U Power readies battery-swapping trucks for Thailand and targets Q2 Hong Kong taxi launch

U Power Limited has completed production of the first batch of vehicles from a 1,000-unit battery-swapping heavy-duty truck order in Thailand, while its Hong Kong taxi battery-swapping project is targeting commercial launch in Q2 2026 following completion of vehicle certification requirements.

The Thailand program, branded UNEX, runs through partnerships with SUSCO (Susco Public Company Limited) and Whale Logistics Group. U Power says it is the first company to achieve scaled commercial operations of battery swapping for commercial transport vehicles in overseas markets outside mainland China. The company already operates a taxi battery-swapping service in Phuket, launched in 2025 through the same Thailand partnerships.

The Hong Kong project has been in development since 2024. U Power completed the city’s first commercially capable demonstration battery-swapping station in June 2025 and has since been running road testing and swapping compatibility validation on a vehicle model identified in October 2024. The company says it has now cleared all required certifications under Transport Department requirements and the vehicles are ready for on-road operation. Station construction is proceeding in parallel, with a Q2 2026 target for commercial launch.

U Power’s case for Hong Kong is largely economic: operators avoid installing charging infrastructure or upgrading grid connections, fleet managers aren’t exposed to battery degradation risk, and integration with a battery banking system keeps day-to-day operating costs competitive—arguments well-suited to the city’s high-density, efficiency-focused taxi sector.

“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,” said Li Jia, Founder and CEO of U Power Limited.

U Power describes itself as the world’s first publicly listed battery-swapping technology company, having listed in 2023. Its commercial vehicle battery-swapping model, branded UOTTA, dates to 2020.

Source: U Power Limited

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Rimac Technology to build BMW i7 battery system in Zagreb, marking first Gen6 cylindrical cell deployment

Rimac Technology will manufacture the battery system for the new BMW i7, with the car set to make its world premiere at Auto China 2026 in Beijing on April 22. It’s the first BMW Group BEV to feature Gen6 4695-format cylindrical cells—combined with Gen5 module-based technology in a scalable architecture—and the first production vehicle to emerge from the two companies’ technology partnership, established in 2023.

The 4695 format (46 mm diameter, 95 mm height) is BMW’s latest cylindrical cell, developed as part of the Neue Klasse architecture. The jointly developed system integrates those cells into a Gen5 module structure, delivering what the companies describe as significant improvements in energy, range and charging performance.

Production is entirely at the Rimac Campus near Zagreb. Rimac built two full production lines and an end-to-end supply chain for the program in just a few years—one of the largest industrial construction projects of its kind in Europe. The facility spans 90,000 m², and the area dedicated to this BMW program is 15,000 m². Seventy percent of the campus’s total capacity is committed to battery system production across multiple OEM programs.

“Together, we developed a high-voltage battery system that unlocks the full potential of the new cylindrical cells in record time, delivering significant improvements in energy, range, and charging performance,” said Mate Rimac, Founder and President of the Rimac Group.

Thomas Engelhardt, Senior Vice President Development High-Voltage Battery and Charging at BMW Group, said the company is “rapidly rolling out the technologies of the Neue Klasse across our entire model portfolio—naturally including our fully electric luxury sedan.”

Source: Rimac Technology

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Chinese automaker BYD plans to open 20 Canadian EV dealerships within a year

Following the rupture between the US and Canadian arms of the North American auto industry, Canada reversed years of industrial policy and slashed tariffs in order to allow a limited number of Chinese EVs into its market. Chinese automakers are losing no time in taking advantage of the opportunity.

Chinese EV giant BYD has announced plans to open 20 branded dealerships in Canada within a year. The Globe and Mail reports that BYD has hired Dealer Solutions Mergers & Acquisitions, an Ontario-based automotive retail consultancy, to find dealership locations across the country. “They’ve asked us to help them find as many of the 20 that they possibly can, but they’re out there doing that themselves as well,” said CEO Farid Ahmad.

The Globe reports that three locations in the Greater Toronto Area are already under discussion, and that BYD’s future plans include forays into Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary.

Other dragons are circling. Carscoops reports that Chery Automobile is also working to build an independent dealership network in Canada.

The trade deal Canada made with China in January cut the tariff on Chinese-built EVs from 100% to 6.1%, but also imposed a cap of 49,000 Chinese-made EVs in the first year, and prioritizes EVs with prices under $35,000—such as BYD’s Atto 3 compact SUV or Dolphin hatchback.

Electrek’s Fred Lambert calls the news “one of the most consequential developments for the Canadian auto market in years,” and adds that “this isn’t a tentative toe-dip, it’s a full-scale market entry.”

The big question is: How long will Canada stick to the 49,000-unit import cap, which applies collectively to all Chinese automakers? This may include not only Chery, but Tesla, which hopes to export Model 3s from Shanghai. A fraction of 49,000 units might not give BYD enough volume to keep 20 stores busy. But the deal includes provisions to raise the cap after the first year, and BYD is probably betting that, once Canadian consumers get a load of its moderately-priced EVs, the government will start feeling pressure to raise the cap.

It all sounds like good news for Canadian car buyers, good news for BYD and other automakers that are able to seize the opportunity, and some much-needed good news for our atmosphere once a few thousand more EVs hit the roads. It may also present an opportunity for shady dealers who can find ways to sneak a few Chinese EVs across the border.

It’s absolutely awful news for Detroit.

Sources: The Globe and Mail, Electrek
Image: Aleksandr Fedosov – stock.adobe.com

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Three hydrogen buses join 203 battery-electric buses in Sardinia’s capital

Cagliari, the capital of the Italian island of Sardinia, has deployed 3 Solaris Urbino 12 Hydrogen buses, part of a batch of 15 vehicles funded and procured through central purchasing body Consip.

Transport agency CTM Cagliari now operates 236 electrified vehicles, including 203 battery-electric buses, 30 trolleybuses and the 3 new fuel cell buses. The fleet’s charging network includes 50 Level 2 charging systems and 22 DC fast charging systems.

The agency aims to operate a fully zero-emission urban fleet by 2030.

CTM’s new hydrogen vehicles are intended to operate on longer suburban routes. The Solaris Urbino 12 Hydrogen model is 12 meters long, and has a capacity of 95 passengers. It features a 30 kWh battery pack using LTO chemistry, supplied by Impact Clean Power Technology. This supports a 70 kW Ballard fuel cell. The tank has capacity for 37 kg of hydrogen in five 312-litre cylinders.

“The hydrogen buses we present today are the first in Sardinia,” said Fabrizio Rodin, President of CTM. “We approach them with great interest and we will carry out our evaluations with the seriousness that this type of innovation requires.”

Source: Sustainable Bus

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Swedish EV charging provider Milepost acquires Mer’s AC charging stations

Swedish EV charging provider Milepost has acquired a network of AC charging stations from fellow charging provider Mer.

The acquisition comprises some 250 charge points across Sweden, from Åre in the north to Malmö in the south. Most offer charging power of 22 kW, but a few support speeds of up to 50 kW.

The two companies see the sale as a mutually beneficial agreement—Mer’s strategy is to fully focus on DC fast charging, while Milepost is strengthening its position in AC charging. Milepost aims to complete the integration of the acquired charging stations into its network by the early summer of 2026.

Following the acquisition, Milepost will have a presence in over 70 municipalities in Sweden, including new locales such as Malmö and Linköping.

“Mer has had an important role in the establishment of EV charging infrastructure in Sweden, and we are looking forward to further run and develop these sites,” says Milepost Head of Business Development and Operations Lars Isaksson. “At completion of the acquisition, we will have passed 1,000 charge points, and we will offer our services in an additional 37 municipalities.”

“Our strategy is to fully focus on [DC] ultra-fast public EV charging. We are therefore pleased to divest our AC charging stations to Milepost, who has the right focus to further develop these sites,” says Jesper Thyberg, Director of Network Management at Mer.

Source: Milepost

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NYC law enforcement agencies now have 1,000 plug-in vehicles in service

The police are plugging in. The City of New York’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), which is in charge of procurement for municipal fleets, has announced that it now has over 1,000 plug-in vehicles assigned to law enforcement agencies.

Not all of these are cop cars. Yes, the NYPD has nearly 500 plug-ins in its portfolio, but the Big Apple has no less than 15 law enforcement agencies—including the Departments of Correction, Environmental Protection, Sanitation, Investigation and Homeless Services, as well as FDNY and NYC Emergency Management.

Collectively, these agencies operate around 11,000 vehicles: 781 are battery-electric vehicles, and 231 are plug-in hybrids. The agencies also operate 3,454 hybrid vehicles and 87 “off-road solar and electric units.” Law enforcement agencies currently have an additional 722 hybrids and 115 plug-in vehicles on order. The city as a whole operates nearly 10,500 electrified vehicles, including 5,780 plug-ins and 4,600 hybrids.

Law enforcement vehicles require specialized equipment, which can include bullet-proof shielding, light and siren packages, radio and computer outfitting, heavy-duty suspension and interior partitions. Agencies such as NYPD conduct rigorous testing to ensure vehicles can perform reliably in emergency response conditions.

The Chevy EV Blazer is the city’s first pursuit-rated electric vehicle. DCAS procured 58 Blazers in the first citywide order. The city’s fleet also includes the Chevy Bolt, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV and Ford E-Transit. The Department of Correction has also launched the city’s first electric K-9 enforcement unit.

DCAS has some 415 DC fast chargers in operation, and more are planned.

“NYC is leading the state in fleet electrification with the largest electric fleet and charging network,” states Keith Kerman, Chief Fleet Officer and Deputy Commissioner at DCAS. “As importantly, we are showing EVs can work in some of the most challenging applications and assignments including law enforcement and emergency response.”

Source: NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services

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Electra Battery Materials restarts construction on North America’s first cobalt sulfate refinery

Electra Battery Materials has restarted full-scale construction on what it describes as North America’s first cobalt sulfate refinery, located near Temiskaming Shores, Ontario. Construction had been paused for roughly two years before the company completed a recapitalization and resumed site work in November 2025.

The refinery is designed to produce 6,500 tonnes of battery-grade cobalt sulfate per year—a key precursor for NMC lithium-ion battery cathodes. Electra has arranged US$82 million in total funding against a US$73 million construction budget: US$20 million from a US Department of Defense grant under the Defense Production Act, US$28 million in combined support from the Government of Canada and Invest Ontario and US$34 million in equity financing raised in October 2025. The company held C$39 million in cash at year-end 2025, rising to roughly C$41 million at the announcement date.

Early commissioning is expected in Q4 2026, with mechanical completion targeted for Q2 2027 and commercial production in Q4 2027. Electra is using a multi-package execution approach, engaging specialized contractors across discrete scopes rather than a single general contractor.

“With construction of our cobalt refinery now fully funded and our balance sheet reset, we are entering the execution phase with the resources and focus needed to deliver North America’s first cobalt sulfate facility,” said Trent Mell, CEO of Electra. “This marks a turning point for Electra and a critical step in reducing foreign dependence in the battery supply chain.”

Cobalt sulfate refining is currently concentrated in China, which processes the majority of global supply despite most ore originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo—leaving North American battery manufacturers heavily exposed on a critical input.

Source: Electra Battery Materials

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