Background
Transport sector emissions in Asia and the Pacific are growing faster than anywhere else in the world, accounting for about 40 per cent of the overall emissions. Much of the region still needs significant transport investment to support economic development and meet growing mobility needs.
Electric mobility offers a transformative opportunity to shift toward sustainable transport systems—reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and enhancing energy security. While the region lead both the production and adoption of electric vehicles globally, several challenges remain for scaling up investments:
- Policy and regulatory uncertainty
- Perceived technology and market risks
- Lack of e-mobility infrastructure and supporting ecosystems
- Absence of bankable business models and projects
- High cost of capital and limited access to affordable, long-term financing
Since 2021, ADB has partnered with GEF and UNEP on the Global Electric Mobility Program, leading the E-Mobility Support and Investment Platform for Asia and the Pacific. This knowledge platform promotes e-mobility scale-up through dialogue, knowledge exchange, and network formation.
The GCF-supported E-Mobility Program, which became effective in November 2024, provides technical assistance and investment in climate-resilient, low-emission mobility systems across Armenia, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Nepal, and Uzbekistan.
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Event Details
- Where: InterContinental Bangkok by IHG, Bangkok, Thailand
- Format: In-person with site visits, plenary sessions, panel discussions, thematic sessions, and capacity-building workshops
- Participants: Government representatives, industry stakeholders, financial institutions, development partners, technology providers, and researchers from across Asia and the Pacific
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Workshop Objectives
The workshop brings together electric mobility stakeholders from across multiple countries to promote dialogue and identify solutions to unlock financing for e-mobility deployment. Participants will:
- Gain insights into the latest advancements in e-mobility technology, policy, financing schemes, and business models
- Develop a common understanding of region-specific barriers to financing e-mobility deployment
- Identify potential policy, regulatory, and business model solutions to address financing challenges
- Promote regional knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer learning, and network building
- Provide inputs to inform future activities of the E-Mobility Support and Investment Platform
The workshop features a hands-on training component for selected government representatives on developing bankable, context-relevant e-mobility projects.
Key Themes
The four-day program explores critical topics for advancing e-mobility financing:
- State-of-play: Status and trends in e-mobility policies and financing across Asia and the Pacific
- Access to financing: Facilitating financial flows to e-mobility projects from public and private sources
- Innovative policies: Regulations and interventions that mainstream e-mobility, including low-emission zones and just transition approaches
- Business models: Battery leasing, public-private partnerships, and other innovative financing mechanisms
- Battery management: Circularity, end-of-life policies, and second-life applications
- Private sector engagement: Investment opportunities and partnerships for scaling e-mobility
Day one features a site visit to electric vehicle deployments in Bangkok, including electric buses, ferries, and trucks, organised in cooperation with EVAT and Energy Absolute.
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Supporting Organizations
The workshop is organised with support from:
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) – Host organisation
- Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
- Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT)
In cooperation with:
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Next Steps
Following the workshop, participants will continue collaboration through the E-Mobility Support and Investment Platform, working to implement financing solutions and share learnings across the region.
ADB and UNEP will jointly release a comprehensive report on electric bus deployment strategies during the event, providing practical guidance for cities and countries advancing public transport electrification.
The platform will continue to facilitate regional knowledge exchange and support the development of bankable e-mobility projects, contributing to climate goals and cleaner, more sustainable transport systems across Asia and the Pacific.
Enquiries: yeonju.jeong@un.org
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