On the 3rd of June the SMMR team participated in the ‘National Workshop on Transitioning to Electric Mobility in Lao PDR’. The event was co-organised by Lao MPWT, the SMMR project, UNESCAP, and the Lao Automotive Industry Association.The event brought together +100 participants from the public and private sectors. Following a series of welcoming remarks from the Vice Minister of the MPWT, UNESCAP, GIZ, and the Lao Automotive Industry, the workshop featured the following Sessions:
- Developing Electric Mobility Policy and Strategy for Lao PDR – featuring the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, the Ministry of Energy and Mines, DoT MPWT, and Bounma Thor (GGGI)
- International Experiences on Transition to Electric Mobility in Public Transport – featuring Yossapong Laoonual, Souliyo Vongdala, Conrad Richardson, Yutong Group, and Gautam Patel
- The Promotion of EV in Laos: Issues, Challenges and Private Sector Perspectives – featuring the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Nepal
- Policy and Roadmap for promotion of EV in Lao PDR – featuring UNESCAP (Fadiah Achmadi), Global Green Growth Institute, Dominika Kalinowska, Ministry of Energy and Mines
We are very pleased to see Lao PDR ramping up efforts toward Electric Mobility and we very much look forward to supporting and supplementing these activities.
During the SMMR mission in Lao PDR SMMR took the opportunity to see first-hand the available EV charging infrastructures. This included a site visit of the 20 vehicle charging stations in Vientiane. This represents a small but meaningful start to the local EV transition. The Lao PDR government has committed to 30% EV by 2030. This is part of a broader strategy to reduce fuel imports and emissions. To encourage the transition the government has lowered import taxes and road taxes on electric vehicles. This comes at a good time. Lao PDR currently has the highest fuel costs in ASEAN and faces a fuel-shortage (long queues can be seen at the petrol pumps), yet Laos has an abundance of green energy from hydro (66% of the energy mix), wind, solar and waste sources.
To support these activities the SMMR team will be drafting ASEAN guidelines for Light Electric Vehicle. Moreover, we are also contributing to the electrification of the transport sector through the development of a cross-border cable car intended to link Vientiane in Lao PDR with Nong Khai in Thailand (more news coming soon).