The Chevrolet Volt will be entering our region via Thailand but don’t count on it solving your fuel price woes as it is estimated to be priced at nearly 3 million Thai baht (roughly RM300,000), thanks to current Thai import duty structures. The Volt will be launched in the US in 2010, and the Thai arrival is expected to be as early as 2011.
I suppose the only way for prices to come down to a more affordable level would be local assembly in Thailand. Hybrid or electric car assembly have typically been in places where the manufacturer has a strong foot, but with even Toyota beginning to set up overseas hybrid assembly plants, it could be possible for GM to set up an assembly center for the Volt up north.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
Pretty ‘cheap’ for a mid-sized electric vehicle.
Rm 300k?
kinda ex. but believe you me, people will still buy if it comes here.
those advocates of environment who happens to be rich will buy.
and we can count on PREMIER AUTOMOBILE to import in also. or Naza.
money in the pockets la la la.
300k…. hmm…. a very tough price….
but who knows? in Malaysia, semua pun boleh jadi….
Rm300,000 direct convert from Thai Baht? Meaning it’s exclusive of Malaysia import and sales tax huh?
siao..Probably can see a few in KL..only..
Those who could afford that price tag would rather by a Merz, BMW, Audi or some other German sex machines. People who can pay such high prices are seldom worried about gas prices.
The best market in Malaysia to target Hybrids are the Perodua Myvi and Proton Saga price range after all they are the largest gas guzzlers by way of being the largest number of cars on the road compared to those 300K price range.
I hope Proton and Perodua are sitting up and listening to all this.
rm300k… yaiks… those who thought can resell better dun buy… nobody will buy a 2nd hand EV becos the battery is getting worse n worse after some period… rich ppl toy… unless they feel boring n sold to us at less than rm50k… haha… my advice for EV is no resell value…
no body in his right mind(although nowadays thr are very few ppl like dat) will pay rm300k for a GM…
the sad truth is that the competition is so strong and well established…price it around 150-180k thn ppl feel its reasonable..otherwise GM shouldnt bother bringing it here….
btw…the US federal reserve paid US25billion to bailout GM and Ford few days ago….
i guess our little proton is stil in good shape compare to them !
I like Volt, but 300K for a car this size is… you know
I think previously Paul Tan post something about Proton electric vehicle by Detroit Electric would cost about half of the Chevy Volt.
300k is actually quite well priced, but its a chevrolet, i wouldn’t mind one if they badged it a saab or an opel
Well, we lose the FDI again.
wow 300k? sure bo? expensive le…izit really worth?
300k…are you sure this car doesnt need any maintenance. Surely this design look likehonda civic robotic version. Copy cat.
my opinion, looks better than any honda car ever produced.
however, for rm300000? look elsewhere. doesn’t really fit into the malaysian market.
It suppose 2b fairly priced for promoting environmental free car,but its upside down.The motive is only to gain profit , neither to curb the environmental problem nor to care the consumer.PLEASE THINK!!!