Thailand has a fresh incentive programme for carmakers to build hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles in the country. Market leader Toyota was the first carmaker to apply for and receive the Board of Investment (BoI) privileges for hybrid cars last year, and it will be the first to roll out a new model under the government’s scheme in early March, Bangkok Post reports.
The car in question is the Toyota C-HR Hybrid, which will roll out from Toyota Motor Thailand’s Gateway plant in Chachoengsao. According to the BoI, Toyota makes 7,000 hybrids a year, 70,000 batteries and 9.1 million units of other parts such as doors, bumpers and front/rear axles in the Land of Smiles. The company’s total investment stands at 19 billion baht. Thai-made C-HRs will be exported to over 100 countries.
On the way is a new battery plant targeted for opening by 2019-2020. “Toyota believes the Thai market needs to grow step-by-step from the first stage of the hybrid platform before moving on to plug-in hybrids, battery-fuelled and hydrogen fuel-cell cars,” said Michinobu Sugata, president of Toyota Motor Thailand.
The report says that six other makers have applied for EV project privileges, and they are Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Learn more about Thailand’s green car incentives here.
Toyota Thailand opened order books for the C-HR late last year. Two engine options will be available there – a naturally aspirated 1.8 litre and a hybrid 1.8 litre. The 1.8 Dual VVT-i motor makes 140 PS and 175 Nm of torque, and is paired to a CVT automatic with seven virtual ratios. As is the norm in Thailand, the engine is E85 compatible.
The hybrid model combines a 2ZR-FXE Atkinson-cycle 1.8 litre engine (98 PS/142 Nm) with an electric motor with 72 hp and 163 Nm. Max combined output is 122 hp, but there’s plenty of torque from rest. The battery that powers the motor is a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) unit. Toyota claims fuel economy of 24.4 km/l and CO2 emissions of 95 g/km. Toyota’s hybrid system is well-proven, but there’s a five-year warranty for the system and 10-year warranty for the hybrid battery for peace of mind.
The 1.8L can be had in Entry and Mid trim levels, while the Hybrid comes in Mid and Hi variants. The base 1.8 Entry (979,000 baht, RM120,954) comes with auto halogen projector headlamps, LED tail lamps, 17-inch alloys, black fabric seats, seven-inch touchscreen audio (USB, AUX, Bluetooth) and seven airbags (front, side, curtain, driver’s knee). The top non-hybrid C-HR, the 1.8 Mid (1.039 million baht, RM128,367), adds on fog lamps, leather and keyless entry/push start.
The Hybrid Mid (1.069 million baht, RM132,083) will net one all of the above plus full LED headlamps, full LED tail lamps and T-Connect telematics. The top 1.8 Hybrid High (1.159 million baht, RM143,203) gets the full works, further adding on navigation and the Toyota Safety Sense pack.
Toyota says that of the 3,000 orders for the C-HR that it already has, 75% are for the hybrid.
The much-anticipated SUV is also open for booking in Malaysia. The C-HR will go on sale here in a single 137 PS/170 Nm 1.8L non-hybrid spec. Coming in as a CBU import from Thailand, it will be priced at an estimated RM145,500 OTR without insurance. Full Malaysian specs here.
GALLERY: Toyota C-HR previewed in Malaysia
I got picture of new preve major Facelift.
1.5TGDi 168hp 243nm + electric motor 32 kW powered by a lithium-ion polymer battery with 1.56 kWh capacity + 6 speed auto.
Total power output is 210hp and 290nm of torque.
Hello MAI… Hello hello MAI. u alive still?
The big question here is…why UMW not bringing the CHR Hybrid into Malaysia?
Why burden the rakyat with a heavy price of RM147k with the normal 1.8 when you can get Government given tax rebates if UMW brought in the Hybrid.
If you do the maths, UMW can even sell the CHR Hybrid for RM100k, which is RM47k cheaper than the non hybrid.
Hybrid rebate can only be applied for CKD.
So UMW has to upgrade its factory here to build CH-R Hybrid. But upgrade incur addition cost for UMW, so forget about it.
Same story. Boring
Same story. Boring
Price in thai almost the same here…so thats the price range for chr in asean market…
Impressive Thai incentive programme for carmakers. P1 can consider making cars there too.
Thai has been scam or wat? they make C-HR (non-hybrid) plus thai oso has lower excise tax around 30% (<2000cc)than boleh 75% (<1800cc) but the price not much different than boleh who import from them.
Here the chr is around rm146k for non hybrid (estimated). The hybrid version should be more than that. Thai sell 132k for hybrid . It’s a huge discounts(at least 30k discount). Thai are smart in doing business with carmakers, malaysia are not
Going by that logic, SG must be the worst for selling CHR at RM270k then.
Car are never cheap in SG
Right choice of using 1.8 liters engine instead of turbo 1.2 .. More HP and Torque.. Road tax price is slightly a bit, nor no much huge extra cost. Engine 2.4cc and above, huge different in road tax.. Hybrid cars always have good fuel consumption..
Yeps. UMW Toyota 1.8L decision, just brilliant!
lol toyota malaysia sudah gone case
Look at the Big Picture. Below is what this country lost from Toyota alone.
Paragraph 2 “Toyota makes 7,000 hybrids a year, 70,000 batteries and 9.1 million units of other parts such as doors, bumpers and front/rear axles in the Land of Smiles. The company’s total investment stands at 19 billion baht (sic)”
Now add in investments from Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Better lost a bit than lose much more. We dun need foreign factories setup here staffed with even more foreigners. All profits and salary go out of MY. In the end, whats left for MY is foreigner pipu problems. We dodged a huge bullet there.
by your logic, we shouldnt have FDI coz all the money will be taken out of MY!…hahaha
The Land of Smiles is flood-prone. Yet all carmakers are flocking there to set up shops & jobs. From Audi to VW
not to mention the fact thailand is actually less politically stable and their english level is way worse than ours…but still they prefer go tomyamland…imagine if thailand had no issues at all…bolehland gone case la
It is good for short time benefits, but not for long time
UMW marketing team should all be fired for choosing to bring the normal 1.8l and not the Hybrid. It’s a no brainer that with our country’s tax incentives, the Hybrid version is the one! It’s a no brainer UMW Toyota… what is wrong with you people? You guys sleeping on the job or what? BMWs and Mercs are using the Hybrid incentives to price their cars so attractively, why don’t UMW Toyota just follow suit? Answer is because you guys are greedy!!!
So now you know who is 8x a day lepak, eat kuih bulan, drink tea and talk about awek
cause umw don’t know how to repair it later, if they bring the Hybrid in. plus they are never worry about selling, cause they though that they are always No.1 Brand, by so they no need to be hardworking n even they are selling expensive then the others country (beside Sg.) still got ppl. will gone buy on it(rich + idiot). That what UMW thinking on!