The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) is set to open bidding for the lease of 1,520 electric buses at the end of July 2025, as part of a broader strategy to modernize its fleet and reduce urban air pollution. The seven-year leasing project, with an estimated budget of 15.36 billion baht, is now in the final stage of preparing its Terms of Reference (TOR), according to a report by the Daily News Transport Innovation Team.
Once finalized, the TOR will be published on the BMTA website and shared with relevant agencies to gather feedback in line with the government’s public procurement procedures. The bidding process is open to all manufacturers, with no restriction on vehicle origin. The agency aims to finalize the winning bidder and sign contracts by September 2025 to ensure alignment with the fiscal year 2025 budget.
The first batch of 500 electric buses is expected to be delivered by August 2026. Another 500 units are scheduled for delivery within the following three to four months, with the entire fleet of 1,520 buses expected to be in service by early 2027. These vehicles will operate primarily in Bangkok’s inner city on congested routes such as Ratchadaphisek Road and Victory Monument, where electric vehicles are most effective in reducing emissions.
While awaiting the arrival of the new fleet, the BMTA plans to extend the service life of 2,395 older buses through maintenance and repairs valued at 1.41 billion baht. The repairs will be split into eight contracts covering various models, including air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses from manufacturers such as Hino, Isuzu, Daewoo, and Mitsubishi.
The agency has also outlined a plan to decommission its oldest buses, starting with non-air-conditioned red-and-cream models, once the new electric buses are in operation. This step is in line with government and Ministry of Transport policies aimed at curbing pollution and cutting down on costly repairs, which currently total around 1.4 billion baht annually.
Because the new lease program includes maintenance costs, the BMTA anticipates reduced future expenses related to upkeep. A second phase of fleet replacement is also under consideration, involving an additional 1,500 buses under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project is currently in its planning phase and intended to replace the remaining aging vehicles in service.
