Students rely on mobility services every day to reach school, work and community life. Their dependence on public and informal transport gives them direct insight into how mobility performs under real conditions. This creates a significant opportunity, as cities are home to millions of young people with creative skills and innovative ideas about the future of the places they live in.

The Empower E-Mobility Challenge harnessed these perspectives by asking students in Bangkok to develop practical solutions for the city’s electric mobility future. By bringing their perspectives into the transition design, the Challenge has helped to identify adoption barriers and capacity gaps for electric mobility early, while strengthening inclusive and effective implementation as electric mobility scales.

The Challenge, co-organized by ESCAP, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the International Labour Organization with support from the Thailand–UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) programme, illustrated how youth insights can inform implementation. To ensure the ideas reflected real world conditions, proposals were reviewed by representatives from private sector companies across Bangkok’s electric mobility ecosystem.

Structured across high school, university and vocational categories, submissions to the Challenge were evaluated for sustainability, inclusivity, feasibility and creativity. The Challenge received submissions from 178 students across 54 teams, and the competition achieved gender parity (51% female and 49% male), which meant the entrants reflected the diversity of everyday transport users. 

More than half of all ideas (51%) focused on infrastructure design, with a further 17% on improvements to charging infrastructure, as well as others on awareness-raising campaigns and more.

The first-place concepts show how these shared priorities translated into distinct approaches to inclusive progress.

In the high school category, the winners Boon Uthaisang and Poon Uthaisang from Harrow International School proposed upgrading existing motorcycle taxi stands with plug-in EV charging and improved lighting, allowing drivers to charge while waiting for passengers. The student’s carried out surveys which underscored the need: 62% of drivers cited the lack of charging at stands as a key barrier to switching, while 47% of residents reported avoiding motorcycle taxis at night due to poor lighting. In Bangkok, a city where motorcycle taxis account for 2 to 3 million trips each day, these constraints comprise significant modal share. By improving a service embedded in routine travel, the concept supported electrification while strengthening safety, access, and reliability for the communities who depend on it most. 

Proposal by EV Win Motorcycle Station team, Boon Uthaisang and Poon Uthaisang, Harrow International School.

In the university and vocational school category, winner Jitpanu Chaiyaporn from Thammasat University focused on the workforce and service systems required for electric mobility to scale. Drawing on his qualitative interviews with community mechanics, the proposal identified a critical capacity gap. Electric vehicles are reaching local garages, yet are sometimes turned away due to limited skills, equipment, and certification. His concept proposed upskilling pathways, recognised repair standards, and a visible trust mark to extend reliable EV maintenance beyond authorised service centres. In a region where an estimated 67% of vehicle repairs occur informally and fewer than 10 per cent of mechanics are trained to service EVs, building local capability is essential to embed electrification across existing repair networks, while supporting local livelihoods.

Proposal by Chang(e) EV team, Jitpanu Chaiyaporn, Thammasat University.

The high school second- and third-place submissions extended this practical focus in two complementary directions, underscoring that confidence in electric mobility is built through daily use, supported by reliable services and accessible charging. Bus Hub proposed upgrading bus stops into smart mobility hubs, integrating energy-generating infrastructure, real-time information, and air-cleaning features to improve reliability and passenger confidence. Powerpuff Grid’s concept repurposed existing streetlights to expand low-cost access to EV charging. 

Proposal by Bus Hub team, Thattapat Panyaratana, Jaturawat Klinhom, Nonsee Kemasitt and Pich Poomkruawan, Yothinburana School.

Proposal by Powerpuff Grid team, Pichaya Rattanabundarik, Thanakrit Jiratanachit, Thanyathorn Lohabunditwong, Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School and The Newton Sixth Form School.

The university and vocational school second- and third-place submissions examined how usability and equity shape adoption in everyday mobility, showing that availability alone is insufficient if services do not feel safe and dependable in daily use. ENam reimagined the Saen Saep Canal as a backbone for integrated electric transport, linking water services with first- and last-mile travel. Busure focused on access at the point of use, proposing smart bus stops that improve safety and provide real-time information for older persons and persons with disabilities. 

Proposal by Enam team, Ramida Hasdin, Itsakorn Liangpaksaharn, Boonyapiwat Somboonsup, and Daranpop Songsawas, Chulalongkorn University

Proposal by Busure team, Rapeerat Chen, Numthong Saenkhomor and, Nattanitha Kitkhunthod, Kasetsart University

All student finalists will be recognised at an awards ceremony held during the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development on 27 February 2026 . To ensure their ideas inform real-world decisions, first-place teams will present directly to policymakers and regional partners. Finalists have also completed work shadowing with EV companies in Bangkok’s ecosystem, gaining first-hand insight into real-world realities. By embedding students within both policy dialogue and delivery environments, the Challenge strengthens the pipeline of future implementers equipped to carry electric mobility forward.