Electric Vehicles in Thailand

[UWEB]

14 hours ago, Pib said:

Absolutely totally agree. 

 

When I first looked at the video it appears the fire started at the bottom of the charger....right where the charger cable connects to the charger output terminals.  If the cable wires and charger terminals are not making good electrical contact a tremendous amount of heat will be generated at that point....the point were the cable wires and charger terminal come into contact. 

 

Heat hot enough to melt plastic, wire insulation and even the copper wires.  And of course start a fire.   In any high current/amps circuit like an EV charger, clothes dryer, water heater, etc., it's critical wire and terminal block connections are good and tight otherwise where the wires and terminals come into contact a tremendous amount of heat will be generated at that point.  But good and tight connections will result in little to no heat at that point.

Probably a typical thai electric installation. Two weeks ago a Company came to install my free Wall charger, after a look on the materials they were going to use I have sent them home.

[Pib]

After looking at the charger fire video at least a dozen times, especially the first 10 seconds where it shows the electrical short/fire just beginning, I'm still unsure if that was the actual charger or just some junction/breaker box in the general shape of a wall charge or an enclosure box the charger was mounted within just for some more physical protection or a circuit box leading to the charger...etc....etc.   

 

It's just the initial few seconds the short/fire is beginning that short/fire is "so visible like it "not" inside the charger itself but outside the charge."  And I've never seen a wall charger with a transparent/clear cover that would allow seeing into the charger.   It seems like if the short/fire started "inside" the charger the plastic case of the charger would visually block being able to see any short/fire"  for X-amount of seconds/minutes but as I said during the first 10 seconds or so the very initial short/fire is very easy to see. 

 

But hey, the whole video is low resolution and gets washed/overexposed by the brightness of the  fire....just hard to tell "visually" where the short exactly occurred....that is, in charger itself, a junction box leading to the charger, where the charging cable connects to the charger, etc.   

 

https://www.thairath.co.th/video/news/topnews/hotclip/795452

[Gweiloman]

I wonder if it was an OEM charger or something bought off Lazada?

[Ralf001]

On 6/26/2024 at 4:46 PM, Yellowtail said:

While 316 has better corrosion resistance, 304 generally does not rust.

 

If I had to bet. the "rust" appearing on Cybertrucks is a result of carbon contamination from the tooling. This is a common issue, and probably the number one customer service issue with fabricated stainless-steel products. 

 

 

 

Yeah we do a lot of stainless fabrication.

 

We have a complete seperarate facilty for stainless (and aluminium)  so there is no cross contamination from our steel production.

[Yellowtail]

14 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Yeah we do a lot of stainless fabrication.

 

We have a complete seperarate facilty for stainless (and aluminium)  so there is no cross contamination from our steel production.

When I was at our California plant, we sold a stainless job for one of the prisons. Not a huge order, but about $250K as I remember. When the order went through welding, some numb-skull used carbon wire....

[motdaeng]

according to this youtube video, zeekr will start selling cars on september 11, 2024.

the company's aim is to sell about 500 cars per month. in my opinion, that is just too optimistic!

i wonder where they will open branches ... only in bangkok or ...

 

i love the zeekr 001, one of the best looking ev car. at the motor show, i was impressed with the zeekr 007.

unfortunately, both models are not right-hand drive at the moment.

 

 

 

[mistral53]

The BYD Dolphin special campaign is already done.......sold out. Next batch will be Thai made.

 

There seem to be a lot of 'idiots' out there that have not gotten the memo about EVs being total rubbish and only ICE makes the (Oil) owners happy..........lol

[Bandersnatch]

36 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

i wonder where they will open branches ... only in bangkok or ...

 

[Pib]

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

according to this youtube video, zeekr will start selling cars on september 11, 2024.

the company's aim is to sell about 500 cars per month. in my opinion, that is just too optimistic!

 

That's an aspirational company target and also serves as good advertising/hype to make some folks think the Zeekr is going to sell like hotcakes....I better get in line now to get mine.   And it also puts pressure on Zeekr sales people/dealerships to sell, sell, sell in trying to meet the company a company target.   

 

Now while they might get lucky and meet that 500/month target for a few months which is often typical for brand new, highly hyped/promoted models "when just released" and bought by those who "just gotta have" the latest-and-greatest model, after that spike in sales rolls way off....the fade has fissled.  

 

Buy hey, time will tell....preaching to the choir I know.

[marino28]

Just read that BYD might cut prices again, particularly for the Atto 3. I'm curious to see where we'll end up in the next two years. Certainly, those who bought previously, despite whatever they might say, have made a poor financial deal.

[Yellowtail]

5 minutes ago, marino28 said:

Just read that BYD might cut prices again, particularly for the Atto 3. I'm curious to see where we'll end up in the next two years. Certainly, those who bought previously, despite whatever they might say, have made a poor financial deal.

Why? That a 60" TV may be cheaper in two years, does not make a 60" TV a bad deal now. 

[KhunLA]

24 minutes ago, marino28 said:

Just read that BYD might cut prices again, particularly for the Atto 3. I'm curious to see where we'll end up in the next two years. Certainly, those who bought previously, despite whatever they might say, have made a poor financial deal.

Not really.   Every year you lose 10-15% on depreciation waiting for a lower price, along with the savings from petrol, which for us, is about 40-55k baht a year.   AND ... we got to drive a more comfortable and much better performing car than the previous ICE version of the same car, MG ZS.

 

If we kept the ICEV 2 more years, we'd lose ~80-120k or deprecation, and ~80-100k on petrol savings.   I don't think the ZS EV will be 150-200k cheaper.   OR, more importantly, the govt incentive/rebate of 240k baht might not be on offer anymore.   That's quite a bit of jingle to pass up, waiting for a lower buy in price.

 

AND ... we'd miss a more pleasurable car to drive.  We also get O&A a lot more, locally & long distance, as it doesn't cost nearly as much.   Actually 'free', knocking around locally, if only 250kms round trip, since we can charge with excess solar at the house.

[Bandersnatch]

43 minutes ago, marino28 said:

Just read that BYD might cut prices again, particularly for the Atto 3. I'm curious to see where we'll end up in the next two years. Certainly, those who bought previously, despite whatever they might say, have made a poor financial deal.

I could have made an even worse financial deal and bought a fossil instead, try selling that in a few years time when everyone is driving EVs 

[mistral53]

2 hours ago, marino28 said:

Just read that BYD might cut prices again, particularly for the Atto 3. I'm curious to see where we'll end up in the next two years. Certainly, those who bought previously, despite whatever they might say, have made a poor financial deal.

Its a win for the customers that are buying right now - but I have to hand it to you, your purchase of NVDA a 8 months ago was a good financial decision...........just in case you did not buy NVDA a year ago, you made a poor financial decision and must now be one of the big time FOMO losers. 

 

I take it you were equally ecstatic when Tesla dropped prices....... yes?

 

[marino28]

 

Given that we are fortunately talking about very small amounts. However, having worked in finance, I like to think not so much about individual numbers because 100k-200k-300k THB for some might be the money spent on a weekend vacation. At the same time, being passionate about cars for many years, I don't recall such depreciation occurring in just a few months, and we are talking about new car prices. How much has a BYD Atto bought a year ago lost if it needs to be sold used out of necessity?

Then we can say, who cares if you buy Japanese meat at 200 euros per kilo and an hour later you go to the bathroom.

I buy a TV, and a year later it costs much less with the release of a new model, etc.

All true, but here we are talking about cars. Now, in the modern history of cars, except for rare exceptions of brands that then went defunct or discounts on particular models, I don't seem to recall such depreciation of new cars, not to mention if they need to be sold used.

Then, of course, the owner might very well say I don't care, I like the car, I feel good with it, and I want to keep it for years.

However, saying that one made a great deal is denying the evidence. This is an undeniable fact.

Edited July 1 by marino28

[marino28]

 

1 + 1 equals 2.

Of course, if you want to think it is 4, that's fine, but it is not the correct answer.

[vinny41]

4 hours ago, marino28 said:

Just read that BYD might cut prices again, particularly for the Atto 3. I'm curious to see where we'll end up in the next two years. Certainly, those who bought previously, despite whatever they might say, have made a poor financial deal.

Just Announced

Discount 100,000 baht, special price BYD Atto3 (MY2024) 100% electric car: 799,900 – 959,900 baht

BYD Atto3 (MY2024) 100% electric car

Official price (imported CBU from China)

Atto 3 410 Dynamic  899,900  799,900 baht*

Atto 3 410 Premium  949,900  859,900 baht*

Atto 3 480 Extended Range  1,049,900  959,900 baht*

* 100,000 baht discount on the Atto3 410 Dynamic model from 899,900 to 799,900 baht and 90,000 baht discount on the Atto3 410 Premium model from 949,900 to 859,900 baht and 90,000 baht discount on the Atto3 480 Extended Range model from 1,049,900 to 959,900 baht and free Ceremic XUV MAX film for all models today - July 31, 2024

https://autolifethailand.tv/official-discount-price-byd-atto3-my2024/

[vinny41]

Discount 340,000 discount! Special price BYD Atto 3 (MY2023) 100% electric car: 859,900 baht | Extended Range

BYD Atto3 MY2023  100% electric car

Official price (imported CBU from China)

Atto 3 Standard Range MY2023  1,099,900  899,900 baht* Out of Stock

Atto 3 Extended Range MY2023  1,199,900  949,900  859,900 baht*

* Standard Range model cancels sale. Car is out of stock. Extended Range MY2023 model reduced by 340,000 from 1,199,900 to 859,900 baht today – 31 July 2024. Free Ceramic XUV Max film for every car.

https://autolifethailand.tv/official-discount-price-byd-atto3-my2023-extended/

[Bandersnatch]

30 minutes ago, marino28 said:

However, saying that one made a great deal is denying the evidence. This is an undeniable fact.

In fact the fact can be denied.

 

You obviously didn’t read the small print of some of the amazing deals. In some cases the free wall charger with free installation was removed from the cheaper price. Sometimes the low rate financing was removed. Sometimes 8 years of free servicing was removed.

 

I would recommend contacting a financial professional before your next big ticket purchase.

 

 

[marino28]

56 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

In fact the fact can be denied.

 

You obviously didn’t read the small print of some of the amazing deals. In some cases the free wall charger with free installation was removed from the cheaper price. Sometimes the low rate financing was removed. Sometimes 8 years of free servicing was removed.

 

I would recommend contacting a financial professional before your next big ticket purchase.

 

 

 

I'm not here to argue. I'm a car enthusiast and I'm interested in electric vehicles.

I'm glad if you got a great deal, but I notice that the drop in prices is unprecedented in the history of the automobile. That's all.

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, Bandersnatch said:

In fact the fact can be denied.

 

You obviously didn’t read the small print of some of the amazing deals. In some cases the free wall charger with free installation was removed from the cheaper price. Sometimes the low rate financing was removed. Sometimes 8 years of free servicing was removed.

 

I would recommend contacting a financial professional before your next big ticket purchase.

 

 

That was the case with the recent dolphin price reductions  but in the case of current atto 3 price reductions

vehicle comes with

Comes with a warranty and after-sales service, Rever Care, worth a total of 180,000 baht as follows:

Guaranteed vehicle quality for 8 years, 160,000 km.

Battery warranty for 8 years or 160,000 km.

Free maintenance, labor, and spare parts for 8 years or 160,000 km.

Free 24-hour emergency assistance service for 8 years

Free AUTEL brand Home Charger with installation fee

Free VTOL external electrical equipment extension cord

Free emergency charging cable AC Portable Charger

Free registration fee

Free first class insurance with insurance for 1 year.

https://autolifethailand.tv/official-discount-price-byd-atto3-my2023-extended/

 

[Alotoftravel]

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

That was the case with the recent dolphin price reductions  but in the case of current atto 3 price reductions

vehicle comes with

Comes with a warranty and after-sales service, Rever Care, worth a total of 180,000 baht as follows:

Guaranteed vehicle quality for 8 years, 160,000 km.

Battery warranty for 8 years or 160,000 km.

Free maintenance, labor, and spare parts for 8 years or 160,000 km.

Free 24-hour emergency assistance service for 8 years

Free AUTEL brand Home Charger with installation fee

Free VTOL external electrical equipment extension cord

Free emergency charging cable AC Portable Charger

Free registration fee

Free first class insurance with insurance for 1 year.

I believe no Free maint nor home charger with install .similar to the dolphin promo ended yesterday 

[vinny41]

Tokyo Marine Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited announces the suspension of electric vehicle (EV) insurance, effective from July 1, 2024 onwards.

The details include:

*We do not accept insurance for electric vehicles (EV) of all brands, including new jobs, transfer jobs, and renewal jobs.

*Renewal reminders can still offer reminder premiums. The insurance department of Tokyo Marine Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited will consider each case, which will look at the claim history

https://today.line.me/th/v2/article/Gg6ma16

[Pib]

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

Tokyo Marine Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited announces the suspension of electric vehicle (EV) insurance, effective from July 1, 2024 onwards.

The details include:

*We do not accept insurance for electric vehicles (EV) of all brands, including new jobs, transfer jobs, and renewal jobs.

*Renewal reminders can still offer reminder premiums. The insurance department of Tokyo Marine Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited will consider each case, which will look at the claim history

https://today.line.me/th/v2/article/Gg6ma16

 

Never hear of them.  And I can't find a Tokyo Marine Insurance (Thailand) on the interet.....when googling I only come across a company named Tokio Marine Insurance (Thailand).  Maybe a translation error/typo?    Anyway, I don't see anything on the Tokio website about them scaling back on EV insurance...but hey, as  company I expect they want to keep that as low key as possible as it can show weakness to potential/new customers...plus not making customers too happy either.

 

https://www.tokiomarine.com/th/en/non-life/products/retail/motor.html

https://www.tokiomarine.com/th/en/non-life/products/retail/motor/auto-smile.html

 

 

 

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

 

Never hear of them.  And I can't find a Tokyo Marine Insurance (Thailand) on the interet.....when googling I only come across a company named Tokio Marine Insurance (Thailand).  Maybe a translation error/typo?    Anyway, I don't see anything on the Tokio website about them scaling back on EV insurance...but hey, as  company I expect they want to keep that as low key as possible as it can show weakness to potential/new customers...plus not making customers too happy either.

 

https://www.tokiomarine.com/th/en/non-life/products/retail/motor.html

https://www.tokiomarine.com/th/en/non-life/products/retail/motor/auto-smile.html

 

 

 

I had Tokyo marine on a company car once. 

[greg71]

Yes tokio marine has announcened the change when it comes to ev cars , 1st article on the bangkok post website right now , i suspect all insurance companies will do the same 

Edited July 2 by greg71

[marino28]

Many new developments are released practically every day. I just saw that a facelift for the BYD Dolphin might be coming soon.

Furthermore, there's a lot more being discussed, so it's worth keeping up with the news. Zeekr is also about to enter the market, and Aion will soon begin production in Thailand.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, greg71 said:

Yes tokio marine has announcened the change when it comes to ev cars , 1st article on the bangkok post website right now , i suspect all insurance companies will do the same 

Well, actually the Bangkok Post article helped to clear things up somewhat and Tokio Marine tried to clarify things.    Basically Tokio Marince is saying new and renewal policies will be subject to the new EV insurance polices the Thai govt approved effective 1 July 2024 (or maybe it was 1 June) where rates will be based on driving records vs just a standard rate of a good driver, drivers "must" be be named on the policy (up to 5 drivers), driving records of those named driver can affect rates, etc.  Just stricter rules comparied to govt rules regarding ICEV vehicle policies.   

 

Yes, all Thai insurance companies will adjust their EV policies to the new Thai govt rules....and actually the new rules give insurance more lattide in how they can write vehicle policies for EV.   No doubt in my mind EV policy rates will go up somewhat with the Thai govt's blessing.  It really gives insurance companies the government go-ahead/blessig to institute some changes in vehicle insurance coverage and rates that insurance companies have long lobbied for.

 

And in some earlier articles/crossfeed on the subject of EV policies changes it was said some of these EV policy changes (like the requirement to name all drivers on a policy) may find their way into ICEV policies in the near future because you know companies love to raise policy rates whenever they get the chance. 

Edited July 2 by Pib

[Pib]

And here was the AXA's earlier annoucment regarding the soon to occur changes in EV policy coverage based on the government Office of Insureance (OIC) directive from 1 June 2024.   And be sure to read the last paragraph in AXA's annoucment telling how great this change is for customers, safety, and society.

 

https://www.axa.co.th/important-update-ev

 

 

 

We would like to inform you about an important update concerning Directive No. 47/2566 issued by the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC). Effective from June 1, 2024, a new Electric Vehicle (EV) insurance policy will be implemented for EVs of passenger cars with less than 7 seats of Type 1 and Type 3 insurance.

For New and Renewing Customers Prior to June 1, 2024:

Customers who confirm their purchase or renewal of insurance by May 31, 2024, will remain covered under the terms of current motor insurance policy until it expires.

For New and Renewing Customers From June 1, 2024 Onwards:

Customers will be subject to the terms of the new EV insurance policy in accordance with the OIC Directive.

• Under this new policy, it will be mandatory to list a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 5 named drivers per vehicle for personal use.
• Should an accident occur with a driver who is not a named driver, an excess of 6,000 THB will be payable by the customer.
• Full name, date of birth, identification number and valid driving license number are information required to name a driver. (A copy of the driving license is required for new applications and renewals through offline channels.)

This policy change is established to comply with the OIC's Directive, aiming to develop EV insurance policies that align with customer needs, enhance road safety standards, and provide benefits to both customers and society.

Edited July 2 by Pib

[digbeth]

12 hours ago, Pib said:

Well, actually the Bangkok Post article helped to clear things up somewhat and Tokio Marine tried to clarify things.    Basically Tokio Marince is saying new and renewal policies will be subject to the new EV insurance polices the Thai govt approved effective 1 July 2024 (or maybe it was 1 June) where rates will be based on driving records vs just a standard rate of a good driver, drivers "must" be be named on the policy (up to 5 drivers), driving records of those named driver can affect rates, etc.  Just stricter rules comparied to govt rules regarding ICEV vehicle policies.   

 

Yes, all Thai insurance companies will adjust their EV policies to the new Thai govt rules....and actually the new rules give insurance more lattide in how they can write vehicle policies for EV.   No doubt in my mind EV policy rates will go up somewhat with the Thai govt's blessing.  It really gives insurance companies the government go-ahead/blessig to institute some changes in vehicle insurance coverage and rates that insurance companies have long lobbied for.

 

And in some earlier articles/crossfeed on the subject of EV policies changes it was said some of these EV policy changes (like the requirement to name all drivers on a policy) may find their way into ICEV policies in the near future because you know companies love to raise policy rates whenever they get the chance. 

 

I thought with the new rules, the newer policy without comprehensive cover on the battery would be offered for less premiums, and the full comprehensive cover would still be available, but looks like many insurers are steering people towards the new style policy with gradual decrease in battery coverage for the age