NEX and AAB open factory to welcome BMTA, showcasing readiness to produce 1,520 electric buses

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn revealed that the government is preparing to move ahead with a common ticketing system for Bangkok and its vicinity's electric rail network, targeting implementation by January 1, 2027. The core features are a 17-baht entry fee and a maximum fare of no more than 45 baht per trip, with no repeat entry fee even when transferring between multiple rail lines. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, or MRTA, will manage the central system, which will also support EMV payment, with Krungthai Bank handling the back-end system and fare calculations between each operator. The priority is the Green Line, which currently uses the Rabbit card, and the Transport Ministry is in discussions on how to connect it to the EMV system in time for January 1, 2027, because the Green Line is the main axis linking to other key rail lines, including the Purple Line, the Blue Line, and routes to be opened in the future. On buses, Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, or BMTA, will receive 1,520 electric buses in 2027 between March and May and another 800 in late December, totaling 2,320 for the year, with a goal of converting all BMTA buses to electric by the end of 2027. The new electric bus fleet will be fully air-conditioned, with space for wheelchair users and ramps, a 50% fare discount for the elderly, a 50% discount for school and university students, and free fares for children under seven. The ministry is also preparing to adjust bus routes to serve as feeders, carrying passengers from communities and main roads to rail stations. For integrating water, road, and rail travel into a single system, Smart Pier aims to complete development of 16 of 29 piers by the fourth quarter of 2027, and any pier that is ready earlier can connect to the common ticket system immediately. Saen Saep Canal boats will also be brought into the system. On safety, the State Railway of Thailand, or SRT, plans to gradually fix railway-road crossings in inner Bangkok, targeting completion within six years and no more than ten years at most. For freight transport, the ministry envisions rail as the main axis in the future, with trucks serving as feeders for distances of no more than 150 kilometers from factories or industrial estates to railway stations, linking the northern, northeastern, central, and southern routes through to Malaysia and Singapore.

Tesla has secured an order for 50 all-electric Semi trucks from IMC Logistics, expanding its presence in the heavy-duty trucking market. The deal adds to growing commercial interest in Tesla's electric trucks as the company ramps up production and diversifies beyond passenger vehicles. The order follows Einride's planned deployment of 500 Tesla Semis, WattEV's order for 370 trucks and the ZET SCALE alliance's initial order for 2,500 electric Class 8 trucks, with Tesla selected as the primary manufacturer, though PACCAR's Kenworth and Volvo Group's Volvo are also on the supplier list. According to FreightWaves, the alliance, backed by shippers including Microsoft and PepsiCo, aims to expand its program to at least 10,000 trucks, and IMC will deploy its trucks for port drayage and freight routes connecting Southern California with inland destinations. Tesla's new Semi factory in Nevada opened in the last week of September, a 1.7-million-square-foot facility built to produce up to 50,000 trucks a year. The 50-truck order is unlikely to materially affect near-term revenue, and longer-term growth will depend on delivery execution, cost control and competitive operating economics.

Pilot and Tesla have opened their first Tesla Megacharger site at a Pilot travel center in Ellabell, Georgia, launching a new charging network at select Pilot locations designed to support heavy-duty electric trucks along major U.S. freight corridors. The site at Pilot #1390, located at 130 Interstate Exchange Way, has six heavy-duty charging stalls now open. Twelve additional heavy-duty charging locations are actively under construction, with three near completion and expected to come online soon: Flying J #1071 in Tulare, California, opening October 9, 2026; Flying J #553 in Fort Stockton, Texas; and Pilot #341 in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Each location will feature four to eight high-power charging stalls powered by Tesla's V4 cabinet technology, and according to Tesla each stall can deliver up to 1.2 megawatts of power, allowing a Tesla Semi to recover 60% of charge in 30 minutes. Pilot and Tesla announced their collaboration in January 2026, with plans to develop a network of Tesla Megachargers at select Pilot locations along I-5, I-10 and other major freight corridors across California, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada and Texas.

Harbinger Motors has secured a contract worth over $300 million to supply FedEx with 2,000 all-electric trucks. Harbinger Motors CEO John Harris announced the deal in an interview on Bloomberg Open Interest. Harris discussed how the EV maker plans to scale up production, what soaring fuel prices mean for large fleets, and why demand is surging even without new green regulations.

Zhongtong Bus issued an announcement on October 8 disclosing production and sales data for September 2026. Monthly production reached 1,341 vehicles, up 23.48% year on year; cumulative production for the year reached 11,100 vehicles, up 20.10% year on year. Monthly sales reached 1,124 vehicles, up 1.63% year on year; cumulative sales for the year reached 11,200 vehicles, up 24.41% year on year. In the first half of 2026, Zhongtong Bus achieved revenue of 4.014 billion yuan and net profit attributable to the parent of 283 million yuan.