CLW

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

My post was related to BYD cost of repairing a car that was involved in an accident I have yet to see any warranty papework that states the warranty includes replacement if vehicle is subject to an accident.

Does the article mention that if removal and replacement of the entire battery unit from a Byd Atto3  cost more than the total price of a Top of the range Nissan almera and cash back in your pocket

It has nothing to do with battery or being an EV or ICE car. It's simply the assessed damage by the insurance company after a crash plus the write off or current value of your car and possible salvage value.

Example: you have an expensive S-Class, that is damaged at the rear by tailgating of a truck or heavy vehicle. The frame structure is bent and beyond repair. Yet the engine is fully functional.

It's certainly not covered by the Mercedes warranty, too. But you won't have financial disadvantages with first class insurance. 

Would you then also say the S-Class is a bad car or blame the insurance company for being unfair?

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

As I said we will have to wait any see the Byd atto3 repair costs reach the main news media outlets and they were shocked that a repair bill could exceed the price of a new car and that the replacement battery cost alone was the equivalent price of a Brand new top of the range Nissan Almera

There is an eight year warranty on the battery so hardly any issue (except a crash). Do some research before you post something to discredit EVs

27 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

BYD Seal spotted at Rama 2 .

 

 

 

Available in other colours ????

Hope it's available rather soon here before I place my order for MG 4. Looking forward to Motorshow end of March for some updates.

21 hours ago, vinny41 said:

Looking at Chinese prices there is very little difference in pricing between Han EV and Seal EV for pricing lower than the current 1 Million for atto 3  that might happen if Dolphin or Seagull ( both hatchbacks ) are released in Thailand

https://inf.news/en/auto/48f5fedf3d8ad99c2c4a11625690beea.html

Not sure if I wanted the Han instead of the Seal. Boring design and probably geared more towards comfort than sporty driving. Might go ahead with the MG 4. Fits my situation better in many aspects 

16 hours ago, vinny41 said:

There is some discussion on facebook that indicate they Byd will reserve the name seal only for China and overseas markets it will be named atto 4

There are some rumors that the 1st Byd sedan to enter Thailand will be the Byd Han

MG will be launching the MG EP 2023 facelift at the motorshow known as MG5 in the UK which is an estate car

BYD Han will easily cost over 1 million THB, not within my budget range. 

MG5 being an estate car not interesting for me. AFAIK also not a dedicated EV platform like the MG 4 

On 3/4/2023 at 9:48 AM, TigerandDog said:

We used to AAC bricks to build our house last year. As stated by an earlier poster you need to ensure that the builder you choose knows how to work with them. When obtaining quotes from builders we asked them had they ever worked with AAC bricks previously. Most answered yes, but when we questioned them on mortar thickness and render etc they would say the same as if they were using red bricks or the cement bricks with the hollow center (similar to those in the pic in Tropposurfer's post), and if they managed to answer those questions correctly we then asked to see a current construction site where they were using AAC bricks. Some were using them, but not correctly so they did not get hired. Even with the company we eventually chose we had to get them to replace one of the brickies as he was not using the correct quantities of mortar and he was just smashing bricks the same as they do with red bricks instead of cutting them to size with a hacksaw. We have air con installed but so far have only had to use it for 1 hour at night during the hotter months in the upstairs bedroom. The house stays cool in the hot weather and keeps warm in the cold weather. They also do an excellent job of reducing the amount of external noise (village, temple & school loudspeakers that blare out morning and evening), We used the 7.5cm bricks. Some wall sections have double bricking, but most are single brick. Also make sure that after rendering and BEFORE painting that the builder applies a protective plastic skin. The stops teh render from absorbing the moisture from the paint, which means that the paint will last longer before a repaint needs to be done.

Most of it makes sense, but how can 7,5 cm bricks reduce heat or even noise? 

Heat maybe, since air inside the bricks is a good insulator.

But noise blocking only possible by pure density or weight of the stones (or resulting thickness).

Just the law of physics....

On 3/4/2023 at 12:23 PM, The Theory said:

I built it my way, cavity wall filled by 1.5 inch rigid foam between walls that get sun. I wanted to build cavity walls by red bricks, but the type was not available in my area. Walls remain cool with sunlight over (also it blocks noise with my type of windows, no sliding). I installed an exhaust fan for under the roof that works    with a thermostat (manual control too). It kicks when it go over 40 degree, it it reaches that hot since I used insulated metal roof. 

 

Where to find rigid foam for insulation? Almost not existing here (same as rockwool by the way...)

On 3/4/2023 at 8:47 AM, LukKrueng said:

I built my house using CLC blocks. They are light and easy to work with. The only mistake I did was using the thin blocks (7.5 cm). Insulation is still good in most days, not so good in very hot\cold days. The blocks and special mortar needed are more expensive, but as the blocks are bigger and need a very thin layer of mortar the total costs are not much higher.

DCON (manufacturer of CLC blocks) says, that regular mortar and plaster / rendering can be used since they are concrete based bricks with foam agent and closed cell structure (vs open cells with AAC).

Yes, definitely not using those tiny 7.5 cm wall thickness. Already twenty years ago, when energy savings were not a concern, in Germany you used air cavity brickstones with at least 11,5 cm or even more for load-bearing walls (24 cm or more)

On 3/3/2023 at 10:21 PM, sometimewoodworker said:

Any builder who is throwing up red flags with cavity walls is someone I don’t want working for me.

 

None of those are any different between AAC (widely available and used) and CLC (never heard of it) 

As to wall anchors, they are both lightweight blocks so you need exactly the same anchors.

 

For mortar AAC is very inexpensive due to using 3mm thickness. With plaster/render the AAC base coat is less expensive that the regular topcoat.

Yes I have as have many others you can find my building story on the board designed for building and advice on cool Thai houses, the build has just under 400 posts.

Get your point of using less mortar between the AAC blocks. But the special AAC plaster / render is definitely more expensive than for regular brickstones, concrete or CLC.

8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

So are you going to buy one? 

Most likely yes. The price (or lets say what you get for it) is just unbeatable.

Was thinking of Atto 3 but higher price, SUV design and the interior set me off.

My favorite still the BYD Seal, for that I would pay more. But given no timeline and probably not coming to Thailand within this year I think the MG 4 will it be.

On 3/3/2023 at 6:41 PM, KhunLA said:

I'm not seeing the ROI anytime soon.  Everyone basically out during the daytime, so the system would be simply charging up the ESS for nighttime use.

 

ESS being the expensive part of the system.   We don't use much over night, 6-7kWh at the most, and that's 1700-0830 hrs, 2/3rd of the day, and not when producing.  

 

That's 2 frigs, one 13BTU AC till midnight or later, laptop & 65" TV.  Just the 2 frigs and maybe a fan or AC on low, midnight till waking, about 6hr, and sunrise.  

 

You'll be out of the house before it starts producing much.

 

You won't be charging the car on the ESS, and since using TOU overnight for that, you'll be keeping the costs low.

 

Decent system, ~ ฿200k (5kWh Hybrid, Panels, 10kWh ESS)

10kWh / day on grid, 300 / month = ฿1500 bill

฿200k ÷ ฿1500 = 10+ yrs ROI +/-

 

Doesn't take into consideration of the EV charging, as it won't be on the solar.  Just weekends, so we call that a wash ???? 

 

If you were able to top up EV on weekends, and last all week, without needing to charge, then you'd probably need another inverter & string of panels.

That's right. Battery or ESS very expensive at current electricity costs. 

Therefore the tendency to install just small panel to setoff electricity costs during weekends.

Waiting for crossy reply, too

On 3/3/2023 at 7:14 PM, Bandersnatch said:

Having an EV really helps with payback if you can charge it from your solar system. 

I agree with previous comments about batteries  - they do extend the payback period.

 

I did these calculations for my system over a year ago, so will be a bit out of date with current prices:

 

Payback:
Main Components
20,000 Watts of PV @ ฿9/W = ฿180,000
9kWh LiFePO4 Batteries ฿68,000 x 3 = ฿204,000
Inverters ฿36,000 x 3 = ฿108,000
= ฿492,000
 
Savings: 
Gasohol saving ฿5,000/month
PEA saving ฿3,500/month
= ฿8,500/month 

฿102,000/Year saving 
Payback = 5 Years

 

 

Your solar panels cost more than the estimated building costs of my house ????

On 3/3/2023 at 6:11 PM, Crossy said:

If you give us a clue as your expected usage (with day/night split) and how much space you have for panels. We can give you a guesstimate.

 

Can you go all week on one charge of your EV (top up from solar at the weekend)?

 

Solar here does pay back, having a hybrid inverter with storage can extend the ROI significantly, using a contractor rather than DIY can make it even more expensive.

 

If you can get on the Thai feed-in-tariff that could enable you to balance your TOU costs without using storage!

 

How long do you expect to stay in your home? Once you have covered your costs the energy truly is free! Expect to break-even in 4-10 years.

 

Thanks crossy for your prompt and informative reply. Appreciate it.

Trying to answer your questions below:

expected usage: as said, the house will be empty during daytime on weekdays. We plan to have five ac units in total installed. 2 bedroom, 1 office, 1 living room, 1 dining room. I'm quite conservative with ac use and except hot season normally running fans. The house space will be approximately 90 sqm on two floors = 180 sqm. The available roof space for panels I would estimate between 50 and 70 spm.

ev charging: I expect to have my EV charged every second day (quite far to commute to work and relatively small battery in the MG 4 with 51 kWh.

feed in: Is this possible? I've heard so many conflicting information about this. For example with digital or TOU meter it is not possible anymore to spin the meter backwards etc.... 

house occupancy: definitely expecting to stay more than ten years in this house and not hoping to have the need to relocate and/or build a second house.

I had a test drive yesterday with the MG4. Confirmed or surpassed my expectations from reviews and YT videos. 

To me, it is a car you sit in and feel comfortable and welcoming immediately.

It starts with adjusting your seats, the steering wheel and mirrors which are not much different from a ten or 15 year old ICE car. 

The both screens are easy to read and understand. The power in standard mode is more than sufficient for me. Suspension is sporty and stiff but not uncomfortable.

The driver assist systems work well, only the lane keeping function could be improved.

At this test driving car, the voice assist was set in Thai language and sales didn't know how to change it. But English should be at least offered as second language besides Thai.

The speed and reaction of the screen is impressive. However searching for address on the navigation system (1:1 copy of google maps) is bad. This has to do with the known problem of google maps having many business listed in Thai script. However, the MG4 has standard Apple Car Play and Android Auto to connect with your smartphone.

One thing that irritated me with the physical home buttons for the screen (1x below and 1x on the steering wheel) is that it leads you the the actual settings screen and not to the home screen. (Compare to Android home button vs. open app drawer).

Slight criticism also for the arrangement of the air vents, especially the side ones. They are too low and blow directly on your hands, but not on your body or just into the car interior.

Without going into a full review, just giving some differences that I noticed from the MG4 Thailand model and the European version:

• There is no orange body color available
• The vents at the front grill have no automatic closing function (EU version close automatically depending on speed and battery temperature)
• The trunk has no storage space under the compartment for a charging adapter or additional storage room. The side pockets are also not as deep as EU version
• The left favorite button on the steering wheel can't be assigned to change driving modes. Instead you have to go into the menu on the main screen. This could be subject to software update / pre-production car for test drive.

Short description of the current situation: Planning to build a two-storey house in Bangkok with flat roof, two adults plus one children live in the house. Me and my partner are out for work on daytime five days a week, the son at school until afternoon, we have an EV as only car.

Initially, I was thinking to install on-grid-hybrid solar system with feed-in and battery storage. Since I can (and probably will) apply for a TOU meter, at current electricity prices I am questioning the investment of a solar system.

Where can I do calculations for this or can anyone speak from their personal experience? As much as I am for renewable energies I don't see a point for the huge investment.

Currently in the process of planning our house in Bangkok together with an architect and general contractor.

I would like to insulate the house according to western standards.

Cavity wall seems to be red tape for most contractors and they can't or don't want to do it.

Therefore I might opt for insulated wall bricks such as CLC (cellular lightweight concrete) or AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete) blocks.

On the paper CLC seems to have several advantages over AAC such as better cracking resistance under humid conditions, closed surface avoiding mold issues inside the bricks, use of regular anchors for furniture or wall TV mount, use of regular mortar and plaster/rendering.

They only thing I haven't researched yet is the price difference.

AAC are offered from several companies like SCG or through home stores such as Thai Watsadu or even local building supply stores.

CLC from what I've found are only offered from a company called DCON https://www.dconproduct.com/en/products/dcon-block/

Anyone has used either one of the bricks and can tell about his experience? Thank you

Hello,

I am looking for a cheap monthly car rental to bridge the gap until my new car has been delivered.

From my research, I've found eazycar (subsidiary of bizcar car rental / Thairung automotive group) the cheapest.

Their flexi package https://www.eazycar.co/thailand/FlexiPackage starts at 15,900 THB all-inclusive for compact cars.

Anyone else knows a cheaper rental, please let me know. Thank you

2 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yup, the MG4 is getting some great reviews and at 869/969k is an excellent price. I’m currently torn between the MG4 and the Atto 3 .

 The Neta U Pro might be another one to consider  ?

I don't like SUVs, therefore not much choices at the moment. Also heard about the rust problems with BYD. Even they have quite a long history of building car and batteries, MG respectively SAIC has been building cars with Volkswagen in China for more than 30 years and also in my opinion transferred a lot of knowledge from Volkswagen to their car manufacturing process.

Neta cars (all of them) I am afraid will facing the same issues as BYD: after years some issues to come such as rust etc... Was interested in Neta S, reviews said built quality is <deleted>. Mostly a poser car because of its outside look and high performance.

Last weekend I was enquiring at car dealers about my two current favorite EVs, MG 4 and BYD Seal.

BYD dealer said they have no information regarding a possible launch date of the Seal. "Within this year maybe", the sales said. BYD will bring the Dolphin to Thailand before the Seal and announce more information at the BKK motorshow end of March. Asking further about the Seal, salesman said he has no information from BYD HQ regarding some updates during motorshow. But he also aware that many people asking about BYD Seal being the only affordable EV sedan in the market.

Next off to MG, quite short visit. It's a new dealership and they currently didn't have an MG 4 in the showroom or for test drive. Sales going to call this week to have a look and test drive once they have a show car available. 

Conclusion so far, MG 4 has received excellent reviews and being named best compact SUV in Europe above class leaders such as VW ID.3, Cupra Born and Renault Megane e-tech. 

Given to unsure release date of the BYD Seal and don't want to wait until end of this year, I am leaning towards the MG4. If the test drive is satisfying, I am very close to buying it.

2 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

The booking system for PTT EV chargers is absolutely idiotic. It works for people staying near the charger who either doesn’t have home charging or doesn’t want to charge at home. For someone doing a road trip, it is completely impractical. Also, most of these stations seem to have only one charging unit.

 

PEA is infinitely better (for me). Most have 2 units and 50 kWh is good enough for me as my car can only take 47 kWh max. Payment is super easy as you top up the wallet and the amount is automatically deducted at the end of the charging session.

 

PTT and PEA both have on peak and off peak rates. That accounts for the different pricing. Elexa does not have off peak rates but the chargers are very new and fast. Payment is done at the end of the session with a debit or credit card. This adds an extra minute to your charging session compared to PTT or PEA.

 

 

so from your experience plus comments on Thai FB groups I would conclude that for on-the-road charging PEA volta and EGAT elexa are probably the best choices?

From browsing on Thai FB EV groups, many people complained that the EA anywhere chargers are the worst: Not working, frozen UI, can't charge for whatever reason, firmware update of the charger, etc.

Anyone can confirm that?

How about switching to busses? Probably too advanced for this corrupted third world country....

Avoid Rama 2 road during peak periods. It's terrible.

Mind this section of motorway 9 is not a tollway but often separate lanes. Still you have to deal with motorcycles and trucks

Re Koh Chang trip with rented EV.

I have installed the following apps:

Plugshare: to find charging stations in one app with reviews from user about the current status of each charging station

Elexa, EV station pluz, EA anywhere, PEA volta: to actually charge the EV. I set up an account and registered as many information (name, credit card etc.) already. Still I am not exactly sure how the payment for each provider works?

PEA volta seems to charge directly from the saved credit card.

How about others? Is it easy with scan QR code and bank transfer / PromptPay?

1 hour ago, BKKBike09 said:

I just spent a week or so in Pattaya. Decided to take the Atto to see how practical it would be. From Bangkok to where I was staying is about 130 km. From just shy of 100% charged, I got there with battery at about 65% courtesy of some spirited (for an Atto) driving. 

 

After a few days driving around and down to about 40% I figured I'd try charging it a bit - my first time trying this away from the comfort of the free home charger. First stop, big PTT station in South Pattaya while on way to find some dinner with the family. It has two chargers. One was occupied by some fancy Audi saloon, the owner of which was nowhere to be seen, so no idea how long he/she was going to be. The other charger had a handwritten sign saying 'broken'. 

 

Went back next day at 1045. One car already plugged in (a Neta). Another waiting (an MG). The MG driver said "I'm booked for 11 - would you like to charge for a bit before then". Kind offer, but then I realised I had to set up the app etc. She helpfully also told me the next available charging spot that day was 3 pm.

 

I then went to PEA Volta in South Pattaya Road. A Grab taxi MG was charging there. There's only one charger and only one high-speed DC charger cable (CCS2). The driver helpfully told me that I could try to charge using one of the slower cables but that there might not be enough power for it to charge two cars at the same time. He was right. However, he was finished in 5 mins and then he showed me how to work the app. All good; I couldn't be ar$$ed to spend more than 20 minutes charging but that put in about another 20%, so battery up to 60% something. While I was there a Neta turned up. Young couple who also were first timers so I showed them how to work the app etc.

 

I went back to the PEA Volta a few days later when battery back down to 40%. An MG was plugged into one of the slower AC charging cables. I asked if he'd be long and the guy was a bit of a tw@t ["I'll be done when I'm done"] so I plugged in the DC 'fast charge' cable. It worked ... but the total 50KWh capacity of the charging station meant the tw@t got 22KWh and I got 28 KWh ... so I did 20 mins and off I went.

 

Went back a third time equipped with coffee and laptop (HOT TIP: there are no coffee shops that I could see anywhere near the PEA place, not even at the Shell station across the road). No-one charging, so I plugged in and then spent 5 minutes trying to get the charger to talk to the car. Finally it was happy and I started charging. Literally one minute later a guy drives up in a Neta and pleads with me to let him charge because he's in a rush to get back to BKK to pick up a customer etc etc. I debated making him wait but I played nice and said he could charge for up to 20 mins, if that would work for him. Which it did. I then plugged back in and spent 45 minutes sitting in my car drinking coffee and working, so the time wasn't wasted. Pulled the plug when the battery was at 95%.

 

Charging at PEA is not priced clearly: one charge cost THB 4.5 or so per KWh (on a Sunday), others cost THB 6.7 or so (on weekdays). Go figure. Maybe TOU pricing? But the PEA app is simple to use and you simply top up credit using a credit card [of course, if you don't have a Thai credit card that may be a problem, and I also have Thai nationality so that may make it seem easy].

 

So ... my take on it all is that charging at public chargers is pretty hit and miss, especially if you 'walk in' rather than pre-book. On principle, booking a time to charge my car goes against the grain, but maybe it's part and parcel of the EV ownership 'experience'.

 

 

I am renting a MG ZS EV for a trip to Koh Chang. Hopefully it doesn't end up in disaster (looking for available or working charging stations) like your experience...