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Energy Absolute Public Co Ltd (EA) welcomed members of the media on a tour of Absolute Assembly Co Ltd (AAB) in Chachoengsao’s Ban Pho district to observe the production and assembly of electric buses for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority’s (BMTA) project involving 1,520 clean-energy, air-conditioned buses. AAB, a Thai-owned manufacturer and assembler of commercial electric vehicles within the EA Group, has now begun production across all stages of the project, working alongside Nakhonchai Air and Nex Point Public Co Ltd (NEX).
Chatrapon Sripratum, chief executive of EA, said: “People rely on buses every day to get to work, go to school and return home. For everyone who steps on board, what matters is the confidence that they can travel safely. Our responsibility therefore begins while each bus is still in the factory. Today, we want the media to see how our Thai team in Ban Pho maintains the quality of every bus and to speak directly with the people who build them.”
During the visit, the AAB team guided the media through four key production stages, beginning with vehicle frame welding, followed by anti-corrosion treatment and painting, vehicle assembly and installation of the electric powertrain and interior equipment and finally testing of the vehicles and their systems before delivery. Staff at each station explained the processes and answered questions about quality and safety.
For EA’s commercial electric vehicle business, production for the BMTA project at AAB demonstrates how investment in manufacturing facilities and the development of Thai personnel are now supporting the needs of the public transport system. Experience gained from producing buses for a project of this scale will also provide a foundation for the EA Group to further develop other types of commercial electric vehicles to meet transport operators’ needs.
“This project will give Thailand both buses to serve the public and a Thai team with experience in manufacturing vehicles for public transport. The expertise gained, from structural work through to vehicle testing, will remain with our people here and can be applied to developing future models. Passengers and communities along the routes will also benefit from reduced exhaust emissions and noise when electric buses enter service to replace vehicles powered by internal combustion engines,” Mr Chatrapon said.
