U Power Limited (UCAR), a provider of electric vehicle (EV) battery power solutions based in China, revealed on Monday that its subsidiary, Energy U Ltd., has entered into a joint venture agreement with Portugal's national taxi association. This partnership aims to implement battery-swapping technologies within the country's taxi sector.
The newly established venture with the Associação Nacional dos Transportes Rodoviários em Automóveis Ligeiros (ANTRAL) seeks to expedite Portugal's shift towards electric mobility by building a comprehensive EV ecosystem. This ecosystem will integrate vehicles with cutting-edge battery-swapping infrastructure.
The company has reported successful pilot tests of U Power's battery-swapping technology in Portugal, with initial operations set to launch featuring 40 vehicles per battery-swapping station.
Comprehensive deployment, involving full integration of these battery-swapping stations and vehicles, is slated to commence next year.
This partnership with ANTRAL, which represents public passenger transport companies operating light vehicles, marks a strategic expansion for U Power within the European market.
The initiative is designed to tackle significant challenges faced by Portugal's taxi operators in transitioning to electric vehicles, notably the inadequate charging infrastructure and issues surrounding battery lifecycle management.
U Power highlighted that its UOTTA battery-swapping solution successfully mitigates these operational hurdles while advancing Portugal's decarbonization targets within the transportation sector.
Jia Li, Chairman and CEO of U Power, remarked, "Informed by our previous collaboration agreement and robust market insights, ANTRAL has demonstrated significant confidence in our battery-swapping solution for taxi fleets. We are proceeding with plans for a nationwide rollout of battery-swapping taxi services throughout Portugal by 2025. This partnership establishes a solid foundation for U Power's growth..."
