e-Cyclo Cambodia: reinventing the cyclo to save the men who still keep it alive

For decades, it was one of Phnom Penh's most recognisable sights: the cyclo. Now on the brink of disappearing, this iconic mode of transport may get a second life thanks to a young Franco-Cambodian association, e-Cyclo Cambodia, which is betting on electrification to preserve the heritage while easing the burden on its last remaining drivers.

© CG-Cambodge Mag

A heritage on the verge of disappearing

Introduced to Cambodia in the 1930s, the cyclo shaped daily life in the country's major cities for decades. Phnom Penh alone once counted more than 10,000 of them, weaving through colonial-era avenues and downtown alleyways. Today, only around 300 are believed to remain. Squeezed out by tuk-tuks, moto-taxis and now ride-hailing apps, the cyclo has gradually faded from the Cambodian urban landscape, taking with it a whole slice of the country's history and heritage.

Forgotten drivers

Behind the last cyclos still in circulation are almost exclusively elderly men — drivers who, in France, would for the most part already be retired. They work long hours, in physically gruelling conditions, for very low incomes, and many have only limited access to healthcare. Some, lacking housing, even sleep in their own cyclo. It is for these men, as much as for the vehicle itself, that e-Cyclo Cambodia was born — a young Franco-Cambodian association led by Channatra and her team.

Betting on electrification

The association's mission can be summed up in one sentence: preserve the cyclo, a symbol of Cambodian history, while concretely improving the living and working conditions of its drivers. The chosen path is electrification. e-Cyclo Cambodia is currently developing an electric-assist system adapted to Cambodian cyclos, designed to reduce the physical strain of the job without altering the vehicle's character or preventing drivers from continuing their work. The project also plans to build a network of charging points, hosted by shops, hotels and other local partners, so drivers can easily recharge their batteries between rides. Further down the line, the association hopes to train young Cambodians in these new trades — electrification, maintenance and repair of electrical systems — a way of passing on know-how and creating jobs around tomorrow's cyclo.

A field mission to Phnom Penh

To formally launch this one-year pilot programme, e-Cyclo Cambodia is organising a technical trip to Phnom Penh from 9 to 23 September 2026. The mission will allow the team to meet cyclo drivers and the local figures who work alongside them daily, study the various cyclo models still in use, continue developing the electrification prototype, and identify future partners to support the project.

A call to sponsors and partners

e-Cyclo Cambodia is only at the very beginning of its journey. The association is now looking for sponsors and partners of all kinds — networks, know-how, technical expertise, equipment or financial support. It is in this spirit that it reached out to Cambodge Mag, hoping to give the project visibility and spark connections with individuals, companies and organisations able to help it grow. The ambition remains simple: allow the Cambodian cyclo to evolve in order to survive, while concretely improving the working conditions of those who still keep it alive today.

To follow the project's progress, including during the upcoming mission to Phnom Penh, the association can be found on Instagram and social media under the name @e-cyclo Cambodia.