On July 5, 2024, the Meeting Room MR 111, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok.
The Thailand Energy Storage Technology Association (TESTA), and its alliances from both public and private sectors jointly organized the Opening Ceremony of the “Thailand Standard Swappable Battery Consortium for Small e-Mobility” at the International Energy Storage Forum 2024 – 4th TESTA Annual Symposium. During the ceremony, Mr. Supachai Jaisamut, Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul), presided over the opening ceremony. The list of honorary representatives from both public and private sectors includes Mr. Danainat Chockamnuay, Advisor to the Minister of Industry, Dr. Sumittra Charojrochkul, Executive Director of the National Energy Technology Center (ENTEC), NSTDA, Dr. Kriengsak Wongpromrat, President of Thailand Automotive Institute, Mr. Krisada Utamote, President of Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand, and Dr. Pimpa Limthongkul, President of Thai Energy Storage Technology Association.
The consortium aims to reduce limitations in battery usage in Thailand, addressing issues of price, safety, and quality through the development of central standards for size, electrical systems, connectivity, and communication, in order to elevate Thailand’s electric vehicle industry to international standards.
Dr. Pimpa Limthongkul, President of Thailand Standard Swappable Battery Consortium for Small e-Mobility and Director of Energy Innovation Research Group at ENTEC, NSTDA explained that the consortium’s establishment arose from the necessity to mitigate constraints in the transition from combustion engine motorcycles to electric ones. This led to collaboration between ENTEC, NSTDA, under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), and nine private sector organizations, on a research project “Battery Swapping Platform – BATT SWAP” in 2021, supported by the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC). A key outcome of this research was the development of standard specifications for swappable battery packs for electric motorcycles, along with a prototype of swappable battery pack for testing. This initiative leads to the establishment of the “Thailand Standard Swappable Battery Consortium for Small e-Mobility”. The consortium’s primary objective is to foster synergistic collaboration among the educational institutes, government, and the private sector, with future expansion into industrial development and service provision of modern standard electric vehicles. Ultimately, the consortium aims to enhance competitiveness in the industry and ensure sustainable development for Thailand’s electrical vehicles sector. The event also featured a special lecture on “Global Innovations and Policy in End-of-life Battery Management” by Prof. Yan Wang, CEO and Co-Founder of AM Batteries, USA. Additionally, there was a panel discussion on “End-of-life Battery Management Policy in Thailand.” where experts and executives from relevant agencies exchanged opinions, knowledge, and policies, and promoted cooperation across all sectors. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Nattanai Kunanusont, researcher at the National Energy Technology Center (ENTEC), NSTDA.
Lastly, the event also included a series of lectures on innovation, technology, standards, safety, and battery management, presented by invited delegates from various countries. This provided an excellent opportunity for participants to gain new knowledge and perspectives, which will be highly beneficial for the future development of Thailand’s battery and electric vehicle industries.
