Electric Vehicles in Thailand

[Bandersnatch]

39 minutes ago, billzant said:

This is a tentative post. I will be buying one more car and would like to buy electric, not now but when my Mazda Bt50 (7 ½ years old) starts to go wrong -  fine at the moment. I would prefer a big pickup like I have but don’t think they do them - prefer EV more.

 

I live in rural Thailand 8 kms from Meuang Trat, am not sure but think there are 2 charging stations in Trat and one in Saen Tung. To be honest I rarely travel outside Trat so that is not too much of an issue.

 

But I would want to charge at home. Are there issues about chargers at home? The electrics in my house are iffy. Are PEA helpful about this?

 

I asked Mazda whether they will be doing anything a couple of years ago and was “laughed” at but that could just have been language.

 

Am interested in seeing where government incentives go, and whether there will be anything useable for me over the next few years? Am not too intrepid ????

There are EV Pickup Trucks coming, but none yet in Thailand

https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/best/electric-pickups/

 

The MAZDA MX-30 is electric but not for sale in Thailand

 

I have single phase on a 15(45)A meter and the company that MG chose to install my wall box said I needed to upgrade to 30A as that is a requirement to have a 7Kw home charger installed.

 

Another option acceptable to them was a second 15(45)A meter supplying the wall box directly. Many EV owners have this meter on time of use rate for cheaper charging of an EV overnight - 09.30 PM to 08.00 AM. 

 

I now charge my EV at home from my solar system, but I did talk to PEA about it and they said the installation of the second 15(45)A meter for EV use was free. 

 

I had a consumer unit/Fuse box for outdoor electrics with a couple of spare slots. The Wall Box installer installed a new breaker box next to the wall box and this was included in the free MG wall box install.    

 

[Bandersnatch]

Toyota set to sign MoU for Thai EV subsidy package

Toyota Motor Thailand will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Excise Department on Friday to make its future electric vehicles eligible for the government’s price subsidy. 
 

So far, Great Wall Motor (GWM) Manufacturing Ltd and MG Sales Thailand Ltd have signed MoUs with the Excise Department for their EVs to be eligible for excise tax reduction and subsidy of Bt70,000 to Bt150,000.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/specials/40015033

 

[Yellowtail]

Yes. EVs are so much better than ICEVs that they need more and more mandates and subsidies all the time.

[Longwood50]

You had to know this was coming.  EV on the road and not paying tax on gasoline used to maintain the roads.  So add that likelihood of a "road tax" to the cost of that EV as well. 


https://www.wkbw.com/money/consumer/dont-waste-your-money/hybrid-and-electric-car-owners-furious-about-new-taxes?fbclid=IwAR0NvbC6t0G3bAgkE1NzJOCix1lBvGS1QcIdQH_qnFiZUccFY6pomeibowk

[Bandersnatch]

Chinese EV startup Neta makes Thailand first stop for overseas expansion.

 

Neta Automobile has signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Thailand's PTT Public Company Limited to jointly develop the local market.

 

 

Neta will work with PTT to build a smart car ecosystem to provide high-quality smart EVs to Thailand and ASEAN.

 

A right-hand-drive version of the Neta V will be the first available in Thailand. The Neta V is priced in China  from ฿311,000 to ฿400,000

 

 

https://cnevpost.com/2021/11/10/chinese-ev-startup-neta-makes-thailand-first-stop-for-overseas-expansion/

 

Video in Thai from last month's Bangkok Auto Show:

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Had a weird experience with this earlier today:

 

Did a Foodpanda food delivery order to my home, and saw that the driver was about to arrive, so I went downstairs to the street to meet him...

 

I'm looking around for the typical motorycle guy with the pink FP box on the back, but I don't see anyone like that....  And as I'm standing there, I barely notice a Thai guy passing by on what I thought was an electric bicycle, I presumed, going home or to a nearby park....

 

But NO!  Turned out, that guy WAS the FoodPanda delivery guy, and what I thought was a relatively small electric bicycle was instead a pretty darned small electric motorcycle!  Of course, didn't make a sound when driving.  I looked at the thing, and almost thought it was a toy... Kind of hard to believe it could have been street legal for Thailand's dangerous roads!

 

[eezergood]

14 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Had a weird experience with this earlier today:

 

Did a Foodpanda food delivery order to my home, and saw that the driver was about to arrive, so I went downstairs to the street to meet him...

 

I'm looking around for the typical motorycle guy with the pink FP box on the back, but I don't see anyone like that....  And as I'm standing there, I barely notice a Thai guy passing by on what I thought was an electric bicycle, I presumed, going home or to a nearby park....

 

But NO!  Turned out, that guy WAS the FoodPanda delivery guy, and what I thought was a relatively small electric bicycle was instead a pretty darned small electric motorcycle!  Of course, didn't make a sound when driving.  I looked at the thing, and almost thought it was a toy... Kind of hard to believe it could have been street legal for Thailand's dangerous roads!

 

what makes you think the are legal for the roads ? 

[Yellowtail]

39 minutes ago, eezergood said:

what makes you think the are legal for the roads ? 

The DLT?

 

DLT unveils new rules on power, speed of electric vehicles (nationthailand.com)

[eezergood]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

The DLT?

 

DLT unveils new rules on power, speed of electric vehicles (nationthailand.com)

If they meet the requirements......... 

[CLW]

4 hours ago, eezergood said:

what makes you think the are legal for the roads ? 

Well, I'd guess they all have the same features as motorized two wheelers: headlight, brake lights and turning indicators. 

If they are used or working, is another chapter.

What I would more worry is these vehicles are currently not required to have insurance. So if you have accident with them, good luck...

[Yellowtail]

4 hours ago, eezergood said:

If they meet the requirements......... 

What makes you think they don't meet the requirements ? 

[eezergood]

18 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

What makes you think they don't meet the requirements ? 

what makes you think I think that?

 

[Yellowtail]

6 hours ago, eezergood said:

what makes you think I think that?

What makes you think I think you think that?

[Bandersnatch]

Long waitlists for EVs in Thailand.

 

Comments online are saying that Great Wall's Ora Good Cat orders may not be filled until next year.

 

I saw MG with a display at my local mall today and so asked them about deliveries for the MG ZS EV and MG EP and was told that there was a six month wait. They did have stock of the MG HS PHEV however.

 

 

 

 

[Bandersnatch]

Some thoughts about EV Charging in Thailand:

 

Home Charging:

Currently MG and GWM are providing free wall chargers and installation.

The chargers are 7kW AC chargers so 1 hour would add 7kWh to the car or about 40km of range

Most cars also come with a mobile charger that can be plugged into any wall socket and are about 2.6kW

 

I charge from my home solar system, if you you want to charge from the grid, overnight Time Of Use rate is cheaper at about ฿0.439 per km

 

 

Destination Chargers:

I live in Surin which has EA anywhere chargers at Robinson. If I drive to Robinson Buriram and plug in for about an hour using the 7kW ac charger I will be back to 100% state of charge

 

 

 

DC Rapid Chargers:

Most chargers in Thailand are located in big cities or shopping centers and long distance routes tend to bypass the cities. In a recent trip from Surin to Pattaya I passed several MG showrooms. An MG EV would only need one 30 minute DC rapid charge to make the journey. Last year MG installed 108 EV Charging Stations in MG showrooms and service centres, 67 of which are ready to provide services. Charging fees are 6.5 baht per kilowatt-hour during the off-peak hours and 7.5 baht per kilowatt-hour during peak hours. The company is ready to move on to the second phase by installing 500 more MG Super Charge installations across the country by the end of this year with an investment budget of over 500 million baht. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bandersnatch]

21 hours ago, Bandersnatch said:

MG installed 108 EV Charging Stations in MG showrooms and service centres, 67 of which are ready to provide services. Charging fees are 6.5 baht per kilowatt-hour during the off-peak hours and 7.5 baht per kilowatt-hour during peak hours. The company is ready to move on to the second phase by installing 500 more MG Super Charge installations across the country by the end of this year with an investment budget of over 500 million baht. 

Tesla has proved that installing DC rapid charger infrastructure is as important as the car itself. Charging a Tesla in Europe and the US is definitely the best experience for any EV.

 

I will probably be buying a new EV in the next couple of years and MGs investment in DC Super Chargers at their many dealers is a real incentive to stick with MG. I have also had a faultless and enjoyable experience with the car and great service from the dealer. 

[CLW]

As far as I know, GWM dealer network is expanding rapidly and they also offer DC fast charging at each location. 

[stratocaster]

On 5/6/2022 at 2:56 AM, Bandersnatch said:

Tesla has proved that installing DC rapid charger infrastructure is as important as the car itself. Charging a Tesla in Europe and the US is definitely the best experience for any EV.

 

I will probably be buying a new EV in the next couple of years and MGs investment in DC Super Chargers at their many dealers is a real incentive to stick with MG. I have also had a faultless and enjoyable experience with the car and great service from the dealer. 

In the UK, as Joe Public can not use Tesla charge points but Tesla owners can use Joe Public charge points it has spawned a new type of road rage.

[eezergood]

On 5/7/2022 at 7:09 PM, CLW said:

As far as I know, GWM dealer network is expanding rapidly and they also offer DC fast charging at each location. 

Initial customer feedback seems to be less than rosy - That said more competition in the space is only a good thing

 

[mtls2005]

I saw my first Tesla in the wild here, yesterday model 3, white in Phra Khanong.

 

https://www.plugshare.com/

[digbeth]

GWM, less than a year in their launch and their sales people are quitting the dealership in droves is not a good sign

 

looks like MG's EV turns out quite reliable (considering their ICE cars notoriety) while GWM ORA and Haval has had quite a lot of high profile breakdown and bad service 

[CLW]

Any evidence for the two posts above with the GWM bashing? The Haval used to be the best selling SUV last year for consecutive months.

Ora Good Cat now taking no more orders since they are booked out for this year.

[eezergood]

3 hours ago, CLW said:

Any evidence for the two posts above with the GWM bashing? The Haval used to be the best selling SUV last year for consecutive months.

Ora Good Cat now taking no more orders since they are booked out for this year.

Many posts (In Thai, so I have to take the word of my wife from translation) in the associated FB groups - free to join & look. This is not bashing by any means. 

[eezergood]

22 hours ago, digbeth said:

GWM, less than a year in their launch and their sales people are quitting the dealership in droves is not a good sign

 

looks like MG's EV turns out quite reliable (considering their ICE cars notoriety) while GWM ORA and Haval has had quite a lot of high profile breakdown and bad service 

My mate in AUS has an MG Ev and uses it to uber - he would be over 500 km a week and has had ZERO issues so far. 

 

What was the issue with the ICE cars? 

[Jotnar]

58 minutes ago, eezergood said:

My mate in AUS has an MG Ev and uses it to uber - he would be over 500 km a week and has had ZERO issues so far.   What was the issue with the ICE cars? 

Apparently no major ones, as AN members owning, inclusive, and my reading, researching before and after purchasing, of MG groups on MG vehicles available here and not finding any major issues.

 

Maybe referencing their past reliability issues before SAIC took over, which there already are a couple threads on.

 

Moving on .............

[eezergood]

2 hours ago, Jotnar said:

Apparently no major ones, as AN members owning, inclusive, and my reading, researching before and after purchasing, of MG groups on MG vehicles available here and not finding any major issues.

 

Maybe referencing their past reliability issues before SAIC took over, which there already are a couple threads on.

 

Moving on .............

As I thought, initially some shockers but seem to be very well regarded currently 

[zoolander]

We ordered our MG EV plus last week. Told at least 4 months delivery.....at the earliest.

[digbeth]

10 hours ago, eezergood said:

My mate in AUS has an MG Ev and uses it to uber - he would be over 500 km a week and has had ZERO issues so far. 

 

What was the issue with the ICE cars? 

Reliability, Build quality fit and finishes, switches falling out, parts availablility, often parts are on back order for months at the dealer

the MGEV in Thailand is buiilt and imported whole from China

 

MG Rover hasn't had presence in Thailand since the mid 90s so pre SAIC reliability reputation is not relevant.

 

The fact that MG reliability is so bad it's now a meme in Thailand 

[eezergood]

12 hours ago, digbeth said:

Reliability, Build quality fit and finishes, switches falling out, parts availablility, often parts are on back order for months at the dealer

the MGEV in Thailand is buiilt and imported whole from China

 

MG Rover hasn't had presence in Thailand since the mid 90s so pre SAIC reliability reputation is not relevant.

 

The fact that MG reliability is so bad it's now a meme in Thailand 

Not so sure that's as true as it once was, the very first gen was poor - the newer models seem to be ticking along nicely. The issue of parts availability is hitting all manufacturers, in fact one of the Ford dealers here in Phuket is notorious for having zero stock of consumables - filters, plus etc..... 

[Bandersnatch]

23 hours ago, digbeth said:

the MGEV in Thailand is buiilt and imported whole from China

MG Thailand (SIAC Motor-CP Co. LTD) has been manufacturing Cars in Thailand including EVs at it's 3 factories at Hemaraj Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate for the past 8 years.

 

In October 2020 it reached a total of 100,000 MG vehicles produced in Thailand.