Luang Prabang mulls electric cars

LUANG PRABANG  UNESCO’s World Heritage town, Luang Prabang, will introduce electric vehicles, March 2015, to reduce pollution in the popular tourists town.
According to a Lao News Agency report, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide USD4 million to import 100 electric vehicles to Luang Prabang.
The Lao-Green Company general director, Akhom Phommahane, was quoted as saying: “We are discussing import details for 14 electric vehicles.”
“If successful, the project will be the first of its kind to be launched in any world heritage town in ASEAN.”
inside no 1All vehicles in the town are using diesel or gasoline, causing considerable air pollution in the town, which nestles in a valley surrounded by mountains, a bowl-like terrain that traps pollution.
Forest burning is also a major cause of haze every year between March and April, but the increase in vehicles as tourism expands is a threat to air quality, year-round.
Town officials said an electric vehicle station is now under construction.
The director added that it was also possible electric vehicles would be introduced in Vientiane, Savannakhet and Champassak.
Luang Prabang is a city located in north central Laos and about 300 km north of Vientiane. It was classified in the World Heritage List in 1995 by UNESCO.

sourced:ttrweekly.com