Electric buses coming to Bangkok

[Thaivisa News]

Bangkok: – The Transport Ministry is planning to buy 500 electric buses to service Bangkok commuters after a study shows a lower maintenance cost in comparison to NGV buses.

The procurement proposal would soon be submitted for the approval of Transport Minister Prajin Juntong.

Pongchai Kasemthavisak, deputy permanent secretary for Transport, said the price tag is 4.5 million baht per NGV bus while the electric bus would cost 15 million baht each.

But in the long run, the 20-year operating and maintenance cost would be 34 million baht per NGV bus and 30 million baht per electric bus.

Pongchai said the buying of 500 electric buses would be part of the procurement plan for 2,694 buses for Bangkok Mass Transit Authority.

The ministry is in the process of overhauling the BMTA bus fleet. The first procurement order has been finalised for 489 NGV buses due for delivery in June.

Prajin said the June delivery date might be revised due to time constraints on the part of suppliers.

He also stated that the planned procurement might be amended to include other energy-efficient buses and not just NGV buses.

In another development, the Finance Ministry has plans for the commercial development of three plots in Bangkok in order to rescue the debt-ridden State Railway of Thailand.

The SRT has asked the ministry to intervene and write off the 80 billion baht debt.

In exchange for the ministerial rescue package, the SRT has agreed to turn over the 490-rai plot in Makkasan.

After a plot survey, the ministry said the Makkasan plot would generate no more than 50 billion baht in concession revenues as the development has to set aside areas for public park and reservoir.

The State Enterprise Policy Office has approved the request for the SRT to hand over two additional plots, one located behind the Energy Ministry in Chatuchak and another on Chuea Phlerng Road near Chao Phraya River.

The ministry expects the revenues generated from three prime plots to resolve the SRT’s financial plight.

[orange31]

Surely the batteries don't last for 20 years?

So the maintenance of NGV is 34M over 20 years, or 1,700,000 Baht every year equal to 140,000 Baht every single month just for maintenance? That seems quite a lot.

The total cost of the electric bus over 20 years is 45M (15M + 30M), compared to the NGV bus of 38.5M (4.5M + 34M), but the maintenance is cheaper so let's buy the more expensive option? Weird logic.

I guess if the total cost is higher, then there's more bounty...

[facthailand]

As I read this:

For the electric buses, 500 total B7,500,000,000 with a maintenance cost of B750,000 each over 20 years.

For the gas buses, 500 total 2,250,000,000 with a maintenance cost of BB225,000 each over 20 years.

Definitely, the electric buses have much more green potential!

This is precisely my worry about the military initiating and signing off on huge infrastructure projects for which we will all be paying for decades to come.

Perhaps we can park the dead buses under Hopewell pillars!

[Srikcir]

"500 electric buses would be part of the procurement plan for 2,694 buses for Bangkok Mass Transit Authority....The first procurement order has been finalised for 489 NGV buses due for delivery in June."

Procurement for 989 buses has been finalized that will require 20 years O&M. But no details as to the number and identity of bidders? Is this all going to be an "inside" procurement, a sole source procurement based on some unknown preferences? What happened to accountability and transparency ion government acquisition? Apparently nothing.

[englishoak]

Nice tea money kickback there for someone no doubt.

[EnglishJohn]

Oh dear.

Technically clueless officials regurgitating sales BS without really knowing what they are talking about.

Maybe there is a reason Western countries don't run many electric buses ?. Battery technology is still way behind what it needs to be for these things to be economic propositions. I wonder how long the batteries will last running in Thailand temperatures.

It's either a BIG skim for someone or (more likely) incompetent people in high positions who are too dumb to realise they got their job for reasons other than suitability.

It smacks of the bomb detectors all over again. The Junta should not be making this kind of decision : their arrogance is their biggest weakness.

[robertthebruce]

I can just picture it now, all these ''Electric Buses'' going flat out, weaving in and out of the traffic...

Foot hard to the Floor Boards.....

[johna]

Bring back the trams

[monkey4u]

Those 500 electric buses are going to need some REALLY LONG power cables

[BKKdreaming]

Does anywhere else use electric buses with the heat in Thailand ? AirCo takes a lot of power !

I am assuming these are "free range" buses that do not need a track or electric lines above them like trams .

The batteries will be dead in a few hours and take that long to recharge, you can replace the batteries with charged batteries but you would have to go back to the main bus station,

I just do not see that battery technology is good enough yet to let these buses drive an 8 hour shift on a single charge.......and then you would need another bus to use when the first one was recharging !

not ready for prime time yet !

[ratcatcher]

Does anywhere else use electric buses with the heat in Thailand ? AirCo takes a lot of power !

I am assuming these are "free range" buses that do not need a track or electric lines above them like trams .

The batteries will be dead in a few hours and take that long to recharge, you can replace the batteries with charged batteries but you would have to go back to the main bus station,

I just do not see that battery technology is good enough yet to let these buses drive an 8 hour shift on a single charge.......and then you would need another bus to use when the first one was recharging !

not ready for prime time yet !

TransportMinstrydreaming.