The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has launched the EV for Win Rider project to promote the adoption of electric motorcycle taxis through a rental-and-trial pilot scheme. The initiative aims to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while lowering fuel costs for riders.
The programme is being implemented in partnership with GIZ, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), and the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT). Under the pilot, participants will test a lease-to-ride model priced between THB75 and THB140 (USD 2.5–4.49) per day. Charging infrastructure, including standard charging points and battery swapping facilities, will be prepared to support operational requirements.
In the first phase, more than 200 participants, including motorcycle taxi riders and BMA street sweepers in Din Daeng and Phaya Thai districts, will take part in trials and cost assessments. Thirty riders will be selected to operate electric motorcycles in real service for one month at no cost. Data from the pilot will inform potential city-wide expansion.
Bangkok has over 89,000 motorcycle taxi riders operating across more than 5,300 stands. Studies estimate that the current petrol-based fleet generates 80,000–100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, alongside significant PM2.5 emissions. The EV transition is positioned as part of Thailand’s broader strategy to improve urban air quality and promote low-carbon mobility.