Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor has signed a deal with the Thai government to lower the retail price of its electric vehicles in order to boost domestic sales.
According to Michael Chong, General Manager of Great Wall Motor Thailand, the deal, which includes a government subsidy and a VAT tax reduction, will save customers up to 160.000 baht (US$4.779) per car.
A similar agreement was also signed Monday (March 21) with Great Wall's competitor, SAIC-CP Motor, the Thai subsidiary of SAIC Motor Corp.
The signing follows the Thai government's commitment to promote the use of electric vehicles and maintain its status as a major regional automaker. By 2030, the government plans to produce 725.000 electric vehicles per year or 30% of total car production.
Chong added that other factors such as rising energy prices are also contributing to EV demand growth.
Great Wall Motor has acquired General Motors' Thailand factory in 2020, Asia's fourth largest auto assembly and export hub. The company plans to sell 2022 vehicles in Thailand by 20.000, through its two brands, the BEV Ora Good Cat and Haval SUVs. In 2024, it plans to produce EVs on site.
Analysts say the transition to electric driving will take a lot of time, as Thailand registered fewer than 4.000 fully electric vehicles last year and investments in conventional engines continue. Among them is Ford Motor Co, which recently invested $900 million in Thailand to upgrade existing plants that produce the Ranger pickup truck and Everest SUV.
Andrea Cavallaro, Ford Operations Director, International Market Group, said internal combustion engine vehicles will be around for some time, citing that EV technology and infrastructure still need to be further deployed in Southeast Asia, as well as other major economies worldwide.
Source: NBT World
Very good news, I was already looking for an electric car, but the choice is now quite limited.
Now move on quickly and ensure that those black smoke vehicles can be scrapped so that my grandchildren can also enjoy the beauty of this world.
GeertP, not every car owner drives around in a black smoke car.
Many take good care of their car.
You might also wonder how environmentally polluting the electric car.
The latest diesels are cleaner than the electric car.
The batteries are a very big problem for the environment.
There are alternatives, but they are not enough for the treasury.
Dear Tak, that's right. The extraction of raw materials for battery systems is far from sustainable. https://www.eoswetenschap.eu/natuur-milieu/groene-elektriciteit-kampt-met-grondstoffencrisis That's just the storage of electricity. If you include its production, for example by gas or coal-fired power stations, then you should first scratch your head before it can be said that electric driving is green. The advantage, however, is that it is less polluted from particulate matter, fumes and stench outside on the street. The development of driving on hydrogen seems more favourable.
In this context, the following article may also be of interest: https://web.facebook.com/ThaiEnquirer/posts/490737072413831
Especially the attached image speaks volumes as far as I'm concerned.
That is a nice step for a better environment.
I do foresee a downside, the battery only lasts for a limited period of time.
There will be handy companies that will update the batteries again.
Used substances from those batteries will then very easily end up in the sewer or landfill.
M.vr.gr.
Jos
Good luck with the purchase, keep in mind that a new battery costs between 15.000 and 18.000 euros and this probably after +/- 7/8 years of service life….with the result that such a car will hardly be worth anything on the second-hand market….
They will naturally become cheaper if production increases in the future. Compare it with the first DVD player, or the first flat screen. Back then it was almost impossible to pay for the ordinary Thai.
No, the prices of lithium have recently risen 250%, those of nickel have also risen considerably and then some battery components, the same. Scarcity occurs, which pushes up prices. Read a few days ago that the batteries have already become 1500 Euro more expensive. Compare it with the home-garden-kitchen battery, which no longer becomes smaller or lasts longer, but it is more expensive, there is nothing left to improve and therefore the end of development. When it comes to the raw materials for the battery, politics also plays a role, think of China, Australia and the West (which purchase electric cars).
For now, the model choice is limited. From 1 million baht. Do most Thais still have to go deep into debt? It would be better to increase the choice and price ranges. The Leap T03 for example, a nice city car, from about 8000 euros. 8 years warranty or 150000 km. Charging with your solar panels and then it will be really fun.
A major condition for electric driving is the presence of charging stations. For now I still see gas stations being built, but no charging stations. On the Bangkok – Korat route you will encounter at least 30 petrol stations, but electric charging is not possible.
Just like with solar energy, wind energy and nuclear energy, cars that run on electricity cause other environmental problems that are not immediately visible. Gasoline cars with their exhaust fumes bring the problem closer to the people, but the burden caused by the electric cars (eg the mining of the material for the batteries) cannot be disregarded. Also its waste. What's it like in Thailand? This country is not exactly known for its environmental policy. Something is being done about it, but not much is being done about the cause. It is always afterwards and sporadic clearing (or shifting). At least that's my impression.
In itself, I would also prefer to drive an electric car and charge it at home with solar energy. However, as long as the garbage from these cars is more messy (from what I've read) than petrol cars, I don't want one.
That they first ensure that their electricity grid is put in order. Every once in a while we are without power or voltage fluctuations even cause my PC to switch off (I have now purchased a UPS for this purpose, which in many cases solves this problem).
I don't think the Thai lose any sleep over the pollution caused by their, in many cases outdated or poorly maintained, cars. The investment in an electric car will be far too expensive for the masses. And the first requirement for success is a good infrastructure to charge your car and this is completely absent here. A lot will have to change before people will be able to convince the Thai to drive electrically.
It is also important where you live, I live in Omkoi and like to go into the mountains, try to get there with an electric car or get out again. Nowhere can you charge there and if it is possible then there is a chance that the mains cannot handle this. So I will leave these cars in the showroom. And diesel just continue as I have been doing this for 45 years.
'as Thailand registered fewer than 4.000 fully electric vehicles last year'
Whahaha, 4000 electric vehicles (2021) on a population of 69,8 million. That is statistically insignificant 😛
The infrastructure (charging stations) in Thailand for electric driving is simply not there.
Then it is better to close a 'deal' for hybrid cars. They are much more interesting for Thailand.
Yes, the Thai could take a step forward if they skip the phase of electric cars and focus on hydrogen cars. The climate is ideal because it is hot, which means that hydrogen can be produced environmentally neutral using solar panels; there is already an existing car industry and the government could co-invest in the development of these cars. I expect that in 10 to 20 years there will be enough knowledge that these types of cars will become commonplace. By the way, hydrogen is the oil of the future, countries with a lot of sun, such as the current oil-producing countries in the Middle East and Australia, will be able to earn well with this, because you mainly need a lot of sunshine and solar panels for environmentally friendly energy generation.
Here's an excerpt from wiki where it talks about 10 years ago and they've moved on now:
With the 2011 state of the art, carbon fiber reinforced hydrogen tanks only fit in larger cars (SUVs). The Korean ix35 FCEV is an SUV with a tank that holds 5,6 kg of hydrogen with a pressure of 70 MPa. The car can thus travel 600 km.