BANGKOK, Thailand – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has launched the “EV for Motorcycle Taxi Drivers” campaign to encourage motorcycle taxi operators to transition to electric vehicles, aiming to reduce air pollution, lower operating costs, and promote a more sustainable city.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt presided over the project’s launch, highlighting the win-win-win concept and promoting electric motorcycle taxis citywide. He emphasized that motorcycle taxi drivers are essential to Bangkok’s transport system and have significant potential to reduce carbon emissions through practical change.
Bangkok faces significant greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. Supporting motorcycle taxi drivers in switching to electric motorcycles is expected to reduce air pollution and PM2.5 levels, lower long-term fuel costs, create income opportunities, and enhance economic stability for drivers.
The project will also improve understanding of electric motorcycle use, including charging procedures, daily costs, maintenance, and battery lifespan, to help drivers make informed decisions.
The Governor emphasized that transitioning to electric mobility is a long-term effort that requires cooperation from all sectors, given the millions of motorcycles nationwide.
Insa Illgen, Director of the Thai-German Cooperation on Energy, Mobility and Climate (TGC EMC) under the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), noted that this initiative is an important step toward cleaner transport systems and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The project is a collaboration between Bangkok, GIZ, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, and the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand. It features a rental pilot model costing 75–140 baht per day, supported by charging and battery-swapping systems. Over 200 motorcycle taxi drivers and street-sweeping staff in Din Daeng and Phaya Thai districts will participate, with 30 selected for a one-month free trial to support data collection for future citywide expansion. (NNT)
