Thailand’s strong EV push paying off handsomely as investments from Chinese automakers roll in

Thailand’s strong EV push paying off handsomely as investments from Chinese automakers roll in

Thailand’s efforts to push its electrification agenda and make the country the EV hub for the region has certainly been, for want of a better word, aggressive, and the efforts by the country’s Board of Investment (BoI) to woo investment looks like it’s paying off handsomely, as the Bangkok Post reports.

Back in April, Changan Automobile announced that it set to make a 9.8 billion baht investment to build a factory and develop EVs in the country, doing so through three vehicle categories (battery EVs, plug-in hybrids and range-extended EVs) as well as through the production of batteries for domestic sale and export.

The automaker said it plans to launch a new EV model in Thailand by the end of 2023, and would be carrying out R&D on EVs in the country. It indicated plans to make 100,000 EVs a year in Thailand, with an eye on exports to other ASEAN countries as well as RHD markets such as Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Chery Automobile, which re-entered the Malaysian market last week, is also planning to make an EV-based investment in the Kingdom next year. According to BoI secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Chery is in talks with its prospective Thai business partner to embark on an EV venture in the country. The automaker is reportedly planning to launch EV SUV models in Thailand next year.

Earlier this month, Chinese EV brand Aion, part of the Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC Group), announced that it was set to enter the Thai market and its readiness to invest more than six billion baht to establish local manufacturing and sales operations in the country. The company said it is looking to begin selling cars within the third quarter of this year.

The BoI said that Chinese investors submitted 93 investment project proposals worth 31 billion baht between January and May this year, the projects including those for cars and auto parts as well as electronics.

Separately, as reported earlier by The Nation, the national electric vehicle policy board (EV Board) of Thailand says it will be urging its new government to pass the EV 3.5 package to replace the current EV 3.0 package – which expires this year – as soon as possible. The package includes discounts for purchases of EVs, the establishing of EV manufacturing plants and the offering of incentives for EV battery production facilities.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Nurul Izzah on Jul 10, 2023 at 3:07 pm

    Anwar menang, investment lari.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 41
    • Rakyat Malaysia on Jul 11, 2023 at 1:09 am

      Anwar gembira, rakyat sengsara
      Anwar di Sg Buloh, rakyat sorak kali sepuloh

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 11
  • Madani syok sendiri on Jul 10, 2023 at 3:09 pm

    There is no EV manufacturers willing to invest in Malaysia due to our weak and incapable government.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 27 Thumb down 33
    • Kaum Rempit on Jul 10, 2023 at 5:53 pm

      Bro, u used the same account for 3 different usernames. Hope you get paid to do this cybertrooper job

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 34 Thumb down 3
      • Kaum Rempit not so intelligent on Jul 10, 2023 at 7:49 pm

        But he telling the truth bro. Don’t be macai. Just accept it ok.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 27
        • Kaum Rempit on Jul 10, 2023 at 10:53 pm

          He = you. Same profile picture.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 1
        • Cybertrooper with multiple usernames on Jul 11, 2023 at 12:36 am

          use 1 username to support his other username’s comments tactic..

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
      • Another cybertrooper skill is to on Jul 10, 2023 at 8:11 pm

        thumbs up own comment many times

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 0
        • Spin Too Much on Jul 11, 2023 at 1:08 am

          Stupid redbeantrooper thumbdown critical comment many times don’t make you any better la bodo.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 11
          • Your head is always dizzy on Jul 11, 2023 at 10:56 am

            because spin too much, cause u to make bodo comments.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
          • Thumbs up own comment many times on Jul 12, 2023 at 12:40 am

            also doesn’t make a dumb cybertrooper any better than a moron.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  • DAP Korup on Jul 10, 2023 at 3:11 pm

    Wait for our formula man to come out with his magical formula to bring EV investment to Malaysia.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 41 Thumb down 56
  • Punch is tumbuk on Jul 10, 2023 at 3:31 pm

    Late to the party again? Oh wait we hv state election coming.Next is driving test for b40. Next is road tax for EV. Patty patty

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Dong gor on Jul 10, 2023 at 4:05 pm

    That’s businessman mindset..and the result is apparent in the forex between myr and bht

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Celup King on Jul 10, 2023 at 4:56 pm

    Meanwhile under both PH gomen has scare mongering the rakyat to hate and refuse Chinese investments until they run away to Thailand. Well done PH!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 14
    • Peppa on Jul 10, 2023 at 7:39 pm

      Chinese investments? So be it. We have the biggest investments from the West. Let our neighbours take all those chinese trash

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 14
      • Western Star on Jul 11, 2023 at 1:06 am

        Which biggest investments from the West dude? All the Western investors dah cabut lari during 1st time PH rule, we had the most forex outflow during that era.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
        • Peppa on Jul 11, 2023 at 8:38 am

          Our semiconductor industry is much more important than EV. EV business is not viable in the long run. Think harder

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
          • Lolwhut? on Jul 11, 2023 at 5:15 pm

            You mean our semicon business that are going out? Western Digital? Seagate? Intel Kulim? Motorola? On Semi? Toshiba Kioxia? Vistapoint? Where are all these brands that were visible in Selangor back then? Think harder

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • The question is why countries around Malaysia are speeding ahead in the last few years while Malaysian decision makers do nothing about it or do too little?

    The decision makers need to consider that if they do not take the right decisions then after a while Malaysia might become the poorest large country in the ASEAN.

    Wake up!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 2
    • Research old news articles to find out on Jul 11, 2023 at 12:58 am

      The Thai govt finalised their EV roadmap in 2021. In that same year, the M’sian govt still has not finalised its own EV roadmap and thus the Thais had an earlier start.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
    • Its ok on Jul 11, 2023 at 2:00 am

      I tell u why. As usual we r late for the party … again. Why? Busy wt election, min salary, airport issue etc. Patty patty

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Peppa on Jul 11, 2023 at 8:38 am

      Big mouth bangladeshi. What next? Demand for citizenship?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Peppa 1 on Jul 12, 2023 at 3:19 am

        Racist! and a hypocrite. Because when you go to the west don’t you want to get their citizenship?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • call me by your name on Jul 10, 2023 at 6:51 pm

    sorry to whom should i sell my car?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
  • stick on Jul 11, 2023 at 10:06 am

    we are still worried about race-based uni quota and malayness here

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 2
 

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