Electric Vehicles in Thailand

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Gweiloman said:

Along the way there, I turned into a couple of PTT stations that had an EV Station sign but they were also not yet operational. The gas stations however were an absolute nightmare. Nowhere to park, could hardly turn in and out of the stations. Note to self: avoid future travel during holiday season.

Nice report ... and yea, I didn't do road trips with the ICE during holidays.

 

On our 1 over the road outing, the wife called ahead, to make sure CS were operational.  The only 1 she didn't call, wasn't ????, but another just down the road.  We only used MG CSs on that trip, 900 kms.

 

Not being a patient person, need to get our O&As in the next couple years, before the EVs catch up to the number of CSs.  

[Sophon]

3 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

<snip>

Next stop, Uttaradit. PEA app shows a PTT EV station. However the PTT app does not show this station. I chanced it but the station is not yet operational. Worse, the station was on the opposite side of the road and U-turning was a challenge to say the least (with the traffic coming from the South). Also, quite a few U-turns were closed off to alleviate through traffic so every detour was much longer. Along the way there, I turned into a couple of PTT stations that had an EV Station sign but they were also not yet operational. The gas stations however were an absolute nightmare. Nowhere to park, could hardly turn in and out of the stations. Note to self: avoid future travel during holiday season.

<snip>

This one?

 

It shows as not yet operational (the spanner symbol) on PlugShare. which I believe is pretty trustworthy.

[Longwood50]

On 12/29/2022 at 4:54 PM, KhunLA said:

If you says so  ... my actual experience is completely different than your inexperienced opinion.

 

As said, you could be correct, however, it appears as though even those in such a developed country as the U.K. must be "uninformed" since they waited in line for up to 6 hours to recharge.  So their actual experience rather than "your opinion" is far more convincing to me. 
https://www.ladbible.com/news/tesla-owners-uk-christmas-queueing-charge-hours-138192-20221228

[Longwood50]

On 12/29/2022 at 5:39 PM, JBChiangRai said:

Not a problem yet.

I am going to conjecture that for the most part it is not a problem in the U.K. either.  The point is that when demand during a peak travel period spikes, the normal which is typically not a problem, suddenly transforms into a problem.  The report is that U.K. drivers waited upwards of 6 hours to get to the front of a charging line. 

https://www.ladbible.com/news/tesla-owners-uk-christmas-queueing-charge-hours-138192-20221228

[Gweiloman]

9 hours ago, Longwood50 said:

I am going to conjecture that for the most part it is not a problem in the U.K. either.  The point is that when demand during a peak travel period spikes, the normal which is typically not a problem, suddenly transforms into a problem.  The report is that U.K. drivers waited upwards of 6 hours to get to the front of a charging line. 

https://www.ladbible.com/news/tesla-owners-uk-christmas-queueing-charge-hours-138192-20221228

Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you decide on getting an EV, you will enjoy the benefits of owning one as well as the downsides. If the latter is unacceptable, then stick with fossil or a PHEV which is  a compromise.

 

I decided that a PHEV is the best option for me and thus f, after a month of own, I’m still happy with my choice.

[KhunLA]

25 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you decide on getting an EV, you will enjoy the benefits of owning one as well as the downsides. If the latter is unacceptable, then stick with fossil or a PHEV which is  a compromise.

 

I decided that a PHEV is the best option for me and thus f, after a month of own, I’m still happy with my choice.

So far, no real down side, with our BEV (MG ZS).  Really don't mind stops at CS after a few hours, as we stopped also with the ICE.  Though usually a bit shorter time, though extra 15ish minutes for the savings and performance of the EV is well worth it.  Considering it's only when O&A.

 

No desire to travel during holidays, so until EVs numbers increase dramatically, not expecting the need to Q up anywhere soon.

 

EVs aren't for everyone ... nice to have options.

 

Be Safe

 

Not sure what issue in the UK have to do with "EVs in TH"

Edited December 31, 2022 by KhunLA

[JBChiangRai]

A year ago when I got my BEV, I was worried how I would drive it to BKK for its first service at 2 years old.

 

Now I am not in the least worried and looking forward to the road trip later this year.

[KhunLA]

55 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

...  looking forward to the road trip later this year.

Anxious to get on the road again ourselves.  Got a couple projects at the house, trying to finish up on, but may pause them, as want to take advantage of the weather.

[gomangosteen]

My partner's company had this Neta V arrive on Thursday as the office staff city vehicle. 

 

From what I've read Neta have sold 3,000 of this model in Thailand since September and a small dealer network just 25 at present.

It has a stated maximum range of 380km, be interesting to follow progress as it'll get quite heavy use compared to one owned domestically.

 

 

[zoolander]

Ordered a Neta a couple weeks ago. Told delivery April. B5000 deposit. Nice looking car. Had a test drive around town. Rear view was restricted and seat was a little firm. But will be using it as a town car only.

[gomangosteen]

^ their office is 8-10km out of the city from the regular government/ provincial agencies they deal with, part of that on open highway so it's ideal use for an e vehicle in terms of economy, and parking - at present they take a big Isuzu pickup. 

 

I'll update when they've had it a few months, the cost-conscious accountant will be monitoring its progress.

 

 

[placeholder]

15 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you decide on getting an EV, you will enjoy the benefits of owning one as well as the downsides. If the latter is unacceptable, then stick with fossil or a PHEV which is  a compromise.

 

I decided that a PHEV is the best option for me and thus f, after a month of own, I’m still happy with my choice.

I think a PHEV makes a lot of sense. I understand that the batteries on PHEV are somewhat larger than on HEVs. Most drivers use their cars to get around town, I think with a PHEV as opposed to a straight HEV, it's likely you will never have to use gasoline/petrol except on those rare occasions for long trips.

[Gweiloman]

5 hours ago, placeholder said:

I think a PHEV makes a lot of sense. I understand that the batteries on PHEV are somewhat larger than on HEVs. Most drivers use their cars to get around town, I think with a PHEV as opposed to a straight HEV, it's likely you will never have to use gasoline/petrol except on those rare occasions for long trips.

The downside of a PHEV is that if the battery runs flat and you don’t charge it up, then you are lugging around a lot of dead weight which can increase fuel consumption significantly.

 

 I set off on a 260 km round trip today with a full charge on my 34 kWh battery and only needed 1 charge of 125 baht at a PEA CS (off peak price of 46 baht per unit) and got home with 50 km electric range to spare. Charging only took 40 mins or so which I was able to put to good use by watching YT videos in my car with the AC on. Didn’t use even one drop of petrol.

 

[macahoom]

17 minutes ago, Gweiloman said:

 a PEA CS (off peak price of 46 baht per unit).

 

That can't be right!

[motdaeng]

6 hours ago, macahoom said:

That can't be right!

it should be 4,6 baht, off peak price.

27.17 kw X 4.6 baht = 125 baht.

[Gweiloman]

11 hours ago, macahoom said:

That can't be right!

 

4 hours ago, motdaeng said:

it should be 4,6 baht, off peak price.

27.17 kw X 4.6 baht = 125 baht.

Haha. You’re right. I lost the decimal ????

Edited January 2, 2023 by Gweiloman

[JBChiangRai]

How do you find the Haval H6 PHEV for noise? I watched a review and thought it was noisy (tyres and ICE) but it could have been bad microphone placement.

 

My daughter test drove the Jolion, I sat in the passenger seat and thought it was noisy, but then most cars are when you're used to an Electric Car.

 

We flirted with buying something else whilst we waited for the MG EP+ to arrive for her, I'm glad we waited.

 

There is certainly no other PHEV with the kind of electric range of the H6 PHEV.

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I'm glad we waited.

I'm glad I was ignorant and got the ZS ICE in 2020, instead of the EV version.

 

As they upgraded the battery size, along with IP69 vs 67, fixing a moisture issue.   Took a hit on depreciation of the ICE, being just 2 yrs old, but govt incentive and expected long term dependability, with a bit more range is worth it, I think.

 

Saying that ... don't wait too long, if considering, try to buy before incentives expire next year.

[Gweiloman]

3 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

How do you find the Haval H6 PHEV for noise? I watched a review and thought it was noisy (tyres and ICE) but it could have been bad microphone placement.

 

My daughter test drove the Jolion, I sat in the passenger seat and thought it was noisy, but then most cars are when you're used to an Electric Car.

 

We flirted with buying something else whilst we waited for the MG EP+ to arrive for her, I'm glad we waited.

 

There is certainly no other PHEV with the kind of electric range of the H6 PHEV.

All my life, I’ve only ever driven ICE vehicles so when I first got into the Haval, I was amazed at how quiet and smooth the ride is. I can’t compare it to other EVs and it’s of course not dead silent but with the music at a moderate level, I can’t really hear any road or wind noise. The electric motor does make a whirring/humming sound at low speeds but I heard somewhere that this is intentional to create some awareness for pedestrians. Not sure if this is so or just manufacturer spin for an intrinsic problem lol.

 

At very low battery power, the ICE is working hard and quite noisy as it is also recharging the battery to a certain extent. But once the battery gets up to around 6% or so, the ICE is fairly quiet and you will hardly notice it except for the slight vibration as you would expect when the ICE is operating.

 

Yes, the electric range is arguably the best in the world currently which is fantastic. This makes any kind of trip in Thailand easy peasy as there are numerous CSs dotted around the country and numbers are increasing constantly.

[Gweiloman]

19 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I'm glad I was ignorant and got the ZS ICE in 2020, instead of the EV version.

 

As they upgraded the battery size, along with IP69 vs 67, fixing a moisture issue.   Took a hit on depreciation of the ICE, being just 2 yrs old, but govt incentive and expected long term dependability, with a bit more range is worth it, I think.

 

Saying that ... don't wait too long, if considering, try to buy before incentives expire next year.

Realistically, the Haval was the only option for me even though the price was higher than I hoped it would be. I needed a C class SUV as I have 4 dogs to transport around. If I’m not mistaken, only the BMW X5 is a similar size but the price is much more than I’m willing to pay. I’m also not ready to have a BEV as my first car. Other comparable PHEVs such as the Outlander ang MG HS have less than 100 km electric range.

[macahoom]

43 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I'm glad I was ignorant and got the ZS ICE in 2020, instead of the EV version.

 

As they upgraded the battery size, along with IP69 vs 67, fixing a moisture issue.

I've got a different thoughts on this. I bought an MG ZS EV in 2019. I cannot imagine how it would have been wiser for me to have bought an ICE MG ZS in 2019 and then replaced it with a ZS EV in 2022, as you have done.

 

With regard to the range: yes, my older model has the smaller battery but I'm easily getting 320 kms on a 100% charge - like you, beating MG's advertised/official figures. I don't need more than that.

 

What's "IP69 vs 67"?

 

What's "fixing a moisture issue"?

 

 

[KhunLA]

19 minutes ago, macahoom said:

What's "fixing a moisture issue"?

Emphasis on 'ignorant' on my part rather than wise or not to wait.  My pockets not as deep as some, and thought 700k for 4 wheeled ICE was silly, let alone 1.2m at the time.  If no incentive, don't think I would have picked up the EV version.  I'm not going to be around long enough (thinking at the time) to enjoy ROI.  Wife & daughter will though.

 

Thoughts in 2020 ... expecting updates and hopefully govt incentives in the future, though didn't expect simply 1.5 yrs later, or I wouldn't have bought the ICE version, as the Mazda2 would have sufficed for a short time longer.

 

The moisture issue, one pointed out in one of the EV hit threads, I think, and acknowledged by MG, thus the very nice upgrade in IP rating for the battery pack in 2022 model.

 

Might take a while for me to find, but they sell replacement plugs, that keep the water out better, which I saw on one of the FB groups.

 

Searching ....

[KhunLA]

42 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Might take a while for me to find, but they sell replacement plugs, that keep the water out better, which I saw on one of the FB groups.

 

Searching ....

Found the FB part ... replacement plugs

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2572340166118367/permalink/5984359794916370

 

Issue about moisture getting in:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2572340166118367/posts/5968612509824432/

 

Remember seeing one news-blip or FB, with photos of moisture corrosion on the cables leading into, and even showed some corrosion on a few cables connecting the cells (series of parallel conx) in the pack itself.

 

Something to be aware of, and have deep inspection before warranty expires.

Edited January 2, 2023 by KhunLA

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Emphasis on 'ignorant' on my part rather than wise or not to wait.  My pockets not as deep as some, and thought 700k for 4 wheeled ICE was silly, let alone 1.2m at the time.  If no incentive, don't think I would have picked up the EV version.  I'm not going to be around long enough (thinking at the time) to enjoy ROI.  Wife & daughter will though.

 

Thoughts in 2020 ... expecting updates and hopefully govt incentives in the future, though didn't expect simply 1.5 yrs later, or I wouldn't have bought the ICE version, as the Mazda2 would have sufficed for a short time longer.

 

The moisture issue, one pointed out in one of the EV hit threads, I think, and acknowledged by MG, thus the very nice upgrade in IP rating for the battery pack in 2022 model.

 

Might take a while for me to find, but they sell replacement plugs, that keep the water out better, which I saw on one of the FB groups.

 

Searching ....

I don't think acknowledged by MG, is correct as normally for an issue with a major defective part an official announcement would be made with advise on what to do, what to try and avoid and that would be followed up by a recall program

if you do a search on the facebook page the replacement plugs haven't fixed the issue and some people have been informed that their existing warranty has been cancelled as a result of fitting parts not approved or fitted by MG

[Bandersnatch]

As many know I put a deposit down on an MG ZS EV back in 2019, but had to cancel as the free wall charger install company would not allow it to be powered just by solar.

 

I purchased the MG HS PHEV 20 months ago. It has a 69km EV only range  - we quite often drive it in the morning, charge it over lunch and go out again in the afternoon. On longer trips which we do very rarely, we charge when we stop for food. I love driving in EV mode, but occasionally use the super sports button at the lights to get the 6.9 seconds 0-100kmh

 

I am very impressed with the car, it's fully loaded and is a lot of luxury for not much money. 

 

When I buy my next car it will be fully electric and I will tell the dealer I already have a wall charger installed.

 

 

[TronxII]

8 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

At very low battery power, the ICE is working hard and quite noisy as it is also recharging the battery to a certain extent.

Is there a way to manually switch it to ICE when running on electric? Lets say you reach to 15% battery, and you want to switch just right now?

[Gweiloman]

2 hours ago, TronxII said:

Is there a way to manually switch it to ICE when running on electric? Lets say you reach to 15% battery, and you want to switch just right now?

Yes and no. There is a setting whereby you can ‘instruct’ the ICE to kick in when the battery reaches a certain level of charge. But the lowest level is 30% of battery state of charge. 
 

You can activate this when the battery is at say 15% but then the ICE will power the traction motor as well as recharge the battery to the said 30% SOC. During this time, you can literally hear the ICE working hard and the consumption will of course increase until the battery has reached your specified level.

 

Thus, a certain amount of planning is required if you are say, coming from Chonburi to BKK via Hwy 7. Start off with a full charge, set the hold level at 30%, you will be doing the initial part of the highway travel on battery, the ICE will kick in at 30% battery level while still on the highway and when you hit BKK traffic, you can switch from hybrid to EV only mode and complete your journey on EV power alone.

 

I hope my explanation makes sense.

[TronxII]

3 hours ago, Gweiloman said:

 

You can activate this when the battery is at say 15%

...

 

I hope my explanation makes sense.

Yes, thank you, this is all helpful for ignorants like me, as I have never driven a PHEV.

 

So can you set this, lets say permanently that the car drives electric from 100% to 30% battery, then switches to petrol. Or do you have to set this each time?

How did you manage to drive electric down to 6% of battery? Can you force this to nearly 0% somehow?

I'm asking this because I would like to limit battery usage to 20%, to not completely discharge the battery, as this damages the electrodes in the battery cells permanently.

[Gweiloman]

6 hours ago, TronxII said:

Yes, thank you, this is all helpful for ignorants like me, as I have never driven a PHEV.

 

So can you set this, lets say permanently that the car drives electric from 100% to 30% battery, then switches to petrol. Or do you have to set this each time?

How did you manage to drive electric down to 6% of battery? Can you force this to nearly 0% somehow?

I'm asking this because I would like to limit battery usage to 20%, to not completely discharge the battery, as this damages the electrodes in the battery cells permanently.

I believe this setting is saved so you don’t have to reset it every time. If you don’t activate it, then the car will just continue operating on EV mode until the battery has insufficient power and the car switches automatically to the ICE.

 

You don’t have to worry about completely discharging the battery in a PHEV. Unlike a BEV, a PHEV has has ICE that kicks in and the vehicle then merely operates as a HEV (Hybrid EV). The ICE will keep the battery charged and regenerative braking will also continuously charge up the battery. This is what makes hybrid fuel consumption low. The “Power Reserve “ setting (as it is known in the Haval) is designed for city driving in stop and go traffic where battery powered driving is more efficient than petrol ICE and helps keep noise and pollution levels in cities lower.

 

The most important issue about owning a PHEV is to ABC - always be charging, due to the smaller size of the battery compared to BEVs. Most current PHEV batteries are in the range of 12-20 kWh which gives an approximate range of 40-100 km per full charge. This is sufficient for most people’s daily driving but because I like to take long trips, I went for the Haval with a 34 kWh battery and approximate range of 170 kms. The other fantastic feature of the Haval vs other PHEVs is that the Haval is able to rapid charge on DC at 40+ kW. The Mitsubishi Outlander is also able to do that via its Chademo port and I think the BMW and or Mercedes. 

[Bandersnatch]

14 hours ago, TronxII said:

Is there a way to manually switch it to ICE when running on electric? Lets say you reach to 15% battery, and you want to switch just right now?

On the MG HS PHEV there is a dedicated EV only button and three driving modes: Eco; Normal and Sport and a Super Sport button on the steering wheel