U Power Limited has completed production of its first batch of 30 battery-swapping electric heavy-duty trucks for deployment in Thailand, marking a significant step toward the commercialization of electric freight solutions in the region.
The company announced that the trucks will be shipped in late May 2026 as part of a pilot program aimed at evaluating performance, efficiency, and integration within logistics networks. The initiative is a precursor to a larger plan to deploy up to 1,000 such vehicles in Thailand over the next three years in partnership with Whale Logistics (Thailand) Co., Ltd..
The vehicles, manufactured by SAIC Hongyan Automotive Co., Ltd. under the UNEX EV brand, incorporate U Power’s proprietary battery-swapping technology and intelligent energy management systems. The integration enables trucks to replace depleted batteries within minutes, addressing one of the key challenges of electric vehicle adoption—charging downtime.
According to the company, the trucks have successfully undergone operational testing and full-system integration earlier this month, validating their safety, performance, and compatibility with its battery-swapping ecosystem.
U Power’s collaboration with Whale Logistics aims to build one of Southeast Asia’s largest electrified logistics fleets powered by battery-swapping technology. The model is expected to improve vehicle utilization, reduce operating costs, and lower carbon emissions across freight operations.
Johnny Lee, CEO of U Power, said the milestone reflects the company’s strategy to electrify commercial transportation through intelligent energy solutions. He added that the Thailand pilot will generate critical operational data to refine the technology and support expansion into other global markets.
Beyond Thailand, the company plans to replicate this model across Southeast Asia and other regions, leveraging insights from the pilot to scale its battery-swapping infrastructure and commercial EV platforms worldwide.
The development underscores growing momentum in battery-swapping solutions, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles, where efficiency and uptime are critical for fleet operators.
