COVID-19, electric vehicles to reshape Thailand’s auto industry

[webfact]

COVID-19, electric vehicles to reshape Thailand’s auto industry

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: A woman wearing a face mask stands near the Mini Electric during the media day of the 41st Bangkok International Motor Show after the Thai government eased measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Bangkok, Thailand July 14, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the remaking of Thailand's automotive industry, the backbone of Southeast Asia's auto sector, as factory shutdowns compound a shift toward electric vehicles.

 

Thailand's auto-related businesses, which employ 900,000, are reopening after months of coronavirus shutdowns, promising relief for many laid-off workers.

 

But there's a catch: Thailand's shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) could pummel the local auto industry because it is dominated by hundreds of parts makers, while EVs require just 10% to 20% as many of parts as internal-combustion vehicles.

 

With an estimated one-third of a million jobs at risk, Thai auto-parts makers are scrambling into industries like medical equipment, a trend likely to keep reshaping Southeast Asia's second-largest economy after the pandemic passes.

 

"We are all worried ... this is a sunset industry," said Kasem Tiankanon, manager at Siam Filter Products Ltd.

 

The Bangkok-based company has avoided laying off any of its hundreds of workers by offsetting the drop in orders from automakers with an increase in replacement parts. The company is looking to branch out into making filters for industrial and medical use and is developing a new kind of protective mask.

 

"We cannot just stay in the auto business," Kasem said. "If you don't adjust, you'll die."

 

Others moved to packaging and aviation.

 

“It’s a pivot to industries that use the same processes because there is already expertise in machining,” said Sompol Tanadumrongsak, head of the Thai Auto-Parts Manufacturers Association.

 

The coronavirus damage to car demand will crush Thailand's output by almost half to 1.14 million vehicles this year, research firm IHS Markit forecasts.

 

Parts makers, which account for some 80% of the country's auto-industry workers, have laid off 20,000, a number that could hit 100,000 by year end, said Manit Promkareekul, president of the Automobile Labour Congress of Thailand.

 

EV prospects are brighter.

 

Global sales will rise 6% this year to 2.3 million vehicles before exploding to 45 million by 2030, the International Energy Agency forecasts.

 

STEERING TO ELECTRIC

Even before the new coronavirus struck, Thailand's parts makers were starting to shift gears as the global car industry moves toward EVs, spurred by the likes of Elon Musk's Tesla Inc. 

 

The government in March targeted EVs at 30% of production, or 750,000 vehicles, by 2030, initially for domestic use in a bid to curb pollution.

 

Truck-chassis maker Sammitr Group last month received approval for a $170 million project to make 30,000 battery-power vehicles a year in a joint venture with a Chinese company.

 

In 2018 Honda Motor Co <7267.T> and Nissan Motor Co <7201.T> received approval for investments worth a combined $888 million to produce hybrid electric vehicles and batteries.

 

To be sure, Thailand faces competition from other countries in gaining factories for the expected EV boom. Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> last year announced a $2 billion EV investment in Indonesia.

 

But even if Thailand attracts more EV production, 800 auto-parts companies and more than 325,000 jobs could be at risk because an EV uses 1,500 to 3,000 parts, versus 30,000 in a traditional gasoline vehicle, said Kiriya Kulkolkarn at Thammasat University.

 

CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT HELP

Great Wall Motor Co, China’s top pickup truck maker, took over two General Motors Co <GM.N> plants in Thailand in February to make sport-utility vehicles and pickups - but held back from EV production.

 

Great Wall would need more support from the government to produce EVs, vice president Steven Wang told Reuters.

 

EV incentives from Thailand's Board of Investment have expired, and now the board is exploring new measures to attract investors, said secretary-general Duangjai Asawachintachit.

 

What is needed to ensure Thailand's competitiveness are steps to provide clarity to investors and customers, said Kiranee Tammapiban-udom of Maverick Consulting Group.

 

"The industry is approaching an inflection point," she said. "It will be left behind if policies do not accommodate EV manufacturing, its ecosystem and consumption."

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by William Mallard)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-17

 

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[CelticBhoy]

"We cannot just stay in the auto business," Kasem said. "If you don't adjust, you'll die."

 

A tad melodramatic there, methinks  . . . .  ????

[Laza 45]

...and another dam on the Mekong river to power them...hmmm

[petedk]

I'm sure I read some time ago that bangkok would introduce electric motorcycles or something this year. I did a quick search here but couldn't find the article.

 

 

[overherebc]

All fine and good to develop electric and hybrid vehicles but don't forget nice clean environmentally friendly recycling plants for the batteries. Don't leave until the last minute.

Edited July 17, 2020 by overherebc

[Grumpy John]

There needs to be a lot of solar power installations built to offset the increased demand for electricity.  May even be a place for wind and tide energy.... 

[Dumbastheycome]

10 minutes ago, overherebc said:

All fine and good to develop electric and hybrid vehicles but don't forget nice clean environmentally friendly recycling plants for the batteries. Don't leave until the last minute.

Recycling EV and  other  batteries may be a viable industry in itself. Seems  to be few of any significant plants.

[bert bloggs]

And one day we will even put charging points around the country to charge them he said.

[overherebc]

12 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Recycling EV and  other  batteries may be a viable industry in itself. Seems  to be few of any significant plants.

I reckon so too.

Lithium,  cadmium and cobalt and their compounds in plenty. Not the best things to start chucking in the sea or in landfills.

[thaibeachlovers]

I do wish those than make decisions would realise that battery powered cars are the worst option and change to hydrogen powered vehicles.

Submarines produce large amounts of O2 by electrolysis, and the hydrogen by product is wasted. It's not hard to make hydrogen, doesn't depend on sunshine or wind blowing, the raw material is easily obtained, inexhaustible, and the technology has been around for ages. All it needs is the investment to change over.

Of course some people won't get exceedingly rich, which is what battery power is all about, IMO.

 

Far as I'm concerned we've been led up the wrong path by certain people that don't have the environment as a concern. If they cared about the environment they would not be pushing highly polluting batteries made from scarce resources. It's all about the money, IMO.

Edited July 17, 2020 by thaibeachlovers

[johng]

Yes hydrogen on demand is the way to go..made from water fill up anywhere quickly,

exhaust product  water ????

no nasty heavy polluting batteries to worry about either.

[Grumpy John]

9 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I do wish those than make decisions would realise that battery powered cars are the worst option and change to hydrogen powered vehicles.

Submarines produce large amounts of O2 by electrolysis, and the hydrogen by product is wasted. It's not hard to make hydrogen, doesn't depend on sunshine or wind blowing, the raw material is easily obtained, inexhaustible, and the technology has been around for ages. All it needs is the investment to change over.

Of course some people won't get exceedingly rich, which is what battery power is all about, IMO.

 

Far as I'm concerned we've been led up the wrong path by certain people that don't have the environment as a concern. If they cared about the environment they would not be pushing highly polluting batteries made from scarce resources. It's all about the money, IMO.

Everything big business do is about  money.  Don't ever kid yourself they are noble men working for the good of the people.  That's how it has to be. 

[overherebc]

36 minutes ago, Grumpy John said:

Everything big business do is about  money.  Don't ever kid yourself they are noble men working for the good of the people.  That's how it has to be. 

Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie.

[phantomfiddler]

Everyone should watch "Planet of the Humans" ! It will seriously affect your view on alternative power which, believe it or not, has to come from somewhere !

[natway09]

The electric car industry has two major sticking points before they should be considered.

The main obvious one being the power source for recharging. If it is a dirty old coal fired plant or even 

a gas fired one  all you are doing is moving the pollution from one place to another.

The batteries disposal issue are going to present authorities in about 5 years with some major headaches 

[Cake Monster]

8 minutes ago, natway09 said:

The electric car industry has two major sticking points before they should be considered.

The main obvious one being the power source for recharging. If it is a dirty old coal fired plant or even 

a gas fired one  all you are doing is moving the pollution from one place to another.

The batteries disposal issue are going to present authorities in about 5 years with some major headaches 

And of course the major sticking point on these EV Vehicles, the initial purchase price of them, which is typically 20% higher than a standard petrol car

[rwill]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Far as I'm concerned we've been led up the wrong path by certain people that don't have the environment as a concern. If they cared about the environment they would not be pushing highly polluting batteries made from scarce resources. It's all about the money, IMO.

Michael Moore made a movie about it but couldn't get it released to theaters so he put it on youtube for free.  You can watch it there.

[khunjeff]

5 hours ago, petedk said:

I'm sure I read some time ago that bangkok would introduce electric motorcycles or something this year. I did a quick search here but couldn't find the article.

 

 

And every couple of years they announce that they'll be introducing electric tuk-tuks and commuter boats, but so far it hasn't happened.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, CelticBhoy said:

"We cannot just stay in the auto business," Kasem said. "If you don't adjust, you'll die."

 

A tad melodramatic there, methinks  . . . .  ????

Or the future as it will be... 

[petedk]

23 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

And every couple of years they announce that they'll be introducing electric tuk-tuks and commuter boats, but so far it hasn't happened.

Yes, maybe it was Tuktuks or boats I read about. I couldn't find the article.

[Seeall]

6 hours ago, overherebc said:

All fine and good to develop electric and hybrid vehicles but don't forget nice clean environmentally friendly recycling plants for the batteries. Don't leave until the last minute.

Yeah right..

[PETERTHEEATER]

The increase in EVs will result in a decrease in demand for diesel and gasoline in turn reducing government tax revenue. As far as I know, in Thailand, EVs are exempt annual road tax. Inevitably, to maintain tax revenues, new taxes will be introduced and the consumer will pay.

[digger70]

5 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

And of course the major sticking point on these EV Vehicles, the initial purchase price of them, which is typically 20% higher than a standard petrol car

And than the Price from Dirty Electricity(It ain't clean)will go Sky high.

[Redline]

????

Edited July 17, 2020 by Redline

[A512]

with the economy doing wonders, I guess EV will come along in the next century.

[timendres]

10 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Everyone should watch "Planet of the Humans" ! It will seriously affect your view on alternative power which, believe it or not, has to come from somewhere !

 

[Grumpy John]

In my view the energy source of the future may not have come along yet.  Micro hydro is a great source of power in some locations as long as the stream is flowing.  Rooftop solar is great whilst the sun shines.  Micro and mini wind turbines are also handy but the best setup iS Hydrogen/petrol hybrid.  Can be used in stationary or mobile applications.   What I am talking about is hydogen generated as the stationary or vehicle application is in use...no storage tanks.  Eliminating the hydrogen storage tank is critical to it being a success.  The technology is there.  Has been for years.  The hold up has been the need for onboard storage driven by the companies doing the development work.  On board storage was/is the Achilles Heel especially for vehicles.   Recharging stations also a hugely expensive problem to solve.  But just like electric cars hydrogen power may just be an interim step to the future energy source yet to be discovered.  

Edited July 18, 2020 by Grumpy John
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