Transport Minister Pushes for Electric Public Buses and Trains

[Jacob Maslow]

Prakin Juntong, Thailand’s Transport Minister, is encouraging state public transport operators to switch from gas and diesel fuels to electric. The switch will help operators avoid volatile fuel prices and reduce their impact on the environment.

The State Railway of Thailand, the Transport Co Ltd and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority all serve under Mr. Prakin’s ministry and are being urged to make the switch to electric vehicles.

The Transport Ministry has been pushing for electric-powered vehicles in public transportation. As the cost of compressed natural gas continues to rise, the ministry has found that electric vehicles are a viable alternative.

Mr. Prakin explained transport policies to all three agencies on Monday during a meeting, and noted that he will do his best to ensure safe travel and energy security. In the future, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (which runs most of the buses in Bangkok) will switch over to electric vehicles. The agency is currently looking to purchase 3,183 new buses to replace its current aging fleet. The first 489 buses will run on compressed natural gas, but the remaining 2,694 buses will be electric.

Electric buses are three times more expensive than buses than run on gas or diesel, but they come with lower operating costs and are much cheaper to maintain.

-- 2015-05-06

[Srikcir]

Yes,

the Transport Co Ltd and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority need to switch from gas and diesel fuels to electric. And towards that goal BMA will purchase the first 489 buses to run on compressed natural gas !

Mr. Prakin’s ministry needs to URGE more strongly to make the switch to electric vehicles. But maybe TCL and BMA have other "financial considerations" for which Prakin can't match.

It's HAMMER TIME - Gen. Prayut needs to invoke Article 44 to make TCL and BMA purchase only electric buses for the sake of national security (clean air).

[northernboy]

First I guess the CNG made their deals.

Now the other bus companies are making their offers known.

When are the alcohol fueled Bus builders doing theirs

[Doc46]

Bunch of dreamers,,they are not cheaper to maintain ,plus very expensive batteries/unless they get overhead very expensive power/and the electricity is as expensive to charge /run the buses than gas/fuel....OKay the electricity is so called Green,,,My ass it is what is used to make the electricity? Fresh air?Wake up, Get real.

[EnglishJohn]

Sometimes when I read the justification of some decision by a Thai official, I wonder how on Earth they got into any position of responsibility.

Why isn't the Western world full of electric busses if they are so economical ?. Even the UK which is green-energy crazy (ie massively subsidised by taxpayers money because of forced EU laws) has only just started to trial a few.

I wonder if they have factored in maintenance, particularly of the batteries in such a hot climate and how many busses will be needed to cover recharging times ?. And where does this electricity come from ?.

No doubt they read a sales brochure and enjoyed some 'hospitality' of the sales staff without really understanding a thing which was said, let alone knowing enough to ask questions.

However since the decision to buy the GT200 bomb detectors, I am not surprised at anything.

[Jimdandy]

Why isn't the Western world full of electric busses if they are so economical ?. Even the UK which is green-energy crazy (ie massively subsidised by taxpayers money because of forced EU laws) has only just started to trial a few.

Party because deals to purchase diesel fuel vehicles is old guard thinking influenced by global oil companies like Standard Oil, Shell, BP and others who had and continue to have a vested interest in making sure their share holders get a nice return on their investments. Those old diesel vehicles have been around for decades in many countries. There have been multiple year contracts to buy them, dating back to the end of WWII.

Hence in the 1980's if the deal was to purchase 1,000 diesel buses that run for 10 years then rebuild the engines, sell then to another country, and get another 5 years use out of them we are talking the mid 1990's. Not that long ago by some mechanical standards. Fast forward to diesel buses and trucks that were purchased in the year 2000 and there you have it...

Give it another 25 years for the change to take effect or we'll either all have emphysema or clean air will be bottled and sold right next to the designer water we buy today.

[ratcatcher]

'Transport Minister Pushes for Electric Public Buses and Trains"

I trust the transport minister is aware that the trains operated by BTS and MRT are actually already run on electricity.

The trains run on electricity through a continuous live rail. Buses, OTOH, require batteries, unless they want to go back 80 years and buy trolley buses which require overhead cables for power. Battery powered buses are expensive to run. Clean CNG would really be the answer.

But, Thailand being a first world, rich country, can well afford to dabble in such luxuries.

Edited May 6, 2015 by ratcatcher

[apetley]

Hydrogen, produced by renewables, used to power fuel cell buses.

Easily the greenest solution and vastly superior compared to battery power.

Edited May 6, 2015 by apetley

[ballpoint]

First I guess the CNG made their deals.

Now the other bus companies are making their offers known.

When are the alcohol fueled Bus builders doing theirs

They already had a go, but the alcohol fuelled bus drivers were drinking the tank dry.

[Reigntax]

Someone may need to explain to the Minister that electrical energy is also generated by fuels subject to price fluctuations and when you consider efficiencies and losses through transmission, the figures he is using may be rubbery.

As for hydrogen cell technology, let's allow the technology to be developed to a level where production is efficient and reliable before they decide to install hydrogen bombs on these new busses otherwise they will be just be more duds.

Edited May 7, 2015 by Reigntax