Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, BYD Auto Industry, has invested in the sector by installing about 200 EV charging stations across Cambodia.
Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport met with BYD Auto Industry, led by Henry Yip, Regional Director, and Huan Ya He Zhong (Cambodia) Trading Co., Ltd, headed by Marco Mok, CEO of BYD Cambodia.
They discussed work to find measures and methods to promote the use of electric vehicles in Cambodia, according to the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation’s Facebook page on November 25.
Chanthol mentioned the progress of the use of EVs in Cambodia and the cooperation of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport with development partners, such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which has jointly launched a Road Map and provided four EV charging stations in order to build people's confidence in the use of EVs and expand the installation of EV charging stations in Cambodia.
Marco Mok, CEO of BYD Cambodia, said the goal is to participate in expanding the use of EVs based on the vision towards the use of Green New Energy and the Green Plan of 2022 to 2023.
The company has presented plans to install 200 EV charging stations in different locations throughout Cambodia by 2023. Through this project, the company has requested that the Ministry of Public Works and Transport coordinate with professional institutions and relevant authorities to find locations to install those power stations.
In addition, the company has promised to import more EVs with the latest technology in Cambodia and has proposed to the Ministry to formulate a policy to encourage people to turn to EVs, as well as expand the technical team to be able to repair and replace EV parts as needed.
The Ministry has given permission to install EV charging stations at the 25 Departments of Public Works and Transport in the capital and provinces.
The government has established a working group of inter-ministerial commissions, headed by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, to develop legal standards and develop various strategies, such as the reduction of import duties on EVs, and submit them to the government to promote the use of EVs.
The Minister agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and BYD to train officials as well as Cambodian students to take short courses at BYD or in Cambodia, as the Ministry is implementing with Ford.
The Minister of Public Works and Transportation asked the company to consider discounting EVs if there is an order from the relevant government ministries and institutions.
According to UNDP Cambodia, Cambodia reduced import duties on electric vehicles in 2021 to about 50 percent lower than taxes on traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. This is providing an incentive for people to shift towards EVs.
The Government is further encouraging investments in EV assembling plants in Cambodia. This move has the potential to create more green jobs and investments and help position Cambodia in the emerging global and regional supply chains for EVs.
