When it comes to sustainability, the Group COO of Sleek EV leans on practicality — not just morality

“How They See It” is where we delve into the minds of those shaping the future of today’s most dynamic companies. In this instalment, we ask Zhang Quan Ong about his work as COO of Thailand-based Sleek EV, a company redefining mobility with sustainable, electric motorcycles. He shares an insightful perspective on the urgent need for cleaner transportation, the challenges of shifting consumer habits, and why making EVs the most practical choice — not just the ethical one — is the key to real change.

“I never set out to build a company. I set out to solve a problem.

In Thailand, we don’t need to look at global climate data to see the effects of pollution — we live it. Every year, PM2.5 levels skyrocket, turning our air toxic. Schools shut down. Public transport is made free in a desperate bid to reduce traffic. People are told to stay indoors, but what difference does that make when the air they breathe is already laced with poison? 

And yet, for all these temporary measures, the root of the problem remains untouched: over 70 per cent of PM2.5 pollution comes from vehicle emissions. It was never a question of whether something needed to change, only who was willing to change it.

That’s how Sleek EV was born. Not out of a grand business plan but out of a conviction that how we move cannot remain the same. The idea wasn’t just to build electric motorcycles; it was to make them so indispensable and intuitive that switching away would feel unthinkable. 

People don’t make sustainable choices out of moral obligation alone. They do it when those choices make their lives better, easier, and more efficient. That’s the challenge we set out to solve — not just to create an alternative but to make it the best option.

Sustainability as the best choice

This conviction has been tested more times than I can count. A startup is a series of invisible battles — some you prepare for, most you don’t. There have been months when payroll felt like a moving target. I went an entire year without paying myself, and friends I had borrowed from turned up at my family’s door, looking for repayment. 

At the same time, I had to stand in front of investors, selling them the future of mobility with a confidence that sometimes felt paper-thin. I’ve since learned that the most challenging part of leadership isn’t solving problems — it’s carrying the weight of uncertainty without letting it crack the foundation.

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Still, there’s a moment for every challenge that reminds me why this fight is worth it. There was a customer — an everyday rider, not an influencer or someone looking for attention — who started filming his experience with our bikes. Unprompted and unpaid, he documented his savings, daily rides, and the sheer practicality of it all.

He didn’t do it for us. He did it because he believed in what we were building. That kind of genuine enthusiasm is rare. It’s the type of belief you can’t manufacture — it’s earned.

I’ve also learned that the real battle is not making people care about the planet but proving that sustainability isn’t about sacrifice. 

People don’t consider carbon footprints when racing to work, picking up their kids, or trying to make ends meet. They think about reliability, cost, and convenience — what fits into their lives.

If an EV doesn’t improve their lives, it won’t matter how many statistics I throw at them. Change isn’t won through education alone — it’s won through experience.

It’s why we listen. Really listen. We don’t assume we know what’s best for our customers — we ask them. Gig economy riders, for instance, don’t just need a bike; they need a business partner. Their income depends on efficiency, reliability, and affordability. If a vehicle doesn’t support that, it’s a liability. 

That’s why we created Thailand’s most active EV motorcycle brand social club — not for marketing, but for genuine dialogue. These riders are more than customers. They actively shape what we build.

The weight of resilience

Building something truly valuable requires more than solving an obvious problem. It requires constantly adapting, learning, and being open to criticism. I’ve seen firsthand how one conversation can alter the trajectory of a product and how one user suggestion can unlock an innovation we hadn’t even considered. 

After all, the best ideas often come not from boardrooms but from the streets — from the people who rely on what we build daily. If we want to make EVs the default choice, we must make them more than an option. We have to make them necessary.

And for all the uncertainty that comes with running a startup, I know three things would make our work easier: capital, the right team, and good health. 

Money allows us to scale and invest in the infrastructure that makes EV adoption seamless. The right people — passionate, relentless, skilled — turn vision into reality. And good health? Without that, everything else collapses. Running a company at this pace is like running a marathon without a finish line. Staying sharp isn’t optional. 

Yet, there’s something else that’s just as critical: Resilience. 

There have been days when everything felt like it was crumbling when I questioned whether the sacrifices were worth it. Running a startup exhausts me physically and mentally in equal measure. You carry the weight of expectations, fear failure, and responsibility to a team that depends on you.

And yet, every single time, I come back to the same realisation: The work is bigger than any one person’s exhaustion. That’s what keeps me going.

Still, my success isn’t measured in investment rounds or market dominance. It’s when I can walk down the street anywhere in the world and see a Sleek EV on the road — not because it’s electric, but because it’s the best choice. It’s when the people who took a chance on this journey — our team, our investors, our early customers — can look back and say, ‘That risk was worth it.’

Despite everything — the political turbulence, the environmental crises — one thing that gives me hope: People want change. They’re questioning old ways of doing things. They’re making different choices. The shift isn’t happening overnight, but it’s happening. Real change isn’t about waiting for the right conditions. It’s about making them happen.

And that’s precisely what we’re doing.”