Electric taxis coming to Thailand

[webfact]

Electric taxis coming to Thailand

 

File photo

 

Taxi riders in Thailand are set for a new experience when a fleet of luxury electric cabs arrives from China this summer. The cars, made by Shenzen-based BYD, are being delivered to a major Thai vehicle distributor.

Rizen Energy signed a deal with a local taxi operator for one thousand vehicles to go into service as high-end cabs. The first 100 or so will hit the streets this year. They'll have a range of up to 350 kilometers on a single charge.

 

Internal combustion engines still power the vast majority of vehicles in Thailand. But the Thai government is pushing electric as environmental regulations tighten around the globe.

 

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180321_06/

 

-- NHK 2018-03-21

[kotsak]

350 kilometers on a single charge. Would love to see the mileage in Bangkok's traffic jams having to support aircon non-stop :>

[mok199]

yes..but will they smell the same inside...MEN MARK

[Darcula]

46 minutes ago, webfact said:

They'll have a range of up to 350 kilometers on a single charge.

 

Is that before or after factoring in Somchais superfast meter, upskirt cameras, disco lighting and boom box?

[JOC]

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Taxi riders in Thailand are set for a new experience when a fleet of luxury electric cabs arrives from China this summer.

A 'new experience' can be achieved in different ways......

1) Drivers accept to take all passangers

2) Drivers use the meter

3) Drivers know the address, you want to go to

 

See that will indeed be a new experience.....

[observer90210]

Hope the instruction manuel on how to turn ON the meter, is written in Thai and not in Chinese !!

[Crossy]

Since these taxis use a cheaper energy source will the fares be lower? 

 

I thought not. 

 

Also, whilst 100 electric cabs isn't going to make a lot of difference (say 7kW per vehicle = 700kW) the government's desire to promote electric vehicles without bolstering generating capacity (no, not more coal fired power stations) will lead to over-stressing the supply grid and consequent power failures.

 

Hmmm, new can't-get-to-work excuse, "Power was out all night, couldn't charge the car. Working from home today". 

 

Note to self - Get another fuel can for the generator. Actually, with two multi-hour cuts in the last week (both caused by trucks removing assorted power poles and our bus stop [again]) an extra can is a good idea anyway.

[Thian]

BKK would also get 3000 new buses from China...that was announced 1.5 years ago, still haven't seen them 555.

[HampiK]

About the power cuts, I think it is dependent where you life.

In the last 6 month I had 3 power cuts for a few seconds less than 2 (if you even can call them power cuts.

 

I only know of them because my  power supply record every power problem. Seems I should be very happy in my area

[shady86]

The drivers wouldn’t want to wait hrs to get the battery fully charged. Filling a LPG tank takes no more than 5 mins.

[Thian]

13 minutes ago, HampiK said:

About the power cuts, I think it is dependent where you life.

In the last 6 month I had 3 power cuts for a few seconds less than 2 (if you even can call them power cuts.

 

I only know of them because my  power supply record every power problem. Seems I should be very happy in my area

You are lucky...we loose power regularly and sometimes for many hours/whole night.

 

Lately we didn't have electricity some whole days because they're trying to fix it. It always happens during rain.

[HampiK]

2 minutes ago, Thian said:

Lately we didn't have electricity some whole days because they're trying to fix it. It always happens during rain.

when it is like this then it is really a pain in the ass.
I remember about 15 years ago I lived in Sathorn area, behind the St. Louis hospital and I also encountered a few power cuts and I remember I hated them.

 

[petedk]

16 minutes ago, shady86 said:

The drivers wouldn’t want to wait hrs to get the battery fully charged. Filling a LPG tank takes no more than 5 mins.

Why not?

 

Just leave the meeting ticking as they do now. 

I can't remember ever sitting in a taxi in Europe while they tank up, yet is always seems to happen here when I am in a hurry.

 

Can you imagine calling your boss? "I am in the taxi now. Be there in 15 minutes"

 

Four hours later still waiting for the batteries to be charged. Meter showing 400 Baht.

 

No, I don't think it'll  be like that. I can imagine they will charge overnight.

 

[Crossy]

It may change the "cruise looking for a customer" culture to "wait for a customer to request" culture.

 

Whilst waiting at a designated taxi rank they can get a boost charge and a coffee. Plenty of Uber-like apps already available for passengers to use.

 

Reduce traffic, reduce pollution (even with gas powered vehicles), save energy, more convenient for everyone.

 

Nah, never going to happen here 

 

 

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, Thian said:

BKK would also get 3000 new buses from China...that was announced 1.5 years ago, still haven't seen them 555.

Sssssh! Those buses were built in Malaysia NOT China. And the PM made a big man of himself with a media announcement in January 2017 he was going to buy the first ticket to celebrate the beginning of the service.

I think they're now languishing in the same parking lot as the decaying fire engines.

[Thian]

2 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

And the PM made a big man of himself with a media announcement in January 2017 he was going to buy the first ticket to celebrate the beginning of the service.

No the big chief already organised an opening party for the new buses in december 2016....but that never took place since that importing company never paid the importtaxes....

 

And last month somebody here posted that BKK bought 100 new buses again from another supplier, those were going to be operational in March iirc, i still haven't seen them though. And 100 is not 3000 new buses which are needed.

[johnny49r]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Also, whilst 100 electric cabs isn't going to make a lot of difference (say 7kW per vehicle = 700kW) the government's desire to promote electric vehicles without bolstering generating capacity (no, not more coal fired power stations) will lead to over-stressing the supply grid and consequent power failures.

Sorry but I think your math is a bit faulty. 7kW (approximately 10HP) is enough to mow my lawn but wouldn't move an air-conditioned vehicle with 5 passengers anywhere. Sadly, electric cars really don't save on energy due to the inefficiency of power generation and distribution.

If Thailand were serious about reducing pollution they should start at the source - burning of refuse and farm waste. People burn anything and everything because there is no waste management in the land of smiles. 

[Crossy]

40 minutes ago, johnny49r said:

Sorry but I think your math is a bit faulty

Nope, nothing wrong with my maths.

 

A 7kW (which is the mid-size domestic charger, 3.6kw and 22kW are also available) universal charger will charge the beast in 5-7 hours.

 

Obviously a commercial operation would have bigger "industrial strength" fast chargers. But it doesn't change the amount of energy taken from the grid, just the rate at which it's taken. 

 

[mike324]

BYD taxis are brought in by the distributor of Ducati. I think the company has a good vision and management,these electric taxis should be around for long. They are also bringing in Tesla cars and electric motorcycles.