Thai Smile Bus (TSB) has announced ambitious plans to expand its electric bus fleet. Media reports indicate that the public transport operator intends to incorporate 1,083 electric buses into its fleet by the conclusion of 2023. This move will bring TSB’s total fleet to 3,100 electric buses, complemented by 483 natural gas buses. Notably, TSB has already integrated nearly 800 new electric buses into its operations during the current year.
While specific technical details about the existing electric buses in service and the manufacturer responsible for delivering the newly announced 1,000 units remain undisclosed, TSB’s expansion plans align with the Thai government’s broader strategy to increase the prevalence of electric buses in the Bangkok metropolitan area. The government aims to have 8,000 electric buses operating in the region by the year 2025.
This concerted effort toward electrification is not exclusive to TSB. The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the state-owned Transport Co. have also set ambitious targets. Their collective goal is to phase out all diesel buses with electric counterparts by 2025. Currently, BMTA manages approximately 3,000 buses operating on over 100 routes, highlighting the scale of the transition to sustainable and eco-friendly public transportation in Thailand.