Electric vehicles on the fast track in Thailand

By JINTANA PANYAARVUDH 
THE NATION

 

Amonrat Kaewpradap, second from right and Jumpote Himacharoen, second from left. speak at a panel discussion on “The future of Electric Vehicle in Thailand” yesterday.

 

EXPERTS see bright prospects for electric vehicles (EV) in Thailand with all concerned agencies pursuing the government’s goal of getting 1.2 million units on the road by 2036.

 

There are many reasons and data behind the confidence of success, a seminar was told yesterday.

 

The rising number of registered EVs, the development of a locally made EVs, as well as research and development of some EV parts are indications that it could have a major role in Thai society, said Amonrat Kaewpradap, a committee member of the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT), at a panel discussion yesterday titled “The future of Electric Vehicle in Thailand”.

 

The discussion was held as part of the Delta Future Industry Summit, organised by Delta Electronics (Thailand), as a venue for exchanging innovative ideas for a sustainable future.

 

Amornrat said the number of EVs in use in Thailand was gradually increasing, leading to the continuous growth of infrastructure of charging stations. 

 

“More stations will boost the confidence for consumers in using EVs and so far, there are 500 charging stations in the country, she said.

 

 

She pointed out that the accumulated number of EV registrations in Thailand for Battery Electric Vehicles [BEV] and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) sharply increased from 2016 to 2017.

 

In 2016, there were 80,194 registrations but the number surged to 102,700 in 2017, or an increase of 20,000 units.

 

Incentives will bring down price

 

Another indication is the higher imports of EVs, she said, adding that more BEV motorcycles were sold these days, pointing to its popularity. 

 

Moreover, EV manufacturers are hiking production amid increasing demand from buyers. 

 

Also, educational institutions have launched development projects for EV battery, motors and the structure of a light-weight car.

She believes the price of EVs could come down in the future as the government will support its usage with incentives.

 

Jumpote Himacharoen, director of research and development, Metropolitan Electricity Authority [MEA], said the power agency would provide sufficient electricity to serve the targeted number of EVs.

 

MEA has recently launched an online application on the locations of EV charging stations for the convenience of drivers. 

 

In a separate panel discussion titled “A Decade into the Future: Predictions for Thai Cities”, participants said smart cities would be the cornerstone of the country’s future urban landscape, with significant investment from the government and private sector.

 

Pansak Siriruchatapong, the vice minister of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, said the government would expand its smart city project to three more provinces – Chon Buri, Rayong and Chaochengsao – on the Eastern Economic Corridor this year.

 

Currently, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Bangkok are the cities earmarked for the pilot programme.

 

“Within the next five years, Thailand will develop smart cities in all 77 provinces,” he said.

 

He added the two factors driving the development of smart cities are the engagement of community and local government and the connectivity and sharing information with technology solutions.

 

However, Piyapan Tayanithi, Bangkok Bank’s executive vice president, warned that smart or high-technology is a double-edged sword, and back-up measures were needed in the event of malfunctions. 

 

Piyapan cited an incident late last month when banks’ electronic money transfers, withdrawals and payment services crashed for several hours. 

 

The banks attributed the cause to heavy interbank money transfers at the end of the month at large banks.

 

“Simplicity or convenience of a group of people could come along with difficulty or complexity for another group [of people],” he said.

 

Hsieh Shen-yen, president of Delta Electronics (Thailand)

 

Hsieh Shen-yen, president of Delta Electronics (Thailand), said: “We are currently witnessing the decline of old technologies such as gasoline cars and the gradual shift to smarter, cleaner technologies to power our lives and manage our cities.

 

“But the shift to the future will only gain real momentum when the public and private sectors work together and get serious about action for climate change and managing urbanisation,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/business/30354739

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-19

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Hsieh Shen-yen, president of Delta Electronics (Thailand), said: “We are currently witnessing the decline of old technologies such as gasoline cars and the gradual shift to smarter, cleaner technologies to power our lives and manage our cities.

Because people wanted their cell phones and other electronic devices to last longer.  The auto industry has been forced into electric car production and the oil companies are not happy either. 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

1.2 million units on the road by 2036.

Far too long and far too few.  China has that number already.  US has more than half that number now.  Gee, the hub of electric cars it aint.  Not even approaching decent lip service.  20K is pretty good for Thailand under military leadership.   One home grown EV I saw was an abandoned bus some years ago around RCA.  It was really good looking, but covered in dirt. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Hsieh Shen-yen, president of Delta Electronics (Thailand), said: “We are currently witnessing the decline of old technologies such as gasoline cars and the gradual shift to smarter, cleaner technologies to power our lives and manage our cities.

 

I totally love the idea of affordable, clean electric cars. However, I don't think that electric cars are an option in countries where the thermometer dips below - 10 C, or even below the freezing point.

In my experience working outdoors with handheld radios and flashlights, frozen batteries don't last very long.

 

So, I don't think we will ever see a surge of electric cars in the Nordic countries...

A tip to LazySlipper. Norway is the leading country when it comes to sale of electric vehicles ( both pure electric and hybrid. The sale of these cars are now more than 50% of the total sale. I can tell LazySlipper that the temperature is far below -10 degrees celsius in winter, and the EV cars work well. 

Carerra

A lot of talk again and no substance.
I wonder why several European countries are now more or less at 80-100% production of renewable energy and some days harvest more renewable energy then they need building enormous storage facilities for later use.

This country has not even started yet.
They make it prohibitively expensive to use solar or wind power in private homes or companies who would benefit greatly.
I wonder why that is. People are choking on fumes in the cities and nothing is done.
Wouldn’t it be great to plug your car into your own wind or solar produced electric storage outlet and drive to work without ever seeing a gasoline station again?

Almost noise free and without releasing toxic fumes into the air.

Oh hey I forget the PTT monopoly would tumble and EGAT could not rip us off anymore when ever the government needs more money they raise electricity prices slightly and steadily.

How much energy is produced in Thailand from renewables when other countries are at or close to 100 %?

EV ? You are either stuck with something “local” like a Nissan Leaf at 2.4 Million Baht - or have to be a multi Millionaire to be able to afford an imported model.

Nothing but talk again - and once production of EV vehicles starts here it will very likely be Japanese / German and for export because hardly anybody here can afford them.

Who needs clean cars when we can poison the air as long as we can sell to the masses and rip them off with exorbitant prices.

A 2018 Camry which is sold in the US with all the latest technology that is not even included in the top model here starts at 24.000 $ the basic model in Thailand is 1,399.000 Baht what a rip off is that?

Here are the sad facts about EVs in Thailand and not even talking about renewable energy production of which the Target is 30% by 2030!

The Thai automobile market is not ready to sell EVs due primarily to their high prices due to importing.

Data from LMC Automotive shows that Hybrid car sales in Thailand during 2015 accounted for a mere 1% of total cars sold, the same level as in 2012.
This reflects the fact that despite the availability of imported Hybrids or Plug-in hybrid cars in the Thai market, these cars have not received much interest from consumers.
The low sales figures are due mainly to premium prices for EVs compared to conventional cars.

For example, the NISSAN LEAF that costs 2.4 million baht including taxes has equivalent acceleration to an average large car like a TOYOTA CAMRY 2.0G that sells for only 1.4 million baht.

Kunat Tharasrisuthi, a senior analyst at LMCA, holds similar views, saying that, “prices for EVs and hybrid cars in Thailand are high and Thai people perceive that EVs and hybrid cars are too expensive compared to the performance of the same or similar conventional models”.
As for manufacturers, NISSAN and TOYOTA both feel that the Thai automobile market will only be ready for EVs if there are supportive government measures promoting more competitive prices for EVs.
Examples of such measures are waivers on EV import duties to reduce prices or subsidies for EV buyers, as is the case in countries where an EV market already exists, such as South Korea and Germany.

Business conditions are unfavorable for the sale and manufacturing of EVs.

First, the limited number EV charging stations, with only 20 stations in Bangkok and none upcountry, is insufficient to spur confidence among consumers and manufacturers. A case study of NGVs shows that a shortage of NGV stations was the main impediment during the initial phase. That is, in the first 5 years starting from 2001, when only 44 NGV stations operated, the share of NGV usage stayed under 1% of total registered cars in 2005. In fact, it took another 10 years for major car manufacturers to begin full scale NGV production. Second, Thailand is not ready to support the transition towards new business models that will arise with EV usage. These new models include car sharing systems that are currently used in USA, France, Japan and South Korea, systems to handle and recycle flat batteries, or businesses that link with related industries like smart grid and alternative energy sources. The third factor is the fact that Thailand’s technological capacity is unable to support the production of primary EV parts, such as Li-ion batteries and motor drives and control units. These parts need to be imported, leading consumers to question whether or not these car parts would be readily available for car servicing and maintenance.





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1 hour ago, carerra said:

I can tell LazySlipper that the temperature is far below -10 degrees celsius in winter, and the EV cars work well. 

 

Just out of curiosity, how long does the car keep its charge?

I am somewhat skeptical to the use in countries like mine, but do have an open mind.

Next we will be reading about cars exploding when left on charge overnight...

11 minutes ago, JAG said:

Next we will be reading about cars exploding when left on charge overnight...

Especially when Somchai decides to build his own charger using diagrams from the internet.

Edited September 19, 20187 yr by overherebc

1 hour ago, boonrawdcnx said:

Almost noise free and without releasing toxic fumes into the air.

and extremely wasteful of the potential energy they converted which unless solar or wind or wave  generated is just a total waste of time

1 hour ago, boonrawdcnx said:

when other countries are at or close to 100 %?

what countries might that be?

3 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

I totally love the idea of affordable, clean electric cars. However, I don't think that electric cars are an option in countries where the thermometer dips below - 10 C, or even below the freezing point.

In my experience working outdoors with handheld radios and flashlights, frozen batteries don't last very long.

 

So, I don't think we will ever see a surge of electric cars in the Nordic countries...

More Tesla electric cars are sold in Norway per capita than any other country. If the are housed indoors at night they shouldn't have a problem.

4 minutes ago, kannot said:

and extremely wasteful of the potential energy they converted which unless solar or wind or wave  generated is just a total waste of time

It doesn't really matter what you say....electric cars are the future and eventually the power will come from solar creating a less polluted world.

I run an EV in Australia and Power it from 8 solar PV panels. The car (a Ford Focus) has 40 clicks on the clock and give me 135km range if I don’t hammer it, a little more on highway only driving. These cars are ideal for Thailand depending on your useage. I charge my  car anytime it’s at home and the odd time when I’m on a longer trip, I can manage by charging in any 240V 13Amp outlet.

 

The point I would correct in the article is the number of vehicles by 2030. They will be way higher than that. If you want to learn more on the future of EVs, “Tony Seba” is well worth a google. His lectures are very informative and he has been correct with so many predictions on future disruption.

1 minute ago, Mansell said:

It doesn't really matter what you say....electric cars are the future and eventually the power will come from solar creating a less polluted world.

lets see an electric passenger airliner not a 20  minute  single prop plane or and electric truck and not some  tesla BS.

Quote

“But the shift to the future will only gain real momentum when the public and private sectors work together and get serious about action for climate change and managing urbanisation,” he said.

Am I wrong or this is still the country which want to open new coal power plants?

11 minutes ago, Tradewind777 said:

I run an EV in Australia and Power it from 8 solar PV panels. The car (a Ford Focus) has 40 clicks on the clock and give me 135km range if I don’t hammer it, a little more on highway only driving. These cars are ideal for Thailand depending on your useage. I charge my  car anytime it’s at home and the odd time when I’m on a longer trip, I can manage by charging in any 240V 13Amp outlet.

 

The point I would correct in the article is the number of vehicles by 2030. They will be way higher than that. If you want to learn more on the future of EVs, “Tony Seba” is well worth a google. His lectures are very informative and he has been correct with so many predictions on future disruption.

What does 40 clicks mean, is that the odometer reading or top speed ? How long does a recharge take ?

Ill wait for the deuterium powered cars 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

What does 40 clicks mean, is that the odometer reading or top speed ? How long does a recharge take ?

means he has to drive like a tortoise to not go very far, charging will depend on his  "supply" and fast charging will consume a lot of juice.

22 minutes ago, Mansell said:

More Tesla electric cars are sold in Norway per capita than any other country. If the are housed indoors at night they shouldn't have a problem.

 

You guys keep saying Norway. One country is hardly a dip in the bucket.

Canada will never go for it, nor do I think Russia will etc...

 

Norway is a lot richer per capita than Canada and other countries. Give other examples other than just one country and then your argument will start to tip the scale...

Where are the electrical recharge units for highway travel eg. Bangkok to Phuket? 

I cant see the point with electric vehicles unless they are charged with solar/wind etc. Otherwise you are just moving the pollution etc from the car to the fossil fuel power station. 

Electric cars, Buses,trucks ,boats,planes,,, what a Joke    Where does one think the Electric power comes from Coal fired oil fired, Diesel fired Generators/Alternator.  And maybe a little Water and wind powered  Plants.Oh one more small thing ,How many electric cars are going to run out of power in Hours+ traffic Jams Running the Aircon/Fans in this Tropic Climate.

31 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

I cant see the point with electric vehicles unless they are charged with solar/wind etc. Otherwise you are just moving the pollution etc from the car to the fossil fuel power station. 

True, but even if every kilowatt going into the EV is generated by burning fossil fuels, EV's are still 40% cleaner than regular cars.

If they spent as much on research to produce a safe way of storing H2 on vehicles for me it's more worthwhile.

The cars produce water.

Hope the recharging points follow soon after or it will be a short lived ride !

58 minutes ago, keeniau96 said:

Where are the electrical recharge units for highway travel eg. Bangkok to Phuket? 

Silence, seems to be the answer so far. ??

7 minutes ago, overherebc said:

If they spent as much on research to produce a safe way of storing H2 on vehicles for me it's more worthwhile.

The cars produce water.

Producing hydrogen aint cheap

Just now, kannot said:

Producing hydrogen aint cheap

Can we say 'at the moment.'

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Silence, seems to be the answer so far. ??

I live halfway near pranburi feel free to drop in I only have 1  phase , it  goes off and on most days can be 240 or 100v should be hilarious

Edited September 19, 20187 yr by kannot

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Can we say 'at the moment.'

sure, everything is "at the moment"