A man connects his electric vehicle (EV) to a charging station on the grounds of the public works ministry on July 9. Public works ministry
Cambodia introduced the National Policy on Electric Vehicle (EV) Development 2024-2030 today (July 11), targeting the registration of 770,000 EVs by 2030 to reduce environmental impact and seize new opportunities to boost economic base diversification.
According to the policy, by 2023, the country aims to register 25,000 cars and other light EVs and 5,000 heavy EVs, such as trucks, for business activities.
Over the same period, the use of electric motorcycles is expected to reach 720,000, while tuktuks are expected to hit 20,000.
"As the development of the EV sector in Cambodia is in its early stages, building an effective and efficient ecosystem for EVs requires high attention and active participation from relevant ministries and institutions, including the private sector. The focus will be on the supply, installation and distribution of EVs, technology and infrastructure support, especially the construction of power stations, waste management and environmental impact mitigation,” said the policy document.
"Through the introduction of this national policy, the Royal Government has shown a strong commitment and belief in developing the EV ecosystem in Cambodia. The goal is to promote the use of EVs in the medium and long term, contributing to the sustainable development of Cambodia by balancing economic, social and environmental aspects,” it added.
Prime Minister Hun Manet stated in the preface of the document that the EV sector is an urgent and necessary matter in preparing the country to seize new opportunities and contribute to the momentum of economic base diversification.
He said the sector will support the transformation towards higher value-added industries such as processing, electronics, manufacturing and vehicle assembly, as well as other industries that use advanced technology.
"[These initiatives] show the government's commitment to tackling climate change, especially achieving carbon neutrality by 2050,” he said.
According to Phorn Rim, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, as of the end of June, the country had 2,968 registered EVs, including 1,614 cars, 440 tuktuks and 914 motorcycles.
During the first six months of 2024, the number of registered electric cars increased by 508 per cent, electric motorcycles by 380 per cent, however the rate of new electric tuktuks decreased by 29 per cent compared to the same period last year.
