Sansiri adds ride-sharing at projects
SET-listed property developer Sansiri Plc has created a ride-sharing service platform at its residential projects and community malls, expecting to expand to all projects this year, mainly in Bangkok.
Sansiri announced a collaboration with six companies for the ride-sharing platform, called Smart Move, which started its pilot programme at Habito Community Mall on Sukhumvit Soi 77.
The six companies are AP Honda (a local distributor of Japanese motorcycles), Uber (the world’s leading ride-sharing service), Ofo (a dockless bike-sharing service), Haupcar (the first car-sharing platform in Thailand), Sharge (a provider of electric vehicle charging points) and EA Anywhere (a provider of electric charging stations).
Tawicha Trakulyingyong, Sansiri’s chief technology officer, said Smart Move is a comprehensive platform to be integrated into the Sansiri Home Service mobile application for its residents.
Smart Move will be a full operation in May and offer free-of-charge service for six months.
There are 3,000 people in Sansiri’s six residential projects near Habito mall.
Sansiri will provide the ride-sharing service for cars with Uber and Haupcar.
With Haupcar, Sansiri will manage a fleet of BMW i3 electric cars, eight of which it plans to import in 2018.
“Sansiri will focus only on electric cars for our residents to support the zero-emission trend, and Haupcar is now in charge of two locations for Smart Move, at the Line Jatujak-Mochit and the Habito Community Mall,” Mr Tawicha said.
For the bicycle sharing, Ofo will provide the service at Habito Community Mall and eight detached single-house projects in Bangkok and two detached single-house projects in Phuket.
AP Honda will provide three eco-friendly motorcycles for the service platform at the Habito Community Mall.
Suchart Arunsaengroj, vice-president of AP Honda, said the company plans to introduce electric and hybrid motorcycles next month at the Bangkok International Motor Show.
But Mr Suchart said AP Honda cannot disclose any further details in terms of model name and retail price, or whether relying on local production or imports from Japan.
In October, Tokyo-based parent firm Honda Motor Co held a showcase of the Honda PCX Hybrid and PCX Electric at the 45th Tokyo Motor Show. Those two models will be introduced this year for
commercial purposes.
“At the moment, AP Honda plans for the local showcase in March, while deliveries to customers are expected around the last quarter of 2018,” Mr Suchart said. “Three motorcycles for Sansiri are set for the same timeline of deliveries, due to both parties having to finalise how to provide the sharing service platform.”
Sharge and EA Anywhere will partner with Sansiri to provide charging service for electric cars and motorcycles under the Smart Move platform.
Mr Tawicha said that all of Sansiri’s high-rise condominiums in Bangkok now have one or two charging points for electric vehicles.