EVT developing Kingdom's first electronic road car - The Nation

EVT developing Kingdom's first electronic road car

Achara Pongvutitham
The Nation March 19, 2012 1:00 am

Thailand's first electric road car is to be introduced in Bangkok in the near future by Electric Vehicles (Thailand).

EVT makes a variety of electric cars for use in limited spaces such as airports, hospitals, hotels and resorts, universities and golf courses. The company also makes green-energy tuk-tuks and motorbikes.

The company is looking for partners for technological support, possibly in Taiwan or mainland China.

"We want to see EVT become the national brand for electric cars like Proton is Malaysia's passenger-car brand, so customers always think of us when thinking of electric cars," said general manager Phakapapha Kosanantachai.

Phakapapha and her brother Krit, managing director of the company, have jointly run the family business since their father Boonake died in 2000. As the family's second generation growing up in a digital era, they have focused on technology for design development and business expansion, concentrating on green energy and pollution reduction, following in their father's footsteps.

EVT was set up in 1995 by Boonake, who foresaw that alternative energy was the wave of the future. He collaborated with a team of Thai engineers and concerned government agencies to create the electric-vehicle business. After years of research and development, the company's first electric vehicle for commercial purposes was introduced in 2002.

The company not only makes vehicles of its own design but also custom-made and modified products to customers' specifications.

Phakapapha, 33, the oldest sister, controls general management and marketing for EVT and her lubricant business. Krit, 25, who graduated with a major in automotive mechanical engineering from Chulalongkorn University, has taken direct responsibility for the company's road-car development.

He said EVT's electric road car had been developed step by step to maximise benefits. The company has concentrated on maximising travel distance per battery charge.

"We are trying to reduce the car's weight to achieve the highest efficiency and are also conducting research and development to integrate solar cells with the battery," Krit said, noting that the company's innovations came about through a process of trial and error.

He said a variety of designs were being developed, including a van and a 24-seat minibus. The sedan should be capable of 100km/h.

Phakapapha and Krit want to increase the value of the EVT brand by broadening the scope of their electric cars from golf carts.

They are also differentiating the business by focusing on service and logistics management on university campuses instead of traditional markets. For instance, the company's first lot of electric cars, 40-50 units, was granted a transport concession from Naresuan University in Phitsanulok. Under the concession, the company had to establish a logistics system on the campus to reduce energy use and motorcycle accidents. The company also manages transport for other institutions, including Khon Kaen University and Suranaree University of Technology in Nakhon Ratchasima and other government organisations, hospitals and others.

"We hope to add value to our brand as we foresee export opportunities from the Asean Economic Community," Krit said.

The company's current export markets include Burma, Laos, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. However, its electric tuk-tuks are exported worldwide.

Sales are about Bt100 million per year, with average growth of 5-10 per cent. EVT spends 10 per cent of its revenue on R&D.

For overseas business expansion, marketing strategy is aimed at competing with about five rivals. However, EVT is the only company to provide integrated service.