Hong Kong’s first station leads East Asia; Portugal and Peru mark U Power’s entry into Europe and South America

PHUKET, THAILAND - EQS Newswire - 21 July 2025 - U Power Limited (Nasdaq: UCAR) and UNEX EV B.V. (hereinafter "UNEX EV") today co-hosted the grand inauguration ceremony of Southeast Asia's first smart battery swapping station for new energy vehicles, held in Phuket, Thailand. This station marks not only the first project launched by the joint venture between U Power and Thai energy conglomerate Susco, but also the first fully operational 24/7 smart battery swapping station in the entire Southeast Asia region. Notably, it is also the first such station globally—outside mainland China—designed specifically for electric taxis and ride-hailing fleets, signaling the scalability and global potential of this forward-looking battery swapping ecosystem for tens of millions of taxis and ride-hailing vehicles worldwide. The ceremony welcomed local government officials, executives from CP Group, SAIC-CP MG, Susco, and guests from Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Pitak Pruittisarikorn, Global CEO of UNEX EV, delivered a keynote speech on behalf of both organizers, themed "Smart Swap: Powering Southeast Asia's EV Future". He noted: "This first smart swapping station in Southeast Asia is powered by U Power's proprietary UOTTA™ technology, integrating AI-based positioning and modular hardware to enable fully automated battery swaps in just minutes—bringing the vision of autonomous, intelligent mobility into reality." Intelligent Infrastructure to Power the Robotaxi EraU Power's Smart Swapping Solution Fills the Critical Gap in Autonomous EV Energy Replenishment The new smart swapping station in Phuket features U Power's self-developed UOTTA™ battery swapping system, equipped with AI-assisted alignment, high-frequency operation capability, and standardized battery interfaces. The entire process takes only a few minutes and is fully unmanned, enabling seamless, efficient operations. The system supports multiple EV models and is pre-configured for future L4 autonomous driving vehicles, translating the concept of "unattended, automated battery replenishment" into an operational reality—meeting the ultra-fast energy needs of tomorrow's intelligent transportation networks. This technology path aligns with global transportation transformation trends. From North America to Asia and the Middle East, leading countries and cities are accelerating the commercialization of autonomous ride-hailing (Robotaxi) services. In the U.S., cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin have launched paid Robotaxi operations, with expansion underway in New York, Atlanta, and beyond. Chinese AV companies have also scaled operations to tens of millions of service orders. Cities like Dubai plan to automate 25% of public transport by 2030. However, in high-frequency and time-sensitive mobility scenarios, traditional charging methods fall short of meeting the strict efficiency and uptime demands of Robotaxi fleets. In contrast, battery swapping—due to its speed, safety, and ability to operate autonomously—has emerged as the preferred energy solution. Thus, the main bottleneck to Robotaxi scale-up is no longer "driverless driving" but "driverless energy replenishment." U Power is solving this critical challenge. By deploying its smart swapping station in Phuket, U Power provides current fleet operators with a safe, efficient, and cost-effective energy solution. Under its strategic framework—"Vehicle-Station-Cloud-Token"—U Power is building a nodal, intelligent, data-driven energy infrastructure network. This system enables deep integration between mobility energy and digital energy trading, paving the way for autonomous vehicles to scale and ushering in a fully automated and unmanned future for global smart mobility. Market Validation in Thailand: A Closed-Loop Ecosystem for Swappable TaxisHigh Praise from Industry and Local Operators In April 2025, U Power, together with UNEX EV and SAIC-CP MG, delivered its first batch of swappable EVs, which have since been operating as taxis and ride-hailing vehicles in Phuket. This marks the first real-world deployment of an intelligent battery swapping ecosystem in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The official launch of the Phuket station completes the ecosystem loop—from vehicle to swapping station to operational platform—and lays the foundation for a scalable, replicable business model. Among the first adopters is AUTO Drive, one of Thailand's largest taxi and ride-hailing operators. CEO Mr. Akaranan shared at the ceremony: "The UOTTA™-enabled swappable EV fleet we deployed in Phuket has significantly improved operational efficiency. Battery swaps take just minutes, relieving power grid pressure during peak times and saving valuable time for both drivers and vehicles. This project serves as...