The Cambodian government has set an ambitious goal to boost the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country to 30,000 by 2030, according to the National Policy on the Development of EVs 2024-2030 released on Thursday.
In addition to increasing electric cars, Cambodia plans to expand the number of electric scooters to 720,000 and three-wheeler electric vehicles to 20,000 by 2030.
“The national policy aims to transform Cambodia into a leading country in electric vehicle adoption, supporting sustainable development and enhancing the well-being of its people,” the government stated.
The popularity of EVs in Cambodia is rising due to their lower fuel costs and environmental benefits. “Operating an EV costs just 9,633 riels (2.35 U.S. dollars) for every 100 kilometres, compared to 35,723 riels (8.71 dollars) for petrol or diesel vehicles,” the release highlighted.
Currently, Cambodia has registered 1,614 electric cars, 914 electric scooters, and 440 three-wheeler electric vehicles, along with 21 EV charging stations.
The most popular EV brands in Cambodia include China’s BYD, Japan’s Toyota, and America’s Tesla, as reported by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
To encourage EV adoption, the Cambodian government has reduced import duties on EVs since 2021, making them about 50 per cent cheaper than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.
Udom Pisey, an EV manager at Car4you Co., Ltd., which imports Letin Mengo EVs from China, pointed out that EVs have significantly fewer moving parts than petrol or diesel vehicles, resulting in lower maintenance and repair costs.
“Using EVs not only saves money on fuel but also helps reduce air pollution,” she added.
