Dr.Thanakarn Wongdeethai, Strategist, Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), Assoc.Prof.Dr.Watcharapol Chayaprasert, Director of Logistics and Railway Research Program at the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), Mr.Pariphat Buranasin, Vice President of the Electric Vehicle Conversion Association of Thailand (ECAT), and group participants paid a visit to a prototype of electric vehicle conversion of pickup truck which research and development by Toyota Tsusho (Thailand) Co., Ltd. exhibited at the Idemitsu Super Endurance Southeast Asia Trophy 2023 on December 22nd-23rd 2023, at Chang International Circuit in Buriram Province, Thailand.

The prototype of EV Conversion pickup truck is older than 10-year-old and had been converted and sourcing part and components both locally and internationally. The prototype was succeeded design, engineering, and quality and safety tests in collaboration between Japan and Thailand engineers team by following a Japanese guideline. The vehicle had been registered as EV Conversion by Thailand’s Department of Land Transport and underwent endurance tests on the road over 7,000 km. This consider as an important step forward to strengthen technology development on EV Conversion industrialization to support high demand of users in the future.

It is possible that when all tests had been carried out successfully, the company shall review with the Thai Government on the direction and the clear policy. Whether if there would be a supportive mechanism from the Thai Government, then it may affect the development of action plan of the company to expand for commercialization subsequently. The development of collaboration and technological improvement on EV Conversion will further reduce emissions of PM2.5 and CO2, and hence contribute to the achievement of national targets.