According to a report issued Thursday by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT), Cambodia had registered 2,513 electric cars or electric vehicles (EVs) as of October 2024.
The three most popular EV brands in the Southeast Asian country are China’s BYD, Japan’s Toyota, and America’s Tesla.
Speaking at an EV showcase event at the MPWT in Phnom Penh, Peng Ponea, minister of public works and transport, said using EVs saves on fuel costs, with low or zero emissions.
“EVs have gained popularity in Cambodia, and the kingdom aims to increase the number of EVs to 30,000 by 2030,” he said. “Using EVs has importantly contributed to reducing the impact of carbon dioxide emitted from petrol-powered vehicles.”
Ponea said the country currently has 21 EV charging stations.
According to the MPWT’s report, the kingdom registered 1,329 electric motorcycles and 478 electric three-wheelers as of October this year.
The report said Cambodia currently has more than 7.6 million petrol-driven vehicles, 85 percent of which are motorbikes and three-wheelers, 10 percent are cars, and 5 percent are buses, lorries, and heavy machinery.
The government is committed to reducing carbon emissions by achieving a 40-percent target for electric cars and urban buses and a 70-percent target for electric motorbikes by 2050.
MoeurngSokmeng, a sales supervisor at MingyangGuoji Co., Ltd., the sole agent of China’s Hongqi Brand in Cambodia, said that since the government has encouraged the import of EVs, consumers’ interest has significantly increased because of the EVs’ advantages, such as saving on fuel costs and environmental friendliness.
“We have sold a lot of EVs, both small-scale and large-scale EVs, and our EVs have received considerable support and admiration from consumers for their high quality,” she told Xinhua. Xinhua