More on the electric vehicle (EV) front within the region. Over in Thailand, Energy Absolute (EA) has announced that it – and its subsidiary companies – will be implementing three EV-related projects in the Kingdom following the granting of a series of incentives from the country’s Board of Investment (BoI) last year.
According to the Bangkok Post, the BoI privileges awarded to EA and its subsidiaries are a two billion baht (RM261.8 million) incentive for the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries (awarded in May), a 1.092 billion baht (RM142.6 million) incentive for the construction of EV charging stations (in November), and an 130 million baht (RM17 million) grant for a R&D unit catering for the development of full EVs (in December).
Last week, the company said it is considering raising capital expenditures for the next phase of business investment to a combined 26.6 billion baht in spending this year. It added that some four billion baht will be used to construct an energy storage facility in Chachoengsao, within the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor.
A joint venture with Taiwan’s Amita Technologies will see EA developing lithium-ion batteries, which in phase two of the related project will produce units for EV applications, from 2021. The move to manufacture lithium-ion batteries domestically is something that is also being undertaken elsewhere in the region – both Malaysia and Indonesia have also signaled their intent to go into such production.
Subsidiary company Energy Mahanakhon, meanwhile, plans to set up 3,000 charging stations for plug-in hybrid and full EVs under the EA Anywhere brand nationwide, while another EA subsidiary, Mine Mobility Research is expecting to launch locally-made full EVs sometime in 2019.
According to EA VP for corporate communication Osmin Siri, the company will initially carry out research and development for Mine Mobility vehicles and utilise a local car assembler – which was not named – to build the EVs.
“EA will showcase EV prototypes at the Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) as we commit to EA’s plan to soon market Thai-made EVs,” she said, adding that once the Mine Mobility cars receive positive response from local motorists, the company will invest further to produce the EVs by itself.
At last year’s BIMS, Mine Mobility showcased a number of electric-based concepts that were based on sports car, MPV and city car platforms. The studies were equipped with 45 kWh, 30 kWh and 20 kWh batteries respectively, with an operating range of 250 km for the sports concept and 200 km for the MPV and city car.
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In the 90s, we were the Detroit of Asia. Everybody wanted to CKD in Malaysia. But because of corruption, all lari to Thailand and Indonesia. They made Thailand the Detroit of Asia now
The past 20 years we have lost hundreds of billions of USD (RM trillions) in investments plus we lost few hundred thousand jobs meant for Malaysians but went to Thailand.
Now, Indonesia and Thailand is going to get all the Investments. They are so clever. They know EV is the way to go. EV is the future. Both Governments are giving so much of incentive to open EV battery factories in Thailand. Even Tesla also got big factory in Thailand.
But in Malaysia……MAI is still sleeping!
The real game changing technology, habisla Proton!
I wonder, anyone from our government feel nervous when they saw all these news about investment in Thai’s and Indo’s auto industry?
We do not judge anyone here, but what we hope is that our government will have their Master Plan for our auto industry, to make sure we will not continue to falls from the 1st place to the 2nd, and then to the 3rd and so forth.
Malaysia, we want to be pre-eminent, at least in SEA. Number 1 in SEA is (or was) ours, we must maintain the position.
Habislah Perotiga! Rm20million down the drain with nothing to show.
MARii need some foreign talent in its organisation. The MARii workers have been there over 10 years and they are all taking gaji buta.
Lazy to the core.
We cannot encourage full EV cars here because our Ringgit is highly dependant on OIL. We are already doomed and its too late since we have nothing that can replace oil revenue.
Well, we had GST but that becomes a taboo now. Sigh.
Another project to enrich the junta
Because in Malaysia banks don’t help, gov don’t support and they issue licenses and permits only to people with dato or dato Sri titles with zero tech knowledge only to get a KPI. The al tech people all leaving Malaysia to China and Thailand and it’s has created a brain drain specially after what proton did to all EV drive supported by Tun M. He was also tricked by that uk crony frazer and Nash . this needs to stop if Malaysia wants to go forwards, value the expats and tech guys in Malaysia and let them do what they do best .
In Malaysia there are many uneducated and non technology driven people who pretend to be tech experts and taken away the opportunities from real ones . As long as these People are around we will never progress
As soon as possible, Malaysia should seriously join the race of EV technologies even our market maybe still need more time to adapt. At least for this time being, export is a good option. Push for better fuel quality, better incentives for hybrid cars will be good start for EV tech adaptation in this country.
Just wonder about Malaysia NNCP. Don’t know what’s going on recently. Plan to roll out the first model in 2020. So, they need to set up all networking from vendors to manufacture to dealers, R&D in less than a year. Who make all of this?