Chula Transportation Institute Hosts Workshop on Electric Motorbike Taxis in Bangkok

The Transportation Institute hosted a stakeholder participation workshop on 17 March 2023, addressing “the current state of electric vehicle motorbike taxis in Bangkok”.  The workshop covered technology, business models, and perceptions, and was financially supported by Columbia University. Joining the session were 14 participants from various stakeholder parties, including representatives from motorbike taxi associations, electric motorbike manufacturers, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, infrastructure providers (battery swapping network), government regulators, and academic sectors.

Following the workshop, three potential business models for electric motorbike taxis were identified:

1. The conventional model (self-purchase).
2. Batteries subscription model.
3. Rental model.

Key obstacles to promote electric motorbikes included:

1. Current vehicle registration regulations.
2. Previous policies and interventions that neglected revenue opportunities.
3. Unclear definitions of electric vehicles and batteries, along with redundant tax charges.
4. Insufficient battery swapping infrastructure.
5. Lack of knowledge among drivers about electric vehicles.
6. Finance, refinancing, and reselling challenges.
7. Issues regarding insurance.

To facilitate the shift from conventional motorbike taxis to electric motorbike taxis, the workshop results pointed to the following interventions:

1. Strengthen drivers’ knowledge on maintenance and proper electric vehicle use.
2. Promote shared batteries and/or standardize batteries across platforms.
3. Promote partnerships with electric motorbike manufacturers.
4. Propose regulatory amendments to support electric motorbike taxi registration, financing and insurance coverage.
5. Encourage an alliance to advocate for new policies and regulations, funding, and training.

To get more detailed findings from the workshop, please refer to the workshop report.  For additional information, please contact cuti@chula.ac.th.

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