy in 2024. After identifying a vehicle model suited to the market in October 2024, the company conducted road testing and battery-swapping compatibility validation. It also completed certifications required by Hong Kong’s Transport Department for taxi market access.
According to the company, this batch of battery-swapping taxis has now met the conditions for on-road operation. Station construction is underway in parallel, with a market launch targeted for Q2 2026.
CEO Cites Commercial Vehicle Focus
Li Jia, Founder and CEO of U Power, said the company has established a strong position in battery-swapping commercialization for commercial vehicles in overseas markets.
“Leveraging our AI-driven energy management system and standardized battery-swapping infrastructure, we are building an ecosystem for a wide range of commercial battery-swapping vehicles and advancing the electrification of commercial transportation,” Li said.
Li added that Hong Kong’s high-density urban transportation market places a strong premium on taxi operating efficiency. The battery-swapping model eliminates the need for land-intensive charging facilities and costly grid upgrades, according to the company. For taxi operators, the approach also removes concerns around battery degradation, daily battery maintenance, and range limitations. Additionally, U Power said the model can integrate with a battery banking system to lower day-to-day operating costs.
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