FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

PTT prepares to test market for electric motorcycles

PTT prepares to test market for electric motorcycles

PTT will launch its first 10 electric motorcycles as it tests the market this year.

The company said that about 3,000 electric motorcycles are so far being ordered. It will adjust the cost of its electric motorcycles to about Bt70,000 per unit in order to gain the a commercial sales volume benefit.
Wittawat Svasti-Xuto, chief technology and engineering officer, said that PTT’s involvement in electric motorcycles follows the group’s support of Thai startup ETRAN, which is a designer and developer of electric motorcycles, to test the market.
“The investment in the electric motorcycle business is in line with PTT’s strategy to invest in the electricity value chain,” he said.
"Initially, we admit that the investment cost in manufacturing electric motorcycles is still high at about Bt100,000 per unit. We plan to reduce the manufacturing cost for each electric motorcycle to about Bt70,000 to support its commercial purpose. So far, we have received orders from interested customers for about 3,000 units," said Wittawat.
He said that to test the market, the group’s startup has ordered the manufacturer to make 10 electric motorcycles under a sub-contract manufacturing agreement. As the motorbikes are not being mass produced yet, the retail price is still high. However, if the price is reduced to about Bt70,000 per unit, they could be more easily sold, Wittawat said.
The investment plan for electric motorcycles is one example of the directions that PTT is going following a reshuffle aimed at embracing disruptive technology, as well as the changing behaviour of consumers.

nationthailand