CHO Unveils “ANKAI” Electric Bus AVIC-INTL and ANKAI Partner to Enter Thai Electric Bus Market

CHO Unveils “ANKAI” Electric Bus  AVIC-INTL and ANKAI Partner to Enter Thai Electric Bus Market 

On January 23, 2023, CHO, a Thai public company, held a ceremony to unveil the “ANKAI” electric bus. The bus was imported from China under a partnership agreement between CHO, AVIC-INTL, and ANKAI. Suradech Taevisukhanthai, CEO of CHO, said, “CHO is committed to the new energy business, including not only the sale of electric buses, but also the management of bus services. “We have been preparing to sell electric buses and other commercial electric vehicles in Thailand. We believe that success requires not only high-quality products, but also financial support for our customers. We have secured funding from financial institutions to support our import efforts. “We are also working to ensure that all of our electric vehicles in Thailand have maximum warranties. This will give our customers peace of mind and help them generate business revenue. “Finally, we have developed an electric vehicle charging station system in partnership with other companies. We are testing a back-end system that links the stations together through a blockchain system. This will make it easy for customers to pay for charging services immediately. We have charging stations in Bangkok, Rayong, and Khon Kaen. “We are grateful to AVIC for their support in bringing high-quality electric buses from ANKAI to Thailand. We have received strong interest from customers and expect to deliver about 100 buses to customers in the first quarter of 2023. “In addition to electric buses, we are also partnering with other companies to expand into the commercial electric vehicle market in Thailand.” Xiong Tao, vice president of AVIC-INTL, said, “We are honored to be a part of this event and to thank everyone for their cooperation in expanding the market for electric buses in Thailand. We believe that this market has a bright future. We have the technology to produce electric buses from China that is recognized and used in Europe. We are committed to supporting this market and are confident that today’s event will help to promote the use of electric vehicles in Thailand, as well as the opportunity to produce many of our electric buses in the future.” Gu Tengfei, sales manager of ANHUI ANKAI Automobile Co., Ltd., said, “We are delighted to be a part of this event. This is the beginning of a successful project for electric buses. We would like to thank everyone for their cooperation in making this happen in just seven months. We also thank the Thai government for its support of electric vehicles. “We are confident that our “ANKAI” products are environmentally friendly and high-quality products that will help CHO achieve its goals as mentioned by Suradech in a short time. We are also confident that we will deliver 100 electric buses in Thailand by 2023. Thank you for attending.” CHO also revealed that it had conducted a market survey of electric buses in Thailand for over three years. The survey found that consumers, including bus operators, want buses with the following features: Safety: The bus must be safe for passengers and drivers. Durability: The bus must be able to withstand the wear and tear of commercial use. Low maintenance: The bus must be easy to maintain. Long range: The bus must be able to travel a long distance on a single charge. CHO saw an opportunity in the Thai market when CAT-L, a Chinese battery maker, opened a factory in Rayong, Thailand. The batteries used in the ANKAI buses can be charged quickly or normally, making them convenient for customers. Based on the market survey results, CHO decided to become the sole distributor of ANKAI electric buses in Thailand. The ANKAI buses are made of magnesium alloy, which is lightweight but strong. They also have electric motors, electric steering, suspension, and air conditioning systems. CHO has received positive feedback from bus operators and has partnered with other companies to distribute the ANKAI buses nationwide. CHO also plans to open a factory to assemble bus parts and to collaborate with ANKAI to transfer manufacturing technology. This partnership is a significant step for CHO in its expansion into the bus market.