Very Words electric motorbikes were unveiled during the February 7 MoU signing ceremony. Environment ministry
South Korean manufacturer Very Words has announced plans to donate 8,000 electric motorcycles to the Ministry of Environment. In addition, the company plans to establish approximately 200 charging stations across the Kingdom, to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to Cambodia’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The donation was announced during the February 7 signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the ministry, Very Words and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).
The initiative aims to promote the use of high-quality, environmentally sustainable electric motorbikes in Cambodia.
Environment minister Eang Sophalleth explained that the 8,000 electric vehicles will be distributed to various state institutions students, and the private sector free of charge, without any conditions.
“I encourage the use of vehicles that do not emit greenhouse gases. Not just motorbikes, but electric cars as well, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, which is a key target of our government in driving Cambodia toward carbon neutrality by 2050,” he said.
Recently, Very Words invested more than $2 million into an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Kandal province and directly created 60 green job opportunities.
The minister noted that Cambodia welcomes this type of investment because it supports social efforts, boosts the economy and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the government is encouraging the use of green products and green investments. This push aims to help Cambodia achieve a 41.7 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and move toward carbon neutrality by 2050.
The company will also install at least 200 charging stations nationwide to support the use of the electric motorcycles.
“These stations will be installed in various places across the country, especially in Siem Reap province. I encourage the use of electric motorbikes in Siem Reap to make our tourist province cleaner, with cleaner air that attracts more tourists,” added the minister.
A joint press release explained that the partnership is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 5,040 tonnes annually. This is based on the average use of an electric motorbike for 40 kilometres per year. Additionally, 150 green jobs will be created.
In addition to the electric motorbikes and charging stations, the company will also provide two-years free servicing of the bikes.
The ministry will facilitate the transfer of the electric bikes and assess the development of the charging infrastructure.
The MoU is also an important step toward implementing a greenhouse gas reduction project that will be internationally recognised.
Additionally, the ministry will cooperate with partner institutions such as GGGI to help build the capacity of various ministries to raise awareness about the greenhouse gas reduction project and ensure compliance with the operational procedures outlined in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in Cambodia, as well as the laws, regulations and guidelines set by the government.
“Cambodia's ambitious climate targets are supported by Innovative solutions aimed at decarbonising key sectors,” explained Sophalleth.
He believed the MoU will strengthen Cambodia’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation and mobility sectors.
This aligns with the ministry’s Circular Strategy on Environment 2023-2028, the nation's participation in implementing international agreements on climate change and the long-term carbon-neutral development strategy, as well as the promotion of nationwide electric transportation.
Kim Sung-Woo, Very Words CEO, noted that through the Article 6 carbon financing framework, they made a bold investment decision to supply 8,000 scooters to Cambodian officials, enabled by the support of the South Korean government.
“This partnership aims to not only enhance climate mitigation actions in both countries but also replace air-polluting traditional motorcycles with high-quality, environmentally friendly electric scooters in Cambodia, accelerating the growth of the e-mobility industry,” he said.
Shomi Kim, GGGI Cambodia country representative, said, as a trusted advisor to the Cambodian government, GGGI is proud to support the pioneering initiative. The collaboration under the Article 6 framework accelerates global climate mitigation outcomes by channelling climate investment from developed countries to developing countries.
“With this innovative financing mechanism, using the robust rules offered by Article 6 to ensure the highest-level environmental Integrity, I am thrilled to witness the swift implementation of the infrastructure development and deployment of electric vehicles,” she said.
She expressed her appreciation to all parties involved – The Cambodian government and the government of South Korea – for their common interest in working together to implement internationally recognized GHG emission mitigation projects, as well as Very Words as a project proponent – for driving practical and sustainable solutions to advance the EV industry in Cambodia.
