idealistic123

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Seems they are definitely feeling the squeeze from Neta V & BYD Dolphin pricing.  Cheaper and guessing better car than than overpriced Mazda 2 and other entry level ICEV made TH, or even imports from JP, since all about the same price now.

 

Seriously don't know why anyone buys an ICEV now, unless you can't charge at home.  At least people should take them for a test drive.  Stop listening to the troll types, on or offline, spreading the endless negative BS of EV.

 

As stated earlier, and the reason why some of us even reply to the trolls here, to give EV positive, real life experiences they deserve.

Agree. 

I wanted to replace my Ford Ranger with a CX-30 and they offered a discount of 170k (girlfriends owns an old Mazda 2). That's why I'm familar with their current promotions. 

However, after test driving the Atto 3 this week I really can't justify buying an ICEV anymore. Especially these old engines that are sold in Thailand and haven't been updated for years. 

Before writing my verdict about the last few days with the BYD Atto 3 I want to point out that this has been my first experience using an EV as my daily driver.  
Due to that I haven’t been able to sign up with all the companies that provide charging stations.
In fact I only charged at PEA Volta stations since I wasn’t able to use my Thai Debit card with most other providers. 
(The bank still has my old phone number that’s why I couldn’t receive the OTP-Code that you need for verification...my fault). 
 

I really like the Atto 3. 
It’s fun to drive, comfortable and spacious.

The only thing I don’t like is the interior.
But that’s just my personal taste. 

So would I buy an EV?
Absolutely, going back to oil, gas and all the mechanical parts feels like going back to the past. 
Also driving an EV in Thailand is so much cheaper than driving an ICE. 
(EV: ~100 THB / 100km @ 15kWh and 6 THB per kWH - ICE: ~270 @ 7liter and 39 THB per liter) 

But can I imagine owning an EV without having a Wall Box at home? 

Unfortunately, no. 

Granny charging is ok but at the 1,8 kWh  that I got at our house you need 9 hours to add 100km of range. 

Better than nothing but not really satisfied with this idea. 
 

The public charging infrastructure is ok as well. 
However I passed a lot of charging stations throughout the days and many were occupied.

Sometimes even with people waiting in line. 

Also charging speeds are rather slow. (Claimed 120kW stations only charging at 45kW) 

All in all I’m just not the type of guy that enjoys driving to gas stations and sitting there for 30-60 minutes. 
Currently sitting in the car for 40 minutes already while writing this post and I’m already kind of annoyed. 
 

So my verdict is:
EV yes if I was able to install a wall box at home and charge there more efficiently. Ideally combined with some solar panels.

I’m just a tenant so this isn’t an option at the moment.  

Being dependent on public chargers and planning my daily life so that I only visit places with chargers nearby isn’t an option for me. 

On 3/30/2024 at 3:25 PM, idealistic123 said:

Does anyone own an EV but can’t charge at home? 
 

I just moved to a new house (rental) and can’t / don’t want to install a wallbox. 

However there is a gas station with chargers just around the corner. 

 

That’s why I’m wondering if some people here rely on public chargers only? 

Following up on this topic and to get some real world experience I just picked up a BYD Atto 3 for the next three days.

Just drove back to Pattaya from Suvarnabhumi and also charged for the first time at a PEA Volta station. Setting up all the apps is a bit of a hassle at first. But I guess once you're all set it's nothing to worry about anymore. 

What I'm worried about though is the availabilty of vacant chargers . At the two EV Stations close to my new house that I mentioned above there are only four chargers in total. I passed them twice today and both times all were occupied. 

Tonight I will give the granny charging a try. 

Today I had some time and went to Mazda as well as Honda to check out the prices for trading in my Ranger. 
 

They both offered the same price since both work with the same Second hand car dealer.

Was a bit weird when the Mazda dealer asked me if I already went to Honda.. 

They offered 30% less than the original sticker price. 
 

So if you ever want to feel offended just go to a dealer ask how much they will pay for your car.  ???? 

I declined and posted the car on Facebook marketplace. 

If I can get a decent price I’ll sell it and if not I’ll just live with it. 

No need to rush. 

The reason why I bought a Pick-Up in the first place is their great value for money compared to regular cars. 

But you are right.

You will develop inferiority complexes if you drive a Pick-Up in Bangkok. 

Most middle - upper class Thais will either think that you are a farmer or just don't have enough money to afford a decent SUV or Sedan. 

Pick-Ups are quite far from being a status symbol in Bangkok. 

Just now, sungod said:

Never had a problem personally.

I wouldn't call it "problem" either. 

I've been driving 3,300km in the last 1,5 months and I just came to the conclusion that a Pick-Up doesn't make much sense for me. 

At first I thought that it would be very practical. 

But if I'm honest it is the complete opposite. 

It's only my girlfriend and me...we never transport heavy or long loads, we never go offroad, we never travel to remote provinces. So there is basically no real use case for a car like a Ranger. 

13 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

I have never really understood foriegners buying big pickup trucks to drive in urban Thailand.

I'm in Pattaya and its hilarious watching guys try and negotiate traffic, small sois, parking areas etc.

Seems like I had to make the experience first to understand the hassle of owning in a big car in a big city.