State transport firm eyes electric buses to cut high fuel costs
The state-run Transport Co Ltd aims to invest more than THB2 billion to rent 368 electric buses in a bid to reduce fuel costs by approximately 60 per cent.
Transport Co Ltd president Sanyalux Panwattanalikit said the company has hired King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang to study the possibility of providing services using electric buses.
She said the study found that electric buses are suitable for routes not more than 400 kilometres, while diesel buses are still necessary for longer routes.
"Hence, we have to analyse this issue before proposing it to the company's subcommittee for strategy and management, as well as the board, for consideration in June," she said.
She said there is a possibility that electric buses would be used on routes up to 300 kilometres, starting with six routes. Up to 60 buses will be used on these routes, she added.
"Using electric buses will help reduce operating costs by up to 30 per cent, as the price of diesel is currently high," she said.
However, she said the company has to study this issue thoroughly as charging stations are need to be set up along the routes.
Meanwhile, a source from Transport Co Ltd said the company has a plan to rent 368 electric buses for seven years, expecting to use a budget of more than THB2 billion.
New electric buses include 72 minibuses on eight routes and 296 large buses on 52 routes.
The draft terms of reference would be completed within May before proposing to the company board, while the bidding would be launched in the middle of this year, the source said.
The source said the winner of the bidding must invest in setting up charging stations along the route every 300 kilometres.
Once we get the winner, it is expected that minibuses will be gradually delivered to the company at the beginning of next year, while large buses will be gradually delivered to the company in the middle of next year, the source said.
The source added that new electric buses will be used instead of old buses on popular routes, such as Bangkok-Mae Sot and many routes in the Northeast.
In addition, new electric buses will help reduce fuel costs by approximately 60 per cent. Fuel costs amounted to THB295.53 million last year, the source added.