ICE vs EV, the debate thread

[JBChiangRai]

14 hours ago, khunphil said:

Sorry, bad English, I was asking for insurance premieum, I found it. 15K for Mazda 2 and 35K for BYD Dolphin.
Thanks for information anyway, useful.

 

12 hours ago, vinny41 said:

Figures posted here for Dolphin show between B29.5K - B32.5K

Own damage I haven't see that before range from B280K-B370K

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10235973144133949&set=gm.507424338812088&idorvanity=152147804339745

EV claims surge - insurance losses, expensive spare parts - Viriyah leads the team to 'raise premiums'. https://www.prachachat.net/finance/news-1792487

There are some insurance companies  coming out with a new type of policy EV2+ where in the majority of cases they wouldn't cover the costs of repair to your own vehicle unless its fire,theft or has been in an accident

 

Roojai just quoted me 9,682 with insured value of 384,000 for 2 year old  car.  Pretty reasonable.

 

@vinny41 you should really try to be less obviously biased.

[vinny41]

1 minute ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

 

Roojai just quoted me 9,682 with insured value of 384,000 for 2 year old  car.  Pretty reasonable.

I assume that is for the MG4  that you own

[JBChiangRai]

10 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

I assume that is for the MG4  that you own

 

No, that was for a BYD Dolphin standard range.

[vinny41]

13 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

 

Roojai just quoted me 9,682 with insured value of 384,000 for 2 year old  car.  Pretty reasonable.

 

@vinny41 you should really try to be less obviously biased.

Not biased as you can see I provided photo from Byd Dolphin facebook group and article from .prachachat.net/finance/

as stated some insurance companies have started a new type of policy called EV2+ which seems similar to third party fire and theft policy if you are from the UK

Roojai are offering this type of policy and they state average quotes range from B3,480 to B7,217

https://www.roojai.com/en/car-insurance/type2plus/

 

[KhunLA]

15 hours ago, vinny41 said:

Figures posted here for Dolphin show between B29.5K - B32.5K

Own damage I haven't see that before range from B280K-B370K

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10235973144133949&set=gm.507424338812088&idorvanity=152147804339745

EV claims surge - insurance losses, expensive spare parts - Viriyah leads the team to 'raise premiums'. https://www.prachachat.net/finance/news-1792487

There are some insurance companies  coming out with a new type of policy EV2+ where in the majority of cases they wouldn't cover the costs of repair to your own vehicle unless its fire,theft or has been in an accident

You'd have to be an idiot to pay more thatn 10k-15k baht to insure any standard car in TH, whether ICEV. hybrid or BEV.

 

As I posted, 1 yr old BYD Dolphin for retired safe driver is <10k a year.

 

[UWEB]

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

You'd have to be an idiot to pay more thatn 10k-15k baht to insure any standard car in TH, whether ICEV. hybrid or BEV.

 

As I posted, 1 yr old BYD Dolphin for retired safe driver is <10k a year.

 

What do you get for this price? Have renewed my Tier 1 Insurance for my Seal with a coverage of 1.050.000 THB and 100% Battery replacement in case of damage from an Accident for a price of 32.600 THB. But I don't think I'm an Idiot.

[KhunLA]

14 minutes ago, UWEB said:

What do you get for this price? Have renewed my Tier 1 Insurance for my Seal with a coverage of 1.050.000 THB and 100% Battery replacement in case of damage from an Accident for a price of 32.600 THB. But I don't think I'm an Idiot.

1 yr old Dolphin won't be worth 1M, so what ever the total loss value is, and if repair matches or exceed, then you'll get what the issued value is.   They are all fairly, or has been my experience.  Didn't ask what top pay out, insured value would be, as don't care.

 

When shopping for our insurance, 2nd & 3rd year coverage, they were the cheapest, and coverage about the same as vendors wanting 22k & 25k.

 

You can pay more for insurance, but you don't have to.  As I mention, Roojai were excellent for our small oops (MG ZS EV @ ฿250k repair bill), and repair done at MG dealer.

 

I would consider myself an idiot, if I paid 32.6k for insurance, when I could have paid 10k, but I didn't shop around.

 

Now you know, so might want to check their rate when renewing.  

 

You're Welcome 

[UWEB]

10 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

1 yr old Dolphin won't be worth 1M, so what ever the total loss value is, and if repair matches or exceed, then you'll get what the issued value is.   They are all fairly, or has been my experience.  Didn't ask what top pay out, insured value would be, as don't care.

 

When shopping for our insurance, 2nd & 3rd year coverage, they were the cheapest, and coverage about the same as vendors wanting 22k & 25k.

 

You can pay more for insurance, but you don't have to.  As I mention, Roojai were excellent for our small oops (MG ZS EV @ ฿250k repair bill), and repair done at MG dealer.

 

I would consider myself an idiot, if I paid 32.6k for insurance, when I could have paid 10k, but I didn't shop around.

 

Now you know, so might want to check their rate when renewing.  

 

You're Welcome 

Why not just get the Government Insurance, cost some few hundred THB only.

[KhunLA]

8 minutes ago, UWEB said:

Why not just get the Government Insurance, cost some few hundred THB only.

Then I would have had to pay 250k out of pocket for that little oops, which was my fault.   The little oops, made having auto insurance in TH worth it, as over 20+ years, that probably what auto insurance cost me.  Most times <10k a year, many times 10-13k a year.   Call that a savings plan, for when I have an oops.

 

One of my pet peeves, auto insurance, and rarely had it in the USA, and never needed it.   Here, TH, it's a bit different, as people are suicidal, and good to have, if someone decides to commit suicide with your vehicle ... or, if you're an airhead, and pull out in front of someone, too slow ... oops 🙄

 

I do have just the mandatory govt ins on the motorbike.  Don't drive that fast enough to get in much trouble.

[JBChiangRai]

48 minutes ago, UWEB said:

What do you get for this price? Have renewed my Tier 1 Insurance for my Seal with a coverage of 1.050.000 THB and 100% Battery replacement in case of damage from an Accident for a price of 32.600 THB. But I don't think I'm an Idiot.

 

Roojai will cover Seal Dynamic & Premium models with drivers 25 and over quite reasonably (circa 12-15k)

 

I paid 30,000 to Viriyah for Seal Performance, Roojai won't cover this model.

[UWEB]

5 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

Roojai will cover Seal Dynamic & Premium models with drivers 25 and over quite reasonably (circa 12-15k)

 

I paid 30,000 to Viriyah for Seal Performance, Roojai won't cover this model.

I used Viriyah for my Seal Performance, for me best value for money after reviewing six different quotes.

[vinny41]

Recent article published by Roojai 8th January 2025

Few manufacturers and repair options, expensive spare parts

Currently, the electric car market in Thailand is still concentrated in the hands of a few manufacturers, and most of them are new manufacturers from China.

And one of the big problems that many people don't directly come from the electrical system, but many people don't want it to happen, is "accidents" because the cost of repairing spare parts for EVs is quite high and will increase even more. According to Gartner, the world's leading research and consulting company, it is predicted that by 2027, the average cost of repairing EV bodies and batteries in serious accidents will increase by 30%.

https://www.roojai.com/article/car-news/ev-car-problems-review/

Personally I thought the average cost of repairing EV's would be decreasing not increasing

 

Review of 5 EV problems that only real users know!view of 5 EV problems that only real users know!

Review of 5 EV problems that only real users know!

[vinny41]

43 minutes ago, UWEB said:

I used Viriyah for my Seal Performance, for me best value for money after reviewing six different quotes.

Here is a comparison site reviewing 4 insurance companies comparing quotes for Byd seal in November 2024

turn on subtitles and select auto translate to English

they stated best quote was Viriyah with capital amount of B920,000 and  insurance premium of B32,000

It would appear your deal is better as you get an extra capital amount of B130,000 over what they were quoted

 

[JBChiangRai]

UK EV market share still growing strongly in a depressed market.

 

Uptake of pure battery electric new cars grew by 8.1 per cent in April, reaching a market share of 20.4 per cent, up from 16.9 per cent a year earlier.

 

 

Dan Caesar, chief executive of lobby group Electric Vehicles UK, said: “Month after month at least one in five new car buyers are now going battery electric.

“As the industry demonstrates that battery electric vehicles are the cheaper and better option, more and more end-users will opt for all-electric vehicles.”

 

The reasons why new car sales across UK dropped

 

[KhunLA]

Stick this here, as don't want to pollute the EV threads.  Apparently in CN, BYD having some issues, and doesn't sound good, especially for the customers.    Anti EV'er can jump in and say 'told you so', although not really sure what's going on.  What if any effect it will have here in TH, on non CN markets.

 

Any BYD owners noticing anything different when going in for check up, or charging.  Attitude changes, if you interact with staff ???

 

 

Certain hasn't affected their stock, though the year long price war made it dip quite a bit, but recovered.

 

[JBChiangRai]

I think the slowdown we’ve experienced last year is hitting China.

 

They have a slowdown in consumer purchasing and this is BYD’s approach to get sales numbers up.

 

just my educated guess, nothing to back it up.  I’m not worried.

[Denim]

https://bbc.com/news/articles/c3v5n7w55kpo

 

BYD getting sued in Brazil for slave like conditions in its factories. Not a good image to promote sales.

[motdaeng]

7 hours ago, KhunLA said:

 

 

 

 

a lot of hot air from this youtuber, as always. his so-called personal experience with byd during a paid promotional trip to china is not a big thing. who does he think he is? claiming that the same thing happened to 50 of his fellow journalists is just not believable for me ...

 

byd has grown extremely fast in recent years. with such rapid growth, it's unavoidable that quality and sustainability might suffer. it's also hard to find experienced and well-trained staff in such a short time ..

 

some centers closing can have many different reasons, some of which may not be related to byd as a brand at all. this may will happen in thailand as well. i don’t know the internal structure of byd, but i believe many of these centers operate like franchisees. that customers now have problems with contracts from these centers, and that byd hasn’t offered any clear solution, that can be true but it could be also just another classic "youtuber " story ...

 

my personal experience with byd: at my local byd service center, i’m treated kindly and professionally. so far, so good. however, the car’s software still needs some basic settings adjusted. it's frustrating that these issues weren’t fixed from the beginning and that there’s no quick update to solve them. i don't understand why they don't fix it right away, that's really disappointing ...

 

it also looks like byd wants to be part of the charging infrastructure market in thailand. i’ve used the "rever" charging network in different provinces, and my experiences range from good to unfriendly to completely unacceptable. for now, i’ve decided not to use rever chargers anymore ....

 

[UWEB]

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

 

a lot of hot air from this youtuber, as always. his so-called personal experience with byd during a paid promotional trip to china is not a big thing. who does he think he is? claiming that the same thing happened to 50 of his fellow journalists is just not believable for me ...

 

byd has grown extremely fast in recent years. with such rapid growth, it's unavoidable that quality and sustainability might suffer. it's also hard to find experienced and well-trained staff in such a short time ..

 

some centers closing can have many different reasons, some of which may not be related to byd as a brand at all. this may will happen in thailand as well. i don’t know the internal structure of byd, but i believe many of these centers operate like franchisees. that customers now have problems with contracts from these centers, and that byd hasn’t offered any clear solution, that can be true but it could be also just another classic "youtuber " story ...

 

my personal experience with byd: at my local byd service center, i’m treated kindly and professionally. so far, so good. however, the car’s software still needs some basic settings adjusted. it's frustrating that these issues weren’t fixed from the beginning and that there’s no quick update to solve them. i don't understand why they don't fix it right away, that's really disappointing ...

 

it also looks like byd wants to be part of the charging infrastructure market in thailand. i’ve used the "rever" charging network in different provinces, and my experiences range from good to unfriendly to completely unacceptable. for now, i’ve decided not to use rever chargers anymore ....

 

Have stopped watching Videos of this buddy, too many times he is just telling absolute nonsense.

[KhunLA]

59 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

my personal experience with byd: at my local byd service center, i’m treated kindly and professionally. so far, so good. however, the car’s software still needs some basic settings adjusted. it's frustrating that these issues weren’t fixed from the beginning and that there’s no quick update to solve them. i don't understand why they don't fix it right away, that's really disappointing ...

 

it also looks like byd wants to be part of the charging infrastructure market in thailand. i’ve used the "rever" charging network in different provinces, and my experiences range from good to unfriendly to completely unacceptable. for now, i’ve decided not to use rever chargers anymore ....

I agree, and MG has been stellar, most times, though rarely need anything from them.  Their charging network is excellent, with comfy service dept. waiting areas.

 

I was thinking some big wig got a nice dealership contract, and totally screwed it up.  Affecting more than a few dealerships & customers.  Not sure how CN does things, or the repercussions of such a failure or consumer protection.

 

Remember when I bought my Toyota Vios, and the dealers in Udon Thani were owned by same people.   So thought I'd check out NBLP & NK dealers for some competitive pricing.  Noticed all the paperwork & pricing was exactly the same.   Yea, same family owned all of them. 

 

Now if they went belly up, the news could easily state, Toyota closing dealerships in NE TH, and wouldn't be a good look, but irrelevant county or worldwide.

 

Just curious if locals noticed anything different of late here in TH.

[vinny41]

9 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Stick this here, as don't want to pollute the EV threads.  Apparently in CN, BYD having some issues, and doesn't sound good, especially for the customers.    Anti EV'er can jump in and say 'told you so', although not really sure what's going on.  What if any effect it will have here in TH, on non CN markets.

 

Any BYD owners noticing anything different when going in for check up, or charging.  Attitude changes, if you interact with staff ???

 

 

Certain hasn't affected their stock, though the year long price war made it dip quite a bit, but recovered.

 

also reported in carnewschina

Major BYD dealer network collapses in eastern China

The once-prestigious Jinan Qiansheng store, previously celebrated as “Greater China’s No.1 flagship store of BYD, ” is among the affected dealerships. It now stands virtually empty, with only two staff members remaining on site.

The crisis has directly impacted over a thousand consumers who had prepaid for various services, including “three-year joint insurance” packages, maintenance plans, window tinting, chassis protection, and promised lifetime maintenance services. Many customers have organised rights protection groups to seek collective solutions.

Multiple vehicle owners report that sales staff aggressively promoted the “three-year joint insurance” service during vehicle purchases. This service typically requires an upfront payment of 10,000 to 15,000 yuan (1,400-2,100 USD) to cover three years of insurance. Dealerships promised to reimburse customers for the second and third-year premiums after customers paid their annual insurance

https://carnewschina.com/2025/05/29/major-byd-dealer-network-collapses-in-eastern-china/

[Pib]

This youtuber, The Electric Viking, got deleted from my Youtube subscription list long ago as his whole life is making and "dramatizing" numerous videos per day (typically a half dozen or so per day) based on EV news articles from around the world.   But hey, he just trying to make a living for himself and family.

 

Basically, BYD has grown tremendously over recent years and many individuals clamored to get BYD dealerships (franchises)....it's kinda like how so many people in Thailand get a 7-11 franchise which often results in a multiple 7-11s being very close to each other.  Or a new shopping location like a big PTT station or mini-mall opening and 80% of the tenant stores/shops renting there end-up being restaurants/food stalls which go-out-of-business/close-up within a year or two because of too much competition in their immediate location.   Everyone wants to pile-on/start a certain type of trending business (franchise, dealership, etc)....but when the dust settles a year or two later some of those franchises/dealerships/etc., go out of business due to picking a bad location, being bad businessmen, causing their own downfall, etc.   Just too many piglets trying to suck on the sow.

 

Below articles talks the recent downfall/closing of the major BYD dealership the Electric Viking talks about in his video....it's basically a "...he said, she said..." type affair between BYD and some dealerships right now.   The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

 

https://cleantechnica.com/2025/05/29/big-byd-dealer-network-collapses-what-is-going-on/

 

 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, UWEB said:

Have stopped watching Videos of this buddy, too many times he is just telling absolute nonsense.

That vid just happen to pop  up, and caught my eye.   I don't follow him, or put too much stock in what he puts out.  Sometimes spot on, others, not even close and just speculation on his part.

 

Can't see how anyone puts out that much content, about an industry and foreign country, and not being in either.  Along with tending to the needs of his wife, if even needing.

 

300+k followers and ding dong patreon followers, guessing he's pushing 1M AUD a year income.

[Pib]

I see the Riddara RD6 had the 7th highest sales of pickup trucks in Thailand for April 2025.  Still small--but growing--monthly numbers since its late 2024 entry into the Thai market.     

 

But it has a long, long, long way to go to approach sales numbers of the every popular and work horse Toyota Hilux and isuzu D-max trucks.  I expect almost all of the Riddara sales has been to folks who really don't need a truck to do any serious hauling....serious hauling like daily fruit, vegetable, meat, fish hauls to the market....or moving stuff around on the farm....or going to a construction work site with the pickup bed full of construction material...etc....etc....etc.   

 

Yeap....I think EV pickup trucks sales in Thailand will remain a "gentleman's truck."

 

A "gentleman's truck" typically refers to a pickup truck that is well-maintained, clean, and often customized or upgraded to look more stylish and less utilitarian. These trucks are often used for commuting, errands, and weekend getaways, rather than for heavy hauling or work. The term "gentleman's truck" implies a level of refinement and care that is associated with the vehicle's appearance and use. 

  

********************

 

Thailand's first EV Pickup Truck...a Oct 2024 Nation article talking the Riddara like how it has 60% of the EV small pickup market in China

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/business/automobile/40042800

 

 

Thailand April 2025 Sales Report for Pickup Truck Group

https://autolifethailand.tv/sales-report-pick-up-apr-2025/

 

 

[3NUMBAS]

https://www.global.toshiba/ww/products-solutions/battery/scib/about-scib/about.html?utm_source=qrcode&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=TEE&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22222767113&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9O_BBhCUARIsAHQMjS7BjbEL0O8nZPn2JAWY_b0KDuUAE_yKaV6oSyP07zNwMYtkElZCheYaAmPNEALw_wcB

[gtr]

https://x.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1930208741758267418

[Pib]

EV Price War in China.   Chinese govt apparently now getting involved to regulate/slow down the price war   See below CNBC 5 June 2025 article....some key paragraphs quoted below.   This price war will probably spill over into Thailand but on a smaller scale.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/05/involution-or-evolution-china-wants-to-stop-the-ev-price-war-but-analysts-are-doubtful.html

Involution or evolution? China wants to stop the EV price war, but analysts are doubtful

Published Thu, Jun 5 20253:04 AM EDT

 

 

 

 

BEIJING — As China’s electric vehicle price war intensifies, its top leaders have sounded the alarm with high-profile calls to halt excessive competition, known colloquially as “neijuan” or involution.

 

While the buzzword has taken on various meanings in China to imply a race to the bottom, the term was mentioned in Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s annual work report in March. The market regulator’s meeting last month also called for “comprehensively rectifying ‘involutionary’ competition.”

 

Earlier this week, senior executives of several Chinese EV makers were summoned to Beijing to “self-regulate,” Bloomberg reported.

 

However, industry players and analysts have predicted that the competition will only increase.

 

 

[KhunLA]

@Lacessit  continue over here, as off topic enough, talking about my replies, let alone ROI on vehicles in that thread.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1362851-my-wife-wanted-me-to-sign-a-document-any-money-she-gets-is-hers/page/3/#comment-19851553

 

... "You shelled out what? 800,000 baht for an EV? More? ... I bought a 2006 Toyota Vios for 230,000 baht about 12 years ago. It had 83,000 km on the odometer. I've done 120,000 km in it, never missed a beat. It's worth about 80,000 baht now.  ...  That's 12,500 baht a year in depreciation. What's yours, Mr. Financial Genius?" ... 

 

First off, MG ZS & T. Vios is not an apples & apples comparison.  Along with new vs 2nd hand purchase & depreciation, as most is loss simply driving off the lot.  Depends if keeping till vehicle dies, or not drivable any more, and then worth what.  

 

We energize ours with 'excess' solar, if driving 20k kms a year locally, that's ~฿59k a year saved vs petrol.   Just during the 8 yr warranty, that's ฿400k saved.  Still retains 70-80% battery capacity.  Actually more, but I think warranty states 70 or 80%

 

If having to pay PEA/MEA to charge at home, still save ฿40k a year.  Actually cost calculation between MG ZS EV & ICE, as we owned both.

 

New versions, S5, has a lifetime battery warranty, any owner.  Easy to sell 2nd hand if wanting.  Though at 10 years old, no car bought for <฿750k is going to be worth much.  Just keep or give to one of the kids.  What we did with our 7 yr old Mazda 2.  She smartly sold it, before it's impending death and bought an Atto 3.

 

Estimated (conservation), life span of LFP battery (MG ZS), 2500 cycles, or 920k kms or 46 years @ 20k kms a year, and still retains 70% of battery capacity.   So that car will never be sold.  When the rest can keep up with the battery, the battery pack will be added to the solar.   46.3kWh usable X 70% = 32kWh, or ฿130k if bought today.  2X 15kWh ESS @ ฿65K each.

 

Adds value when the car dies, instead of, ICEV - simply parts sold & scrap metal by weight, or, BEV - parts sold, battery pack sold, or, repurposed for your solar, to live on, a couple more decades of use.

 

Numbers ... paid ฿949k for our ZS (no price war)

Insured value, 2.5 yrs owning, ฿590 (?)

New price now ... ฿829k (supposedly future ZSs - hybrids)

New replacement model (S5) ... ฿739k

About same price as the under performing top end Yaris/Vios.

For apples to apples price point comparison.  Though cost to operate ICEV, is 4X as much, wen charging at home, without solar, instead of buying petrol. 

 

Or better comparison, sedan / sedan, Yaris/Vios and MG4, priced at only ฿609k, same lifetime battery, same savings over buying petrol.

 

For easy math ... cost of ownership for 10 yrs

... BEV @ ฿600K save ฿40k year (no petrol, 10 yrs) =  ฿400k saved = ?

... ICEV @ ฿600K cost ฿400k extra (over 10 yrs, petrol) =  ?

 

#1 ... I wonl't buy a 2nd hand car here, I prefer new

#2 ... at this stage in ife, I wouldn't buy a 7 yr old car

We sold 3 cars at the 7 yr / 125k kms mark

(2025 - 12 yrs = 2013-7 yrs = 2006)

#3 ... it wouldn't be a Vios, (owned 2), I prefer better comfort & performance now.

 

And yes, buying 2nd hand and keeping till dies, is usually (pre-BEV),  a better economic value, and exactly what I did when living in USA, with 1 exception, and that was a work truck, as needing dependability. 

 

Now, 'fact is' ...  long game is owning a BEV, whether new, or better savings, 2nd hand.

... BEV cost the same or less

... they perform better

... cost less to operate & maintain

... go MG (nice line up; MG4 or S5), and never worry about the battery ... NEVER 

 

2006, a 2nd hand car was the way to go, if not wanting new.  2025, no, fool's folly.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

@Lacessit  continue over here, as off topic enough, talking about my replies, let alone ROI on vehicles in that thread.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1362851-my-wife-wanted-me-to-sign-a-document-any-money-she-gets-is-hers/page/3/#comment-19851553

 

... "You shelled out what? 800,000 baht for an EV? More? ... I bought a 2006 Toyota Vios for 230,000 baht about 12 years ago. It had 83,000 km on the odometer. I've done 120,000 km in it, never missed a beat. It's worth about 80,000 baht now.  ...  That's 12,500 baht a year in depreciation. What's yours, Mr. Financial Genius?" ... 

 

First off, MG ZS & T. Vios is not an apples & apples comparison.  Along with new vs 2nd hand purchase & depreciation, as most is loss simply driving off the lot.  Depends if keeping till vehicle dies, or not drivable any more, and then worth what.  

 

We energize ours with 'excess' solar, if driving 20k kms a year locally, that's ~฿59k a year saved vs petrol.   Just during the 8 yr warranty, that's ฿400k saved.  Still retains 70-80% battery capacity.  Actually more, but I think warranty states 70 or 80%

 

If having to pay PEA/MEA to charge at home, still save ฿40k a year.  Actually cost calculation between MG ZS EV & ICE, as we owned both.

 

New versions, S5, has a lifetime battery warranty, any owner.  Easy to sell 2nd hand if wanting.  Though at 10 years old, no car bought for <฿750k is going to be worth much.  Just keep or give to one of the kids.  What we did with our 7 yr old Mazda 2.  She smartly sold it, before it's impending death and bought an Atto 3.

 

Estimated (conservation), life span of LFP battery (MG ZS), 2500 cycles, or 920k kms or 46 years @ 20k kms a year, and still retains 70% of battery capacity.   So that car will never be sold.  When the rest can keep up with the battery, the battery pack will be added to the solar.   46.3kWh usable X 70% = 32kWh, or ฿130k if bought today.  2X 15kWh ESS @ ฿65K each.

 

Adds value when the car dies, instead of, ICEV - simply parts sold & scrap metal by weight, or, BEV - parts sold, battery pack sold, or, repurposed for your solar, to live on, a couple more decades of use.

 

Numbers ... paid ฿949k for our ZS (no price war)

Insured value, 2.5 yrs owning, ฿590 (?)

New price now ... ฿829k (supposedly future ZSs - hybrids)

New replacement model (S5) ... ฿739k

About same price as the under performing top end Yaris/Vios.

For apples to apples price point comparison.  Though cost to operate ICEV, is 4X as much, wen charging at home, without solar, instead of buying petrol. 

 

Or better comparison, sedan / sedan, Yaris/Vios and MG4, priced at only ฿609k, same lifetime battery, same savings over buying petrol.

 

For easy math ... cost of ownership for 10 yrs

... BEV @ ฿600K save ฿40k year (no petrol, 10 yrs) =  ฿400k saved = ?

... ICEV @ ฿600K cost ฿400k extra (over 10 yrs, petrol) =  ?

 

#1 ... I wonl't buy a 2nd hand car here, I prefer new

#2 ... at this stage in ife, I wouldn't buy a 7 yr old car

We sold 3 cars at the 7 yr / 125k kms mark

(2025 - 12 yrs = 2013-7 yrs = 2006)

#3 ... it wouldn't be a Vios, (owned 2), I prefer better comfort & performance now.

 

And yes, buying 2nd hand and keeping till dies, is usually (pre-BEV),  a better economic value, and exactly what I did when living in USA, with 1 exception, and that was a work truck, as needing dependability. 

 

Now, 'fact is' ...  long game is owning a BEV, whether new, or better savings, 2nd hand.

... BEV cost the same or less

... they perform better

... cost less to operate & maintain

... go MG (nice line up; MG4 or S5), and never worry about the battery ... NEVER 

 

2006, a 2nd hand car was the way to go, if not wanting new.  2025, no, fool's folly.

A very lengthy justification of an expensive purchase. Which is OK if you are an EV worshiper, or a car worshiper in general. To me, they are a tool to get me from point A to point B, preferably with no fuss. Performance, and bells and whistles don't matter to me. I don't drive any faster than 100 km/hr. The only coddling my cars get is regular maintenance and always Michelin tires.

 

At my age, I would be battling to rack up 5000 km a year. I travel to Chiang Mai from Chiang Rai about 4 times a year, that's the extent of my distance excursions.

 

So what's the point of me owning a million baht vehicle of either description? Dress it up any way you want, a car is a depreciating asset. Financially, I am better off driving the Vios, which my mechanic swears will outlive me.

 

I suppose I should thank EV's for one aspect, if the Vios does die, they are driving down the prices of low mileage secondhand ICE's.

[motdaeng]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

So what's the point of me owning a million baht vehicle of either description? 

 

what's the point of having a beer, glass of fine, go for holiday, even having a old toyota vios  ... and so on?

 

because some people enjoy it, and can afford it and it's worth for them ... there's nothing wrong about that ... 🙂 

 

i think everyone does accept that a new expensive car is not worth in your view, therefore you should try to accept for others it is worth to spend a little extra money for a premium car ...

 

wishing you all a safe and enjoyable journey ...