U Power to deploy battery-swapping electric trucks in Thailand

As part of the partnership, U Power expects to sign sales agreements covering up to 1,000 battery-swapping electric truck tractors. An initial batch of 30 vehicles is scheduled for delivery in April 2026, which will mark the start of commercial operations in Thailand. The companies state that the project is intended to lay the foundation for the wider adoption of battery-swapping electric trucks across the country.According to U Power, the collaboration is designed to accelerate the transition of Thailand’s logistics sector towards cleaner transport by deploying battery-swapping electric vehicles in commercial use. The company said its battery-swapping solution is intended to support lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved energy efficiency and optimised operating costs for logistics operators.“We are excited to be partnering with Whale Logistics, one of Thailand’s leading logistics providers, to accelerate its transformation toward a green, sustainable, and smart transportation operation,” said Johnny Lee, Chief Executive Officer of U Power. “We are committed to building a comprehensive battery-swapping electric vehicle ecosystem for commercial transportation, and this partnership marks a significant step forward to expanding our existence in the ASEAN market.”Whale Logistics Group is one of Thailand’s leading integrated logistics service providers, with operations spanning warehousing, yard management and end-to-end logistics services. The group operates across strategic locations, including Laem Chabang and the Eastern Economic Corridor, and serves both domestic and international customers. Through the partnership, Whale Logistics plans to integrate battery-swapping electric truck tractors into its daily operations as part of its Green Logistics strategy.The agreement was signed by U Power’s wholly owned subsidiary U Swap Company Limited and Whale Logistics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and marks the start of U Power’s commercial rollout in the Thai market. U Power said the partnership is intended to serve as a replicable commercial model for battery-swapping electric trucks in Southeast Asia, supporting the broader adoption of its battery-swapping technology in other regional markets.“We are pleased to establish a strategic partnership with U Power, a company that shares our commitment in environmental responsibility as we continue to grow our business,” Teerachit Sornjang, Chief Executive Officer of Whale Logistics Group, added. “We look forward to integrating battery-swapping electric truck tractors into our daily operations to advance our Green Logistics strategy, reduce environmental impact, improve operational efficiency, and support the long-term, sustainable growth of our logistics business.”This is not U Power’s first commitment in Thailand. In August 2025, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with SAIC Hongyan and Dutch EV firm UNEX EV to deploy 4,200 battery-swapping compatible electric heavy trucks in the country. Also in partnership with Unex, U Power opened Southeast Asia’s first smart battery swapping station in Phuket last summer. The process takes only three minutes and requires no manual input. The new battery swapping station, fitted with UOTTA fully automated battery swapping technology, supports multiple EVs, and the company has configured it to comply with futuristic models featuring Level 4 autonomous driving capability as well.prnewswire.com