Peerapat Sirichanrophas Create an electric car ecosystem Complete charging service provider

Peerapat Sirichantharopas
Managing Director
SHARGE Management Company Limited (SHARGE)

Create an electric vehicle ecosystem
One-stop charging service provider

When the government and various organizations Starting to turn more interested in clean energy It is therefore like the energy market is about to be completely reset and create opportunities for new players who are not traditional energy producers, such as technology companies. Electrical appliance manufacturing company Or even ordinary people who have free space can step into the clean energy industry for electric cars. It doesn't always have to be the same gas station.

Currently, the trend of using alternative energy has become a trend that is accepted and supported internationally. This can be seen from the policies of many countries around the world that have guidelines for all sectors to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and support investment in clean energy to improve the climate. And one of the most interesting clean energy trends to watch today is electric vehicles.

Finance Bank interviewed Peerapat Sirichantharopas, Managing Director of Charge Management Co., Ltd. (SHARGE), a leader in creating an EV Charging Ecosystem to meet the needs of sustainable lifestyles, about the origins of SHARGE, and his perspective on the overall electric vehicle industry in Thailand.

Create a complete electric vehicle ecosystem
It is the core of SHARGE.

Peerapat explained that before becoming the founder of the EV Charging business, he worked as a financial analyst at KPMG before becoming a consultant for The Quant Group on legal measures and policies to promote the use of electric vehicles abroad.

“I've been interested in electric vehicles since I was a student. Furthermore, while I was abroad, Tesla was just beginning its American market presence. This gave me the opportunity to pass by Tesla showrooms every day while traveling. Plus, I'm already a car enthusiast. This sparked the idea of ​​starting a business related to electric vehicles, which I believe is a promising area for future growth.”

When studying the electric vehicle industry, Peerapat says what he really sees is the vast growth opportunities in the energy sector. He points out that global warming has been discussed for so long that it has become a key global issue of interest. Pollution and health issues have become increasingly important global trends. Furthermore, governments and organizations around the world are increasingly supporting the use of clean and renewable energy.

This has led many major automakers to begin producing low-emission vehicles to comply with government regulations in many countries. As governments and organizations become more interested in clean energy, it's like the energy market is about to be completely reset, creating opportunities for new players outside of traditional energy producers, such as technology companies, appliance manufacturers, or even individuals with available space to enter the clean energy industry for electric vehicles. It doesn't always have to be a gas station.

“After recognizing the opportunity, we began researching EV charger providers in countries where EV adoption is widespread, such as Europe, to determine which European market setups, stations, charging systems, and equipment were suitable for use in Thailand. We then imported them for trial installation and marketing, eventually launching the market with installation at Central Embassy for the first time.”

SHARGE's first step in becoming an electric vehicle charging service provider has thus grown into a business that fully supports the creation of an ecosystem for the growth of electric vehicles. This business aims to be a comprehensive electric vehicle charging service provider, offering both the distribution of charging equipment for installation in residential and lifestyle areas, as well as the development of charging stations nationwide.

The Thai electric vehicle industry is in its infancy.

Regarding Thailand's electric vehicle industry, Peerapat believes that Thailand still lacks its own car brand. Furthermore, both Chinese and European brands have begun to introduce electric vehicles into the Thai market. Consequently, Thais are currently relying on foreign brands to enter the market. However, it's encouraging to see that Thais are beginning to show some interest in electric vehicles.

The prices of electric vehicles imported for sale in Thailand are mostly comparable to those of luxury cars. Currently, there are few options available for prices comparable to those of conventional vehicles. This makes electric vehicles currently considered expensive and not yet widely accepted.

Furthermore, when compared globally, Thailand is still considered at a starting point. Electric vehicle sales in Thailand account for less than 1% of the total vehicle market, compared to 5% in Europe and 20% in China. This is because governments in countries with high EV adoption rates are actively promoting electric vehicle adoption. However, it's surprising that, in terms of actual sales, the United States has a similar share of electric vehicle sales to Thailand.

“Even though America has Tesla, the flagship of electric vehicles, the American auto market is so large that when comparing the proportion of all cars to electric vehicles, the number of electric car users in America is still not very high.”

Peerapat added that the key to the current popularity of electric vehicles is government facilitation for both manufacturers and consumers. Considering countries with rapidly growing electric vehicle markets, such as China and Norway, this is largely due to government support, including mandatory emissions laws, facilitation for manufacturers, and assistance with vehicle price ceilings for consumers.

However, despite the lack of popularity of electric vehicles, one area where they still hold an advantage over combustion-engine vehicles is their lower maintenance costs than conventional vehicles in almost every respect. This includes less maintenance, fewer spare parts, the need for engine oil or transmission fluid changes like conventional combustion-engine vehicles, and the cost of refueling. Electric vehicles are approximately three times cheaper than combustion-engine vehicles. Therefore, price is another factor that will significantly impact the global automotive market for electric vehicles.

Regarding the growth of electric vehicles worldwide, currently only 2-4% of the total number on the road is due to the fact that combustion engine vehicles have been in production and use for approximately 50 years worldwide. However, if we look at the annual sales of electric vehicles, it can be seen that approximately 10% of the total number of vehicles sold are electric.

Therefore, with governments in many countries pushing for legislation requiring car manufacturers to produce and sell electric vehicles to reduce pollution, and with consumers in many countries having government support for lower prices, consumers are becoming more interested in electric vehicles. Furthermore, major car manufacturers are now starting to seriously establish electric vehicle production facilities, including Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. Overall, people are becoming more interested in electric vehicles every year.

Open model SHARGE charger provider
Truly meets the needs of users    

Regarding SHARGE's business model, Peerapat explained that it is divided into two main models: 1. Selling chargers and solutions, and 2. Setting up stations and selling energy. SHARGE's main business partners are real estate and automotive companies, with whom SHARGE sets up charging stations in villages and condominiums, as well as providing charging installation services for customers of car companies selling electric vehicles. The second is partners who provide service points at various locations, such as department stores, gas stations, and office buildings.

In terms of charger management, if the chargers are installed in various locations, SHARGE can check the status of the chargers to determine which are working and which are faulty. However, for customers who purchase chargers for installation in their homes or condominiums, the company cannot check whether the chargers are working or not, as this is a personal matter. However, if the chargers experience problems, the company has a team available to call and is ready to provide assistance at any time.

In addition, SHARGE also offers an app for customers to check which public charging stations are available. Customers can reserve a queue and select their charging type in advance. They can also check charging status and pay for energy through the app.

SHARGE has recently launched a token offering to facilitate customer energy payments. Further features may be added in the future. This will be the first area customers will experience tangibly, as EV owners will need an app to locate charging points.

"SHARGE is now fully equipped to provide comprehensive services to electric vehicle users. SHARGE's equipment and chargers meet world-class standards, and the company's application is developed and maintained entirely by the company itself. This allows the company to continually adapt the application to meet market demands and truly meet user needs."

5-year roadmap
Target sales of 3,000 million baht 

Peerapat believes that within the next five years, electric vehicle use will grow exponentially, driven by both global megatrends and government support, as well as environmental issues, the key issues mentioned above. Thailand itself has found that 27% of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the transportation sector, so it is expected that Thailand will be another country that is aware of this trend.

Therefore, SHARGE has laid out a 5-year roadmap with a sales target of 3 billion baht, implemented through the LIFESTYLE CHARGING ECOSYSTEM strategy to complement the lifestyles and facilitate sustainable living for customers, along with the use of electric vehicles in Thailand, focusing on target groups based on consumer behavior, including 3,000 groups:

NIGHT : This group of users focuses on home charging, which accounts for the largest proportion, or 80% of all electric vehicle users. Studies of electric vehicle user behavior in the United States, China, and Europe found that most prefer to charge at home at night because it's convenient and fits into their daily lifestyle, where most people park their cars at home at night. Furthermore, home charging has a lower electricity cost.

DAY : The group of charging service users who focus on charging at destinations, such as charging at shopping malls, lifestyle centers, educational institutions, and office buildings, will account for 15% of the total.

ON THE GO : The group of charging service users who focus on charging and want to charge at charging stations while traveling across provinces or when traveling, this group will have the smallest proportion at 5% of the total number of consumers.

For its strategy to penetrate all three target customer groups, SHARGE has partnered with various business sectors to reach customers who best match consumer behavior. This includes providing charging solutions to partners to specifically align with the lifestyles of each customer group.

Starting with the NIGHT group, which has partnered with five leading Thai real estate developers to install charging equipment in all types of residential projects, including single-family homes, townhouses, and condominiums, SHARGE currently has charging heads covering more than 25,000 households that plan to use SHARGE's equipment installation services. This group of customers who want to install charging equipment in their homes will support SHARGE in becoming the number one service provider.

As for the strategy to penetrate the DAY customer group, SHARGE has joined hands with more than 7 leading shopping centers and car manufacturers, divided into 5 shopping centers and 2 car manufacturers, to install charging heads at shopping centers and showrooms. Most recently, charging heads were installed at Central Embassy and Central Chidlom, and the company is overseeing the charging service system.

Peerapat added that the chargers provided by SHARGE include charging heads that can support all types of charging, including standard and fast charging, depending on the type of charging the vehicle uses. Most all-electric vehicles can be charged using either standard or fast charging, depending on the type of charging head used. Plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, can only be charged using standard charging, with charging times ranging from 5 minutes to 10 hours, depending on the battery type.

"Of course, charging electric vehicles will still be at a disadvantage in terms of charging time compared to conventional gasoline vehicles. However, what gives electric vehicles an advantage over conventional combustion-powered vehicles is that they can be recharged anywhere there's a charger, whether at home, at work, or at a shopping mall. This is unlike gasoline-powered vehicles, which require driving to a gas station to refuel. Furthermore, charging technology is constantly improving, so we're still just at the beginning."

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