Chairperson Zhang Kwaithong said the buses would be made for the likes of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority as well as for export to fellow ASEAN countries. He continued by saying that buyers would soon recoup the initial price tag of THB15 million for each bus with lower costs for fuel.
Mr Kwaithong added that on an average day urban buses with diesel engines cost THB5,000 to run while NGV gas powered ones cost THB3,000. He claimed running costs for an electric bus are just THB1,000 a day.
He explained that some parts for the electric buses would have to be imported, but between 30 and 40 per cent of the finished vehicle will have been made in Thailand. The chairperson finished off by saying Kwaithong would seek backing from the Thai Board of Investment and the new factory would be located somewhere in the region of Greater Bangkok.
Thai firm to build electric buses for Bangkok and other key cities
News in Asia
The chairperson of a Thai vehicle production firm has announced it is to invest in a factory capable of producing electric-powered buses. The Kwaithong Motor Company’s proprietor says the plant will have the capability of producing up to 2,000 electric buses per year.