BANGKOK (NNT) - Following a series of successful tests, Thailand’s trucking industry is now considering whether to convert its fleet of 400,000 diesel trucks to electric vehicles (EVs) in April of next year.

 

According to Apichart Prairungruang, President of the Land Transport Association of Thailand (LTAT), the government’s new measures to support Thailand’s EV industry prompted moves to consider switching from diesel to electric trucks.

 

Apichart said the association has assembled a team of engineers to perform a series of tests on each vehicle in order to ensure they meet all safety requirements before being put into service.

 

The LTAT president added that the team has also been tasked with discussing future maintenance issues, after-sales service and the availability of charging stations along all service routes.

 

Due to the shorter battery life of EV trucks, which is around six years compared to 7-10 years for diesel vehicles, and the higher cost to maintain the fleet, Apichart estimates the selling price of each EV truck at 5-6 million baht.

 

This is at least twice the cost of regular diesel trucks that sell for around 2.5 million baht per unit.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG221213114634455

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-12-13

 

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I see trucks around that must be 40, 50 up to 60 years old and still giving service. Now the LTAT will expect the new owners to pay the selling price of each EV truck at 5-6 million baht, AND replace the batteries every 6 years or so.

 

To meet that target you can expect the cost of transport to sky rocket, which in turn will raise the cost of living even higher, given how much transport is moved by road.

 

Where will all these truck charging stations be, and how long will it take to recharge the truck batteries?

 

Serious thought and forward planning seems to be missing here.

So Tesla cannot produce an EV truck despite, apparently, wanting to do so but this Thai guy claims they have done "successful tests" and are all ready to go.

 

OK.

It's a fact of life an EV truck is going to need a battery which is heavier than a corresponding diesel engine for the same power output, thereby reducing the payload of the vehicle by about 10%.

 

Therefore, when a fleet of 400,000 diesel trucks is replaced by EV's, 40,000 extra trucks will be needed, along with 40,000 more drivers and an unknown quantity of extra maintenance staff.

 

I don't know what criteria were used to deem the tests successful; however, they certainly were not on the basis of financial and logistical benchmarks.

No way.  No <deleted>’ way next year.

First thing is..

EV won't accommodate long haul. 

Recharge downtime. 

Multiple recharge. 

Several tonnes of battery packs.

Completely different vehicles required. 

Drive trains.

Then the global problem of what happens to millions of toxic batteries,?

And the dedicated warranty service required.

 

Isn't that simple as form a committee and numerous long lunches required. 

Add it to the 21 billion pattaya light rail monorail investigation money. 

And the super fast train network. 

Edited December 14, 20223 yr by dallen52

 

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

First thing is..

EV won't accommodate long haul. 

Recharge downtime. 

Multiple recharge. 

Several tonnes of battery packs.

Completely different vehicles required. 

Drive trains.

Then the global problem of what happens to millions of toxic batteries,?

And the dedicated warranty service required.

 

Isn't that simple as form a committee and numerous long lunches required. 

Add it to the 21 billion pattaya light rail monorail investigation money. 

And the super fast train network. 

Rest assured, they have already thought of all these..

 

EV trucks, why???

Most long haul trucks run on gas!!

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The LTAT president added that the team has also been tasked with discussing future maintenance issues, after-sales service and the availability of charging stations along all service routes.

Which in Thailand at the moment is sadly lacking.

15 hours ago, In the jungle said:

So Tesla cannot produce an EV truck despite, apparently, wanting to do so but this Thai guy claims they have done "successful tests" and are all ready to go.

 

OK.

Go Thailand go...