Sharge Management Co, a provider of charging solutions for battery-powered vehicles, will replace oil-fuelled boats operated by Chao Phraya Express Boat Co with an electric mobility system to drive the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) industry in Thailand.
Chao Phraya Express Boat has run the service, carrying passengers between Bangkok and Nonthaburi, for 50 years.
Peerapatr Sirichantaropart, managing director of Sharge, said the company plans to develop a total of 30 electric boats and fast-charging facilities serving operators with 360-kilowatt direct current charging outlets.
The first charging outlet will be installed at Maharat pier. The number will increase to 40 within five years.
Each boat can carry between 200 and 250 passengers.
The new service is scheduled to start in the middle of this year, serving commuters travelling between Taksin Bridge and Nonthaburi, located north of Bangkok.
Chao Phraya Express Boat, currently operating 56 boats, will be the second boat service provider that uses battery-powered boats after Absolute Energy Plc, which launched an electric boat service in November 2020.
Natapree Pichaironarongsongkram, executive director of Chao Phraya Express Boat, said her company is adopting a policy of zero-emission vehicles in order to support the government's goal to create a low-carbon society.
New electric boats will be also designed to ensure more comfortable and safer services for passengers, she said.
Sharge is also planning to partner with 4-5 public transport operators which are interested in EV technology.
Mr Peerapatr declined to name the companies, saying only that they own almost 6,000 vehicles in total.
The new partnerships form part of Sharge's long-term business development plan which is aimed at having earnings from the transport sector make up half of total revenue by 2025.
Sharge plans to increase the number of new business partners to 50 from 27 firms in 2025, the same year the number of EVs on the road is set to increase to 1.05 million units, up from 40,000 units at present, under the state's EV target.
In 2022, Sharge plans to expand its EV charging business to housing and condominium projects whose construction was completed but lack EV charging infrastructure, according to Mr Peerapatr.
