Environmental problem and climate change caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emission are a big issue. Many countries have made an agreement to reduce GHG emissions. The transport sector accounts for 18% (EIA, 2015b) of global energy-related GHG emissions. Therefore, electric vehicles (EVs) have been getting attention to development again. A number of hundreds EVs in 2005 was increasing to be more than 1.26 million in 2015. New registrations of electric cars (including both battery electric and plug-in hybrids) increased by 70% between 2014 and 2015, with over 550,000 vehicles being sold worldwide in 2015. China is the largest market for electric vehicle in 2015 with over 200,000 new registrations. The second is the United States with about 110,000. However, about 90% of car sales took place in eight main electric car markets: China, the United States, Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and France. Norway is the highest market share of electric cars with 23% followed by the Netherlands at 10%. However, the number of electric vehicles around the world is still very low compared with all of vehicles. The proportion is only 0.1% of electric cars, excluding electric motorcycles that accounts for one-fifth of all motorcycles.
The need of technology and the government policy are a major driving force in the development of electric vehicles to have lowered vehicle costs, extended vehicle range and encouraged consumers to access electric vehicles more easily. Promotion and support to the development and installation both public and private charging stations, development of battery technology for electric vehicles that make current cost was down from the year 2008 up to 4 times and also have better energy density are the major policies that result in the growth of electric vehicles in Europe. The electric vehicles were developed to travel more distance for one time of charging. For example, “Tesla Model S” of Tesla Motor, Inc. can travel over 300 kilometers per one time of charging. It is reasonable of practical use in everyday life. However, electric vehicles are still very expensive compared to conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) vehicles. In comparison, the same model of vehicle, the electric type (Mitsubishi i-MiEV) has double cost of the ICE type (Mitsubishi Colt).
Trend to produce electric vehicles in Thailand
Nowadays, in Thailand, most of EVs are hybrid electric vehicles that have only added fuel. Numbers of plug-in electric vehicle are very rare. Statistics from the Department of Land Transport as at December 31, 2016, the cumulative number of registered EVs is 1,488 units. There are 1,356 units of electric motorcycles, 54 units of electric cars, 61 units of electrics buses and a few of others, where the number of vehicles registered total of more than 37 million vehicles nationwide.
Over the past few years, Thailand has started to research and build battery electric vehicles by altering ICE car as electric car. It also has a partnership with the manufacturer of electric vehicles in Japan to test a prototype of the small electric vehicle for further commercial. Recently, Thai brand electric vehicle, VERA V1, has been launched. It claimed to have performance equivalent to 1500 cc. engine and can travel up to 180 kilometers per one time of charging. VERA V1 uses the chassis of an electric vehicle brand from China to put the propulsion system and management system of its own design. Main components of VERA V1 (i.e. Battery and electric motor) still have to be imported with very expensive cost. The battery cost is about a half of the VERA V1 sale price. Therefore, the VERA V1 price is double higher that the ICE car in the same class.
We can see that the main barrier of producing an electric vehicle today is a very high cost of the battery and motor, in which, Thailand still need to import from other countries. To encourage manufacturing of electric vehicle in the country, the government policy should support taxes and price the imported major parts (battery and motor) for electric vehicles. Restructuring the tax structure of electric vehicle is to be lower than other vehicles that still use the engine. The government should make promotion for buying the electric cars of the consumer. Moreover the government should have a plan to promote and support the construction and installation of electric vehicle charging station to cover and enough to use. Another equally important is the issue of the electrical supply or power plant that should be sufficient for unpredictable electrical power demand. Finally, a small issue but very important to the production and use of electric vehicles is going to be sustainable is to prepare in terms of maintenance, technology of service center, spare parts and related personnel at all levels.
Evolution of the global electric car stock, 2010-2015
References:
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2016) “Global EV outlook 2016: Beyond one million electric cars”. IEA Publications, Paris, France. Retrieved from: http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/Global_EV_Outlook_2016.pdf
มหาวิทยาลัยเทคโนโลยีพระจอมเกล้าธนบุรี (2558) “การศึกษาการพัฒนาเทคโนโลยีของยานยนต์ไฟฟ้าและผลกระทบที่เกิดขึ้นสำหรับประเทศไทย”. รายงานการวิจัย พัฒนาและวิศวกรรม ฉบับสมบูรณ์ รหัสโครงการ P-12-01114. ดาวน์โหลดจาก: http://energyforum.kmutt.ac.th/download.php
