The Growing Availability of Electric Vehicles in Thailand

The Growing Availability of Electric Vehicles in Thailand

 

The British and car manufacturer, MG, which is Chinese-owned, recently announced they were launching their MG ZS EV model in Thailand. This is the first electric car that has broken the 2-million-baht cost barrier for Thai consumers.

Previously, several well-known auto manufacturers, including Audi, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, and Nissan, offered EVs. Some lesser-known EV manufacturers, including BYD and FOMM, also sell their products in Thailand.

But all of these EVs cost over 2-million-baht, making them unaffordable to the average Thai. With the launch of the new MG ZS EV, the gauntlet has been thrown down to begin manufacturing lower-priced EVs and open up the EV market in Thailand to more consumers.

 

Homegrown EV Manufacturers

There are some homegrown, Thai EV manufacturers in operation. The similarly named companies of Electric Vehicles (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd. (EVT) and Thai Electric Vehicle Co., Ltd. (TEV) are both busy developing public buses. They’ll give cities in Thailand an alternative to the black smoke belching, diesel buses the cities currently use. 

 

But perhaps the brightest star on the Thai EV horizon is Energy Absolute Plc. (EA), nicknamed the “Tesla of Thailand.” They plan to have their model of an EV on Thailand’s roads by 2020. They’re also taking two giant steps to ensure the infrastructure for the electric vehicle is firmly in place in Thailand.

They’re investing 100-million baht into a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Thailand. They’ve also entered into an agreement with Robinson department stores, Caltex petrol stations and 7-11 to install public charging stations at their facilities across Thailand for EVs.

With such forward steps being taken by companies such as MG, EVT, TEV, and EA, there is little doubt that the future of electric vehicle looks bright in Thailand.