Govt agencies, private firms sign MoU to study EV motorcycle taxi riders
The National Energy Technology Centre (ENTEC) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat), The Stallions Co Ltd, and Dongguan Tailing Electric Vehicle Co Ltd (TAILG) of China to study electric motorcycles among bike taxi riders in Thailand.
The cooperation is a part of the United Nations’ development project called “Integrating Electric 2 & 3 Wheelers into Existing Urban Transport Modes in Developing and Transitions Countries”, which has been implemented in six countries — the Philippines, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Thailand.
ENTEC director Sumittra Charojrochkul has said that the programme in phase 1 studied the possibility of incorporating electric vehicles into the existing motorcycle and tricycle taxi system in line with the government’s target to become a net zero emissions society by 2050.
“In the second [current] phase, we will select 50 motorcycle taxi riders to use electric motorcycles “Engy” manufactured by The Stallions in the pilot area where Egat has set up battery-swapping stations and related facilities,” she said. “All participants will receive training on using and maintaining electric vehicles as well as how to safely use the battery-swapping station.”
ENTEC and NSTDA will collect the data on electric motorcycle usage of 50 candidates for one year and then analyse the energy that they have saved, the emissions that have been reduced as well as the challenges to design a suitable model policy to promote the use of electric vehicles among taxi riders throughout Thailand.
Sumittra added that Egat has finished installing 11 battery-swapping stations in Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province, using lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-type battery that can be easily swapped to support all-day continuous usage.
“We believe that in the future, the battery-swapping station will be a viable business that attracts investors and manufacturers, as the station has been designed to accommodate batteries of various brands,” she added.