In Hybrids, EVs and Alternative Fuel, International News / By Gerard Lye / 9 December 2019 3:23 pm / 3 comments

Thailand’s commitment to electric vehicles goes beyond just passenger vehicles, as its state-owned postal service (Thailand Post) is also looking to reduce its carbon footprint and air pollution. The company recently partnered up with energy company Banpu Infinergy to use EVs as part of pilot programme to deliver parcels in the Bangkok metropolitan area.

The vehicles, which are supplied by Banpu Infinergy, include electric vans with a driving range of up to 300 km and a carrying capacity of between 300 and 700 kg. These vans are currently undergoing trial runs in the Khlong Luang district in the Pathum Thani province.

Meanwhile, Banpu-provided electric motorcycles are part of another trial operation in Bangkok’s Samsen Nai area. These vehicles offer a driving range of up to 80 km, and have a payload of between 30 and 80 kg.

“The EV experiments help save energy and reduce costs of maintenance and fuel consumption. This is based on information that our pilot electric vans took only 4-6 hours to charge, while the electric motorcycles took just two hours to charge. The charged motors can be used for several days, depending on the distance travelled,” said Kalong Subsaart, senior executive vice-president of Thailand Post.

Aside from including EVs in its fleet, Thailand Post will also initiate research and development projects to promote energy conservation in postal transportation, which includes providing suitable locations to install charging stations for EVs.

“Apart from this collaboration, Banpu continues to offer more variety of electric vehicles that are suitable for the operations Thailand Post, such as electric tricycles, e-trucks and e-trolleys. At the same time, we strive to focus on the research and development of cutting-edge innovation and clean energy technology, in order to provide products, services, and solutions that comprehensively meet all needs of every organization,” said James Rama Phataminviphas, CEO of Banpu Infinergy.