Thailand’s passenger bus market benefits from Euro 5 standard
New Euro 5-certified diesel buses popular, Scania reports
After Thailand adopted the Euro 5 standard for diesel fuel on January 1, several public and private operators switched to Euro 5-certified vehicles, pushing the sales of Euro 5 passenger buses at an unprecedented rate, Scania Siam Ltd, an industry leader, reported on Saturday.
The company said its latest New Bus Generation Euro 5 model, which was launched in March, was already sold out in the first lot.
Some 70% of the customers are operators of public buses, while 20% are tour guides, and 10% are factory operators that need buses to transport their staff, said the company’s sales manager Prot Chotinant.
He explained that Euro 5 diesel fuel is cleaner than Euro 4 fuel, with lower levels of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. These pollutants can contribute to respiratory problems, heart disease, and other health problems.
“Business entrepreneurs realised that Euro 5 buses are in line with their environmental policies. Many of their clients also set Euro 5 certification as one of the contract prerequisites, therefore choosing appropriate buses could increase business’ competitiveness,” he said.
Furthermore, Euro 5 buses’ lower emission level could benefit businesses that are trying to earn carbon credits or reduce their carbon footprint, he added.
Prot added that government agencies also updated their vehicle procurement criteria after the adoption of Euro 5 standards, which greatly helped increase the demand from government clients.
Meanwhile, several countries now mandate that passenger buses used in tour-guide businesses must comply with Euro 5 standards in line with sustainable tourism policy, he said, adding this could reshape the future of vehicle demand in the tourism industry.
Prot said Scania’s new Euro 5 model is 8% more fuel-efficient than the previous models, which are certified at only Euro 3. Its selective catalytic reduction technology also helps reduce fine dust particles under 2.5 micrometres in diameter, or PM2.5, by up to five times.
