EEC to serve as test track for e-vehicles
The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) will serve as a prototype for the use of electric vehicles in Thailand, according to Acharawan Chutarat, a member of the EEC’s city planning team from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi.
Town planning in this case includes infrastructure to promote the use of environmentally friendly transportation including electric buses, charging stations and even a plan to use electrically powered boats on canals.
The EEC project is being pushed by the government to advance a handful of industries. It is located in the three eastern seaboard provinces of Chachoengsao, Chon Buri and Rayong and is being touted as a hi-tech industrial estate that will serve as a clean energy-driven and innovative manufacturing base.
Ms Acharawan, a lecturer on architecture, sits on the planning committee, which was appointed to draft a blueprint for the industrial zone.
“We are looking at the EEC as a scheme to adopt green technology, not only for transportation but also the use of renewable energy sources. We are aiming for greater connectivity,” she said.
“People in [the area] rely heavily on water transport and we are trying to increase connectivity including canals using electric boat engines,” Ms Acharawan said yesterday at an exhibition focusing on German innovations. Held at the German embassy on Sathon Road in Bangkok, the one-day showcase featured EVs and engines by the likes of BMW. It included at least one cleanenergy boat engine developed by German manufacturer Torqeedo (a portmanteau of torque and speed).
The company claims it has already sold electric motors to small boats running on Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River. It is now reportedly talking with the government to push for a new policy for all boats in floating markets across the country to adopt fully electric motors.
Grab, Asean’s largest ride-hailing company, has urged the government to create more environmentally friendly roads — and society, in general — by adjusting the regulations and laws to facilitate such a move.
“The average Thai person spends 44 days a year stuck in traffic, which is a lot of time wasted [in terms of lost] economic activity,” said Pita Limjaroenrat, director of Grab Thailand.
The kingdom currently imposes a heavy excise tax on EVs and has moved slowly to support the development of necessary infrastructure such as installing electric charging stations across the country.
“Electric and and autonomous vehicles will be the main drivers for the future mobility system. EVs will solve the problems of city pollution,” said Robert Staken, senior management consultant and partner, P3 Group.