Three-wheeled vehicles, or tuk-tuks as they are known, are popular among tourists in Thailand due to their distinctive appearance and ability to provide a unique local experience. However, when start-up company Urban Mobility Tech (UMT) surveyed the pain points of passengers in Bangkok using public transportation, they responded that tuk-tuks did not have a standard price and the vehicles created noise and air pollution. In 2017, UMT decided to launch Muvmi, an electric tuk-tuk company, to provide an environmentally friendly and safe public transportation option to Bangkokians.
"We considered many kinds of vehicles, including motorcycles, buses, vans, tuk-tuks and mini pickup trucks with bench seats. We aimed to launch a vehicle that is easily accessible, reasonably priced, environmentally friendly, and safe. Therefore, we decided to launch electric tuk-tuks," explained Supapong Kitiwattanasak, co-founder of Muvmi.
At first glance, the Muvmi may look similar to a regular tuk-tuk. It was actually designed to be larger, so six passengers can ride in it more comfortably. The body of the vehicle is closer to the ground which makes it easier for vulnerable passengers to get in and out.
Over 400 Muvmis are currently available in 12 areas in Bangkok, including Chula-Samyan, Ari-Pradipat, Rattanakosin, Sukhumvit, Phahol-Kaset and On Nut. To use a Muvmi, passengers have to download the Muvmi app and specify their pickup and drop-off locations as well as the number of passengers. Muvmi encourages passengers to share a ride with others travelling in the same direction. Therefore, the price of a Muvmi for passengers who share a ride starts from only 10 baht per person. If a passenger prefers to ride alone, the price starts from 60 baht.
The co-founder of Muvmi said these EV tuk-tuks have become the main public transportation for locals.
"Before Muvmi was launched, Thais rarely used tuk-tuks. However today, Thais prefer to use Muvmi because it is easy to book through the app and affordable. Passengers gave positive feedback about the service and told us that they felt comfortable and safe during the ride. Passengers felt impressed and satisfied since the EV tuk-tuks from Muvmi are quiet and there is no noise," said Supapong.
Life spoke to Supapong, the co-founder of Muvmi, about the service, growth and future plans.
What was the main reason you decided to launch electric vehicles?
Energy cost is one of the major expenses for public transportation. Gasoline prices have been fluctuating a lot. We started discussing our energy options in 2015. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, gasoline prices were very high. They dropped during the pandemic, but have risen again. If our energy cost fluctuates with gasoline costs, we would be unable to control our budget. Moreover, we wanted to avoid polluting the community with exhaust fumes. So, we looked into electric energy as a more sustainable option for our growth.
How did Muvmi come up with the idea of 'ride sharing'?
From a business aspect, 'ride sharing' presents an opportunity to increase our revenue. From a social and environmental aspect, it is a way to reduce the number of vehicles on the streets. It is important to encourage people to use public transportation, and if passengers who go in the same direction can share a ride, we can effectively reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Our approach to ride-sharing is the result of our commitment to sustainability, the community, energy reduction and pollution reduction.
Since Muvmi services require using apps, does this mean elders are not seen as target customers?
Not at all. In fact, many older people use our service. They find it convenient to call a Muvmi using the app, so they do not have to wait for a long time for a vehicle. Our service targets people of all ages and particularly focuses on vulnerable groups. We found out that many older people are unable to go out during weekdays because their children are at work. Older people often go for short rides around their neighbourhood and do not want to use other public transportation apps as they are more expensive.
Does Muvmi attach solar cell panels to its vehicles?
No. Attaching solar cell panels to cars is not efficient, so we use solar cell chargers instead. One of the benefits of using electric or clean energy is that it opens up more possibilities for other clean and sustainable energy sources including wind energy in the future.
What is your opinion about having a nuclear power plant for generating electricity in Thailand?
I believe that every energy source has positive and negative aspects. The most important factor is we must have proper implementation of technology in the country. Negative aspects of nuclear power plants are not in the technology, but involve laws and problems within communities. We also have to discuss energy and national security. Countries that rely on other nations for their energy needs may face risks to their national security. We need to pursue energy sources that we can rely on ourselves. Technology and energy sources are subject to change, so in order to look ahead, we should pursue additional energy sources that can be used to substitute the declining sources.
How does Muvmi use the Internet of Things [IoT] to create a standard and safe service?
To keep our service quality consistent and safe, we use IoT to connect and control vehicles. IoT helps us to monitor the energy, the condition of the vehicles and other things so we can make sure the vehicles are ready to serve customers. Since we get many orders at once, we have to use IoT to manage data. This helps us keep track of the locations of the vehicles, the number of customers and where the vehicles are heading.
In addition to public transportation, how is Muvmi doing in terms of B2B business?
Now we have about 10 B2B partnerships whose employees are Muvmi passengers. They appreciate our safe and reliable service, so they request their companies to use Muvmi to transport them to and from work. Then, we introduced an affordable package deal for these companies.
Is it true that people also use Muvmi for private trips as well?
Yes, it is a growing business. Muvmi offers a tour around Rattanakosin Island as well as private group tours. Some people choose to use Muvmi for their weekend getaways. Muvmi is often a part of various events, including wedding receptions and grand openings.
Why didn't some negative comments on Muvmi Facebook receive any response?
Actually, there are no negative comments for us. Every comment is heard and used to improve. We admit that some problems may not be immediately solved, but any kind of feedback is welcome and all feedback is passed on to the CEOs. Some comments that we did not respond to on Facebook were addressed personally.
What is Muvmi's future goal?
Muvmi currently has over 400 vehicles, but we aim to have 1,000 vehicles by the end of this year. We have started testing an EV taxi service, but there has been no official launch yet. In the future, Muvmi plans to provide transportation services to rural areas, as many provinces are in need of reliable and efficient public transportation. However, this is still under discussion.
