Bangkok, Thailand — Nissan and the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) of Thailand have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to set up the needed infrastructure for EV charging stations prior to the upcoming launch of the Nissan LEAF.
According to a press release from Nissan Motor (Thailand) Co Ltd (NMT), the MOU was signed at the MEA’s Ploenchit office in Bangkok,with the aim of providing adequate access to charging stations at “home, work and on the road”.
MEA and Nissan will work together on service tools, usage and service manuals for charging systems, technical skills training, charging equipment development and an electric fee payment system.
Nissan said the agreement is another example of successful partnerships between the government, state enterprises and the private sector.
MEA Governor Chaiyong Puapongsakorn said the MEA, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2018, is aiming to become a technology leader in modern EVs and is preparing to support the growing use of electric cars in the future due to its eco-friendly qualities.
“This collaboration between MEA and Nissan is one of the meaningful opportunities to create more EV market penetration in Thailand,” he said.”The MEA will be the service provider of the electrical systems and related equipment at the charging stations to ensure confidence for Nissan customers as well as provide EV infrastructure training for Nissan Thailand employees.”
Chaiyong added that the collaboration also responds to the Energy Efficiency Plan (EEP 2015), which aims to promote the use of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) totaling 1.2 million units by 2036.
The MEA, meanwhile, has also launched the updated version of the “MEA EV Application” supporting both IOS and Android, allowing users to search the nearest charging station, book a charger in real time basis, control a charger through a remote system, show charging history, calculate energy saving rate, and other additional functions for more conveniences in the future.
NMT president Antoine Barthes, said, “We’ve sold more EV units in the world and we’ve been doing it longer than anyone else. The new Leaf is also an icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) – designed to create a safer, smarter driving experience.”
“This MOU is yet another milestone as Nissan brings its global leadership in electrification to Thailand. This is a landmark agreement for MEA and Nissan to work together to ensure that we have home charging options in place for LEAF customers ahead of the introduction of the vehicle in Thailand this fiscal year,” Barthes said.
Nissan declined to state the exact launch period of the LEAF, but many expect the car to be officially launched during the year-end period, which marks the final auto-buying season in Thailand.
