Cambodia to have ‘at least 10’ EV stations by December

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and several petroleum companies have agreed to set up electric vehicle (EV) charging points. FRESH NEWS

PHNOM PENH (The Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Network): Cambodia aims to have “at least 10” operational electric vehicle (EV) charging stations nationwide by end-2022, in the capital and “key provinces”, according to the public works minister on March 22.

The remark comes just over a week after ministry spokesman Vasim Sorya affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to boosting the use of electric cars and buses by 40 per cent, and motorcycles by 70 per cent, by 2050, in accordance with the government’s long-term carbon-neutral development strategy.

Sorya noted that his ministry has already built 10 stations in “target provinces” in a trial, and that “several filling stations have also volunteered to build charging points”.

Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol told an event on March 22 that his ministry has been working with development partners and filling stations to advocate for the installation of EV charging points to promote use of the alternative fuel vehicles.

He said the UN Development Programme (UNDP) will set up four stations – one at ministry headquarters in Phnom Penh, and one at each of Battambang, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville towns. The minister had told a January 5 ministerial meeting that he had additionally asked the UNDP for a fifth station elsewhere in the capital.

“Petroleum companies like Caltex, Total and PTT have also agreed to install the charging points at their filling stations. So, hopefully, by the end of this year, we will have at least 10 charging stations in Cambodia.

“This is something that we want you to know: in addition to building infrastructure, we also contribute to keeping the environment clean,” Chanthol said.

He said his ministry would organise a showcase on March 26 with a panel discussion on the country’s strategy towards EVs, and had invited manufacturers of electric motorcycles and other vehicles to display their models at the event.

On March 11, the ministry organised an inter-ministerial workshop in collaboration with EnergyLab to investigate policies that could be adopted in the Kingdom to promote the use of EVs.

The workshop was attended by representatives of the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia, state-run energy supplier Electricite du Cambodge (EdC), the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance.

The ministry spokesman told The Post recently that the ministry has been “hard at work” taking actions to engage various stakeholders on potentially increasing the use of EVs in Cambodia, key of which includes organising workshops and cooperating with development partners to increase interest.

Sorya highlighted the ministry’s outreach to the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and “various other partners” to fund the introduction of more car charging stations in the capital Phnom Penh and the provinces.

The ministry has also collaborated with EdC to prepare to meet potentially increased demand for electricity at various stations, he said.