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Banpu NEXT and Durapower ready for mass production at Thailand battery assembly plant, leading country’s commercial electric vehicle transition

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BANGKOK, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Banpu NEXT, a subsidiary of Banpu PCL and a leading Net Zero Solutions provider in Asia-Pacific, together with Durapower*, a global leader in performance lithium battery storage solutions for the electric mobility and renewable energy applications, today inaugurated the DP NEXT assembly plant to accelerate electrification and clean transport in the Thai mobility market.

 

Located in AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate, this state-of-the-art facility is poised to accelerate the adoption of electric buses and heavy-duty vehicles within Thailand and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The plant’s operation aligns with Thailand’s Net Zero emissions goals and contributes to the country’s transition towards a sustainable future and economic growth.

Being operated by the joint venture (JV) company between Banpu NEXT and Durapower, the DP NEXT plant leverages the combined expertise of both teams, bringing together advanced technological know-how and a deep understanding of the market to deliver high-performance, reliable batteries tailored to the region’s needs. The plant utilizes semi-automated intelligent production lines, mirroring the technology employed at Durapower’s facilities. This ensures that batteries are specifically engineered to meet the demands of electric buses and heavy-duty electric vehicles with their lightweight designs, fast-charging, and high storage capacities. The batteries also prioritize safety through rigorous standards, such as UNECE Regulation No. 100 Rev.3, an important European requirement for the approval of road electric vehicles or IEC 62660, a performance testing standard for secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles. All of batteries produced at the DP NEXT plant are also required to pass the stringent nail penetration test, demonstrating the ability of the technology to mitigate any undesirable battery effects in cases of vehicular incidents.

The DP NEXT plant boasts a production capacity of more than 15,000 battery packs per year in response to market demand, with long-term plans to expand to a maximum capacity of 1 GWh. This will cater to the rapidly growing demand for EVs in this region, with 80% of production allocated for the domestic market and 20% for export to Southeast Asia, India, and USA. The plant offers a comprehensive range of battery solutions for both Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) as well as Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) chemistries, catering to various EV segments for the transportation and logistics industry. These include:

Commercial Vehicles: Electric trucks, buses, forklifts, trailers, dump trucks, semi-trailers, and aircraft tow tractors.Specialty Vehicles: Tailored solutions for specific applications such as electric tuk-tuks, vessel/shipbuilders and vehicles used for port transportation.EV Scooters (Motorcycles) and battery swapping for electric motorcycles.Energy Storage Systems (ESS)

Mr. Smittipon Srethapramote, Chief Executive Officer, Banpu NEXT Co., Ltd., said: “The Asia-Pacific region is at the forefront of the global electric bus market, with projected growth expected to surge from US$44.74 billion in 2024 to US$73.88 billion by 2029**. As part of Thailand’s aims to have 33,000 electric buses and trucks or 40% of registered vehicles on its road by 2030***, this new plant is a prime example of this trend. It also presents a great opportunity for suppliers of heavy-duty EV batteries, as the battery assembly plant marks a pivotal step in our journey to become the ‘Net-Zero Solutions Provider’ for enterprises across Asia Pacific. In addition, this plant will significantly boost Thailand’s jobs market by creating over 300 job opportunities for local workers, aligning with its long-term production.”

Mr. Kelvin Lim, Chief Executive Officer of Durapower Group, said: “This new DP NEXT plant will allow Durapower to expand its reach in providing industry leading battery solutions to customers worldwide. Besides the usual production and assembly processes, the DP NEXT plant has the unique added benefit of supporting steadfast innovation, by harnessing our advanced technology and deep industry expertise to deliver superior-quality battery systems, tailored to the specific needs of our different customer segments. It will enable us to provide clean and sustainable energy solutions to our customers in Thailand, further enhancing our vision of a circular economy across the Asia-Pacific region.”

Beyond providing innovative and reliable battery solutions to a diverse customer base, Banpu NEXT and Durapower empower businesses to embrace electric mobility, supporting the business transformation and energy transition to a Net Zero society. This facility will play a crucial role in accelerating EV adoption in Thailand and contributing to a more sustainable future.

*Durapower is a subsidiary of Banpu NEXT, in which Banpu NEXT holds a 65.1% stake

**Source: Asia Pacific Electric Bus Market Size & Share Analysis – Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 – 2029) 

***Source: Industry Outlook 2024-2026: Electric Vehicle Industry

#BanpuNEXT #TotalSmartEnergySolutions #Durapower #DPNEXT #EnergyStorageSystems

About Banpu NEXT

Banpu NEXT Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Banpu PCL, is a leading Net Zero Solutions provider in the Asia-Pacific region. The company supports the transition to Net Zero society. The five core business groups are Renewable Power, Energy Storage Systems, Energy Trading, e-Mobility, and Smart Cities & Energy Management. With all these five businesses, the company boasts the capability to offer “Total Smart Energy Solutions” as the long-term partner who combines technology and digital platform with its energy expertise to provide the best tailor-made solutions, empowering organizations to tap into an infinite of clean energy and accelerate smart business transformation. Banpu NEXT is the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO)-certified for its Carbon Footprint for Organizations (CFO). In 2023, the company and its Thai subsidiaries operate on 100% renewable energy, offset through the International REC Standard (I-REC). This underscores Banpu NEXT’s commitment to sustainable growth and environmental stewardship.

For more information, visit www.banpunext.co.th, www.facebook.com/banpunext, www.linkedin.com/company/banpu-next-company-limited/ 

About Durapower Group

Headquartered in Singapore, Durapower offers closed-loop, end-to-end energy storage solutions for the electric mobility and renewable energy applications including on and off-road Electric, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, electric marine vessel and stationary energy storage solutions. Since 2009, Durapower has been a leading innovator of Lithium-Ion cell technology, focusing on the research and development of battery materials, battery cell manufacturing and system integration. With a global presence spanning 24 countries and 49 cities, including European Countries, China, India and Southeast Asia. Durapower Group strives to make scalable, sustainable batteries that support the circular economy, empowering lives and transforming the future towards a carbon neutral economy.

For more information, visit www.durapowergroup.com.

Media Contact:
Banpu NEXT Co., Ltd.,
Kankhachee Meecharoen, Brand and Marketing Communications, Kankhachee_M@banpunext.co.th
Manapah Pongtanesuan, Brand and Marketing Communications, Manapah_P@banpunext.co.th

Burson Thailand
Public Relations Consultancy Team: banpunexthkth@hkstrategies.com

Durapower Group
Kristina Wijaya, Corporate Affairs, Kristina@durapowergroup.com
Gerald Woon, Corporate Communications, corpcomm@durapowergroup.com

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SOURCE Durapower Group

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Agile Robots Launches Agile ONE SN Humanoid at NVIDIA GTC Berlin and Pilots Humanoids with Audi

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BERLIN, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On 21 October, Agile Robots and NVIDIA launched the research humanoid Agile ONE SN at NVIDIA GTC Berlin. Agile Robots has released its new-generation Diana 7 and Diana 3 arms, both supporting the Franka Control Interface (FCI).

Agile ONE SN: humanoid reference platform

Agile ONE SN is built on the NVIDIA Isaac GR00T development platform. The 1.4-metre, 43-kilogram humanoid has dual WUJI tactile five-finger hands and 71 degrees of freedom in total, runs on NVIDIA Jetson Thor and ships with the GR00T 1.7 open VLA model. Skills developed on it can transfer to the full-size industrial Agile ONE. Availability is planned for early 2027.

Two days earlier, at the Invest in Germany Summit in Berlin, NVIDIA announced plans to invest in Agile Robots.

“Agile ONE SN gives R&D labs around the world a complete humanoid platform that is ready from day one,” said Dr. Zhaopeng Chen, founder and CEO of Agile Robots.

Application: humanoids in Audi’s logistics

Agile Robots, AUDI AG, Dassault Systèmes and NVIDIA also announced a joint project at Audi’s Ingolstadt plant. In the Audi Production Lab, mobile humanoids pick parts from containers and sequence them for final assembly, a task performed around one million times a day. The workcell is first tested in a DELMIA virtual twin accelerated by NVIDIA Omniverse libraries.

Diana 7 and Diana 3: one interface, from lab to industrial payloads

Diana 7 extends Franka Research 3 to higher payloads and reach, while Diana 3 brings the same force-control platform to entry-level research. Both share ±0.05 mm repeatability and 0.5 N relative force-control accuracy, and both support FCI, so Franka Research 3 code moves directly to Diana.

Diana 3 keeps seven degrees of freedom, joint torque sensing and compliant control for precision manipulation, lab automation and sample handling. Diana 7, shown at the 26th China International Industry Fair in Shanghai (12–16 October), offers 7 kg payload and 923 mm reach, and weighs 2 kg less than before.

About Agile Robots

Founded in Munich in 2018 by robotics researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Agile Robots provides AI-powered robotics solutions and employs more than 3,500 people worldwide. With its subsidiaries BÄR Automation, Franka Robotics, idealworks and Krause Automation, it covers all areas of AI-driven robotics.

For inquiries, please contact us via apac-sales@agile-robots.com and visit our official website at www.agile-robots.com 

CONTACT:
Agile Robots
apac-sales@agile-robots.com 

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SOURCE Agile Robots

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ECOVACS WINBOT W3 OMNI Named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 /CNW/ — ECOVACS ROBOTICS, a global leader in home service robotics, is honored to announce that its WINBOT W3 OMNI has been named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list[1]. This recognition underscores ECOVACS’ leadership in the robotic window cleaning, driven by relentless technological innovation, and highlights how these breakthroughs are reshaping everyday life in meaningful ways.

Acclaimed by TIME for turning the demanding task of cleaning floor-to-ceiling windows into a more effortless experience, WINBOT W3 OMNI builds on ECOVACS’ strong market position in the category, with the company shipping approximately 1.075 million robotic window cleaners in the first half of 2026 and capturing over 50%[2] of the global robotic window cleaner market in 2025. This market leadership is underpinned by ECOVACS’ pioneering role in defining and continuously advancing the robotic window cleaner category. Since introducing WINBOT, ECOVACS has continued to drive user-focused innovations that elevate cleaning performance, simplify the cleaning process, and bring greater autonomy to window care.

For more than two decades, TIME Best Inventions list recognizes groundbreaking innovations with the potential to change how we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible. Selected through a rigorous editorial process, ECOVACS WINBOT W3 OMNI earns its place on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list, recognized for its originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.

WINBOT’s recognition by TIME as one of the Best Inventions reflects more than a single product breakthrough. It is built on ECOVACS’ years of technological expertise, extensive patent portfolio and ability to leverage core technologies across robotics, sensing, algorithms and intelligent manufacturing. With more than 3,100 patents granted and over RMB 5.2 billion invested in R&D since 2018, ECOVACS has established a strong technological foundation for translating its broader robotics capabilities into innovations tailored to the unique challenges of window cleaning. This accumulated expertise enables the continuous evolution of WINBOT, helping advance the category and deliver increasingly intelligent, reliable and effective cleaning experiences.

Showcasing ECOVACS’ innovation prowess, WINBOT W3 OMNI features a revolutionary station equipped with Vortex Wash, the industry’s first contact-free wiping pad washing system that eliminates the hassle of hand-washing dirty pads. Combined with the TruEdge scrubber, which brings precise edge-to-edge cleaning with millimeter-level accuracy, WINBOT W3 OMNI delivers a more thorough, hands-off cleaning experience.

Beyond WINBOT, ECOVACS is bringing robotics to more corners of everyday life through its expanding multi-category portfolio, from indoor floor care to outdoor pool cleaning and lawn maintenance, to make daily life easier and give people more time for what matters most.

About ECOVACS ROBOTICS:

Founded in 2006, ECOVACS ROBOTICS is a global leader in home service robotics with a diverse portfolio of products encompassing robotic vacuum cleaners and robotic window cleaners. With its expansion into robotic lawn mowers, commercial cleaning robots, robotic pool cleaners and robotic pet companions, ECOVACS solidified its position as a multi-category leader in home service robotics.

Guided by the vision “Robotics for All”, ECOVACS continues to advance technology and enhance the user experience to make life smarter and more stylish for consumers worldwide. With sales subsidiaries in Germany, the United States, Japan, and Singapore, ECOVACS products reach nearly 180 major markets and serve over 38 million households globally.

A testament to this market leadership, ECOVACS ROBOTICS has ranked first in China’s robotic vacuum cleaner market by share for ten consecutive years (2015-2024).

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SOURCE ECOVACS ROBOTICS

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Compal and ARC Cloud Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Large-Scale AI Infrastructure

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The MOU outlines a global strategic collaboration spanning advanced AI computing systems, high-performance GPU clusters and next-generation data center infrastructure.

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Compal Electronics, Inc. (TWSE: 2324) (“Compal”) and ARC Cloud today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance their strategic collaboration in large-scale AI computing infrastructure.

Signed during the 2026 OCP Global Summit, the MOU establishes a framework for collaboration across multiple projects. As part of their broader collaboration, the companies will explore opportunities related to a data center development roadmap of up to 100 MW. The partnership also aligns with ARC Cloud’s plans for continued expansion through significant capital investments in AI infrastructure and data center development across the United States, including California, Nevada, Texas and Georgia.

The collaboration brings together Compal’s advanced AI server technologies and manufacturing expertise with ARC Cloud’s end-to-end capabilities in AI infrastructure investment and the design, deployment and operation of large-scale GPU clusters.

The partnership extends beyond AI server supply to encompass system engineering, technical validation, deployment coordination and ongoing support. By aligning advanced computing technologies with infrastructure requirements, the companies aim to accelerate the delivery of computing capacity for AI model training, fine-tuning and inference.

“AI computing is moving toward increasingly integrated, high-density systems that require closer coordination between technology manufacturers and infrastructure providers,” said Alan Chang, Vice President of Infrastructure Systems Business Group (ISBU) at Compal. “Our partnership with ARC Cloud allows us to build on our engineering strengths and explore new opportunities to support the growing NeoCloud market.”

How the Companies Will Work Together

Under the MOU, Compal will contribute its expertise in AI server manufacturing, rack-scale integration and liquid-cooling technologies. ARC Cloud will bring its capabilities in infrastructure investment, strategic technology partnerships, and the engineering and operation of high-performance GPU clusters.

The companies will work to align system configurations, production schedules and data center deployment requirements, while exploring cooperation in joint engineering, system validation and lifecycle technical support. These efforts are intended to improve deployment efficiency and operational readiness as AI computing environments grow in scale and complexity.

“AI customers need more than access to GPUs. They need computing environments that can deliver consistent performance for demanding workloads,” said William Tiah, Co-Founder of ARC Cloud. “Working with Compal allows us to bring system engineering and infrastructure planning closer together, helping us build and operate reliable GPU clusters as demand for AI computing continues to grow.”

About Compal

Founded in 1984, Compal is a leading global manufacturer of computers and smart devices and a Forbes Global 2000 company, partnering with top-tier brands worldwide. The company has expanded into cloud servers, automotive electronics, smart medical and healthcare, and advanced communication solutions. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Compal operates globally across the U.S., Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, and Poland. Website: https://www.compal.com

About ARC Cloud

ARC Cloud (Accelerated Research Computing) is a U.S.-based, full-stack NeoCloud company specializing in the investment, development and operation of large-scale AI computing infrastructure. With end-to-end capabilities spanning data center development, GPU cluster design and deployment, infrastructure orchestration and operations, and cloud-based AI services, ARC Cloud provides dedicated GPU compute, managed infrastructure, model deployment and production inference for AI developers, enterprises and cloud service providers. Website: https://arccloudai.com

Forward-Looking Statements

The MOU establishes a framework for cooperation and does not constitute a binding investment or purchase commitment. The potential 100 MW data center development roadmap referenced in this announcement is exploratory and does not represent a confirmed project, capacity commitment, purchase commitment or revenue forecast. Specific projects, capacity, commercial terms and timelines remain subject to further agreements and applicable conditions. Actual outcomes may differ from current expectations.

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SOURCE Compal Electronics, Inc.

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