It appears that the production of BMW plug-in hybrid models in the region is set to increase, with BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand set to invest 1 billion baht (RM126.2 million) in the production of petrol-electric vehicles at its plant in the Amata City Industrial Estate, Rayong.
According to the Bangkok Post, the investment has been earmarked for the improvement of line operations there, in order to facilitate the increase of plug-in hybrid production. Of that amount, 488 million baht (RM61.6 million) has already been spent to kick off production of these vehicles last November. The company has spent 3.7 billion baht (RM467 million) on the plant from 2000 to 2015.
The rest of the investment will be used to double the production capacity in Thailand this year; the company currently builds 20,000 BMW and MINI cars and 10,000 BMW Motorrad motorcycles a year. President of BMW Group Thailand Stafan Teuchert said that the two-year investment is meant to prepare for future demand both domestically and abroad, with Munich seeking any opportunity to export vehicles from Thailand.
The company has exported a limited amount of cars to Malaysia since 2006 and around 1,000 motorcycles to Malaysia and China since 2015, but began shipping large amounts of completely built up (CBU) X3s and X5s to China last year. It aims to export 10,000 units of those models in 2017 – mostly to China – and is also eyeing other markets in ASEAN for opportunities.
Locally, BMW plans to bring in more advanced technology to build plug-in hybrid batteries in Rayong by mid-2018, further reducing retail prices in Thailand. The company currently imports the batteries from Europe.
Existing Thai-built BMW plug-in hybrids include the 330e Luxury and X5 xDrive40e M Sport, priced at 2.59 million baht (RM326,900) and 4.69 million baht (RM592,000) respectively – around 490,000 baht (RM61,800) and 690,000 baht (RM87,100) lower than if they were imported. Teuchert said that the company plans to produce the 740e this year and the 530e in 2018.
In order to support the increase in the number of plug-in hybrid vehicles in Thailand, BMW plans to increase the number of charging stations in Bangkok to 12 this year, up from the current five. It expects sales of electric cars, mainly PHEVs, to rise from 5% of total car sales to 15% in 2017.
Meanwhile, BMW currently assembles the 330e Sport, 330e M Sport and X5 xDrive40e in Malaysia, priced at RM248,800, RM258,800 and RM388,800 respectively, on-the-road without insurance. It also expects to export the 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series from Malaysia to Vietnam and the Philippines from next year.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Again, another news that we have lost RM126 million to Thailand.
Every few months we hear car companies opening in Thailand. What is wrong with Malaysia?
Pity we keep on losing money to Thailand. I guess MAI is not doing their job.
To date, we have lost about RM 1 trillion to Thailand and few hundred thousand jobs.
Something must be really wrong. BMW sales are so high in Malaysia and yet BMW can open in Thailand and not in the high sales country Malaysia
Well current line up need to change to more intellectual and business savvy politician. So this years is the answer for all of us. Vote for the better future of Malaysia. Rakyat Malaysia boleh
So instead of allegedly losing 42B, we will elect the other side in order that we can go round again to lose 100B?
Stay on fact, we lose every aspect to neighbor country only inflation and scandal stay on surface.
The fact is, we willing to trade a known devil for a worse deamon. Logic ke?
WHY LUXURY car already REDUCED CAR PRICE by 30%; but NO for non-LUXURY car…??? See, now the POOR kena kencing by govt, car price already reduced by 30% (1/3) for LUXURY BRAND CAR. Eg. 3××K –> 2xxK, 6xxK –> 4xxK. The poor kena cheated buying expensive Vios City Mazda3 at 85k; where it should selling at 60k instead now.
Current management is hopeless in directing the country and people to have solid resilient economy, instead focusing on menial things that does not benefit the nation.
What wrong with Laos,Vietnam,Indonesia,Myanmar,Philippines,Singapore,Brunei,Cambodia? Do you really think Malaysian population can support these industry? Do you really support the government to bring in more bangla,indon,myanmar,nepal? You yourself lazy to work as factory workers and low wages!
MAI is too busy helping the dead Proton and wasting time on them. if they had brains to work on international companies to come to Malaysia instead of protecting proton we could have been in far better shape.
MITI, MAA, Permaidani, Aishuh, Mustapa, what’s your comment? Still championing Proton, AP, EEV? Still targeting 500,000? Mimpi syok sendiri gaji buta
Better build in tomyam cuz MY pipu says CKD here got no quality so wun buy those assembled in MY
Another blow to Malaysia for investment no thanks to the government. Now I hope they will assemble the 740e and the 530e here to gain EEV rebates.
But MY pipu says they wun buy local assembled cars…
This is because BMW know Thailand has a better workforce. More hardworking and dedicated compared to Malaysian. Malaysians nowadays rather sit in office than to work in a factory. Once we rely heavily to foreign worker, it will be sure that our local manufacturing field will not grow. So befoe blame others, why not try reflecting on ourselves?
Besides, other crucial factor maybe politics? As I know, Thai government is pro business and investment. Ours? Not so.
Pro-business? OF course not! Not when we have pipu who put barriers to investment from “certain countries”. Tomyam dun gip a F to who is coming in. All r welcome. So we shud be veli careful of those from “other side”
MAI and Government still weaving coconut leave to make ketupat is it until they have no time to think about how to flourish our automotive industry. We are lagging behind with our age old policy which does not attract any keen investor to setup EEV hub here.Is there any business savvy left in the cabinate or still weaving ketupat.
Why Thailand, they can’t even speak English. Oh wait, they’re German.
You think we so good at England arrrr?
Our Engrish gooder that Tomyam, know! Tomyam Engrish speaking me understandings no.
A bit sad reading the news…
Here I oso want to share my experience first time my visit to petronas science centre yesterday, sorry maybe not relate to car but petronas. Inside the centre , so many equiments spoil and not functioning.. The 3 D cartoon ( why don show space 4 D ) totally no 3 at all ! I can heard the tourist from behind said lousy. Honest, I rather go tgv watch 3 D movie !
And how come i purchase a RM 3.90 monorail lrt transit ticket from bukit bintang to KLCC.. i hv been told to transit at bukit nenas station .then wat happen is i have to exit the station and walk 800 metre to dang wangi lrt station to purchase another ticket again ??
Becoz u not smart to use TnG, deswai