PHNOM PENH, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia registered 14,056 electric cars or electric vehicles (EVs) between 2021 and May 2026, Ministry of Public Works and Transport spokesperson Phan Rim said on Monday.
"We have seen a significant increase in EV registrations since March, following the Middle East conflict that drove up fuel prices," he told Xinhua.
He added that approximately 3,693 EVs were registered between March and May of this year.
Additionally, the Southeast Asian nation recorded a total of 4,232 electric motorcycles and 741 electric three-wheelers as of May, the spokesperson said.
"EVs reduce fuel costs and eliminate tailpipe emissions," he said.
He identified BYD, GAC and Toyota as Cambodia's most popular EV brands.
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said rising fuel prices have acted as a key catalyst for consumers to switch to EVs.
"As fuel costs have climbed, more consumers have become interested in EVs because their operating costs are much lower than those of a gasoline or diesel-powered car," he told Xinhua. ■