Electric Vehicles in Thailand

[KhunLA]

14 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I read a good article on EVs the other day which puts to bed many anti-EV myths - several of which you can find in this thread (coal powered, blah blah).

https://www.motortrend.com/features/truth-about-electric-cars-ad-why-you-are-being-lied-to/

I just add them all to my ignore list.  Unless quoted, I never see their silliness.

[vinny41]

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Wow, 145mm, 14mm more than the Honda Accord ... ????

You better get on the Honda Accord sites and warn everyone ... ????

 

YES ... PURE SILLINESS

ignored

And where is the battery located in a Honda Accord I know Honda Accord batteries sit high in the engine compartment

The only people that make themselves look complete idiots are people that think there are no issues with BEV

[JBChiangRai]

I suspect the anti-EV brigade are fueled by jealousy.

[Bandersnatch]

3 hours ago, Henryford said:

My concern about charging on road trips is OK there might be a network but when you get there a) will it be working and b) will someone else be there using it. 

Speaking as someone who has actually used public chargers in Thailand. Currently we are in the honeymoon period for EV owners in Thailand: There are more EV chargers than there are people wanting to use them. I have never had to wait or found one not working, but I did once have to phone PTT to ask them to switch their charger on (obviously not much demand)

 

If you are still concerned I would suggest you buy a Tesla:  they have the  most reliable chargers; the cars have long range; Teslas are capable of charging quickly.

 

It is worth pointing out that it's the nature of the charging curve that charging speeds decrease the more full the battery gets, so most people are unlikely to charge beyond 80%. A Tesla 3/Y LR can charge 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes.

[Bandersnatch]

2 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

I read a good article on EVs the other day which puts to bed many anti-EV myths - several of which you can find in this thread (coal powered, blah blah).

https://www.motortrend.com/features/truth-about-electric-cars-ad-why-you-are-being-lied-to/

That article came up in my news feed and it sounded like it was going to be full of untruths so I skim read it before adding the publication to my "don't show content from.." but it turned out to be a balanced article. 

[motdaeng]

wireless charging, with a genesis gv 60!

 

bev has so much potential, the technology will continue to develop rapidly ...

 

 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, motdaeng said:

wireless charging, with a genesis gv 60!

 

bev has so much potential, the technology will continue to develop rapidly ...

That's cool ... ????

 

I get his frustration, but manufacturers, especially targeting us low end buyers, are trying to keep cost down as much as possible.   If it's one more add on, option, accessory that can have an oops down the line, then I'm happy for the hassle of plugging in ????

[VocalNeal]

23 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

I suspect the anti-EV brigade are fueled by jealousy.

Like the anti-Merc or anti-BMW brigade or anti-Fortuner or anti...????

[JBChiangRai]

1 minute ago, VocalNeal said:

Like the anti-Merc or anti-BMW brigade or anti-Fortuner or anti...????

I haven't noticed any vocal anti-merc or anti-bmw brigade here, but please feel free to start one if you feel it would be interesting

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Like the anti-Merc or anti-BMW brigade or anti-Fortuner or anti...????

Phom jon mak mak  ... ????

 

Rich basstards ... we can only afford that cheap Chinese junk ... ????

I need a 'safe space' ... away from all this intimidations ... ????

[VocalNeal]

????

Some people buy cars to show off their ability to sign a finance agreement. 

[VocalNeal]

12 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I haven't noticed any vocal anti-merc or anti-bmw brigade here, but please feel free to start one if you feel it would be interesting

I'm not anti anything. I buy what I wish. If I am anti anything it is pretentiousness.

[KhunLA]

8 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

????

Some people buy cars to show off their ability to sign a finance agreement. 

My mama would kick my butt if I financed something that depreciated ????

 

"The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams"

---  Winwood & Capaldi

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

35 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

????

Some people buy cars to show off their ability to sign a finance agreement. 

My mum always taught me "Neither a lender nor a borrower be".  

 

I have never financed anything (except houses/apartments in the UK), I am not sure we even can in Thailand, I would like a Thai credit card just for the EA Anywhere charging network though.

[JBChiangRai]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

My mama would kick my butt if I financed something that depreciated ????

 

"The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams"

---  Winwood & Capaldi

 

 

But you bought a car that appreciated the moment you drove it off the forecourt, thanks to the government incentive and long waiting lists.

[Bandersnatch]

3 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

would like a Thai credit card just for the EA Anywhere

I use my prepaid planet SCB card for EA Anywhere. EAA thinks it’s a credit card but it’s not ????

 

https://www.scb.co.th/th/personal-banking/cards/prepaid-cards/planet-scb-card.html

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

45 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

I use my prepaid planet SCB card for EA Anywhere. EAA thinks it’s a credit card but it’s not ????

 

https://www.scb.co.th/th/personal-banking/cards/prepaid-cards/planet-scb-card.html

 

I will look into that, thanks for the tip

 

 

[digbeth]

10 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

I haven't noticed any vocal anti-merc or anti-bmw brigade here, but please feel free to start one if you feel it would be interesting

I'll start, 

The whole European car price in Thailand has been artificially kept at high price to maintain the image of prestige and resell value, 

historically imported cars were taxed heavily but they kept the price high when CKD cars are assembled locally,( ignoring bonded manufacturing complexities they're still considered import from Europe even though made in Rayong but still, the price is too high) they kept going with the price to preserve the market, and now with Thai China FTA for EV, 'European' branded EV from China like the Volvo xc40 and BMW iX3 are still priced to maintain the legacy car market, ie artificially high as they  can get away with.

 

While you'd only need to look at other markets without the import car taxes like Australia or Europe or US to see that Mercs and BMWs don't cost 3 times as much as equivalent Honda or Toyotas, in the mind of Thais, the premium still holds

 

The arrival or 'cheap' Teslas from China hopefully will shatters that perception somewhat, the average BMW and Mercs buyer are starting to question the value of 'European' Imports now

 

And don't get started on the reliability of the Europeans and the warranty claim experience in Thailand

[placeholder]

On 12/13/2022 at 1:47 PM, JBChiangRai said:

I expect Tesla prices to slide in Thailand to the price in China.

 

Registered companies can import Tesla's made in China without tax, the model 3 is 1.3M baht in China.

Doesn't Tesla get a say in this? They don't have to agree to allow imports from China.

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, placeholder said:

Doesn't Tesla get a say in this? They don't have to agree to allow imports from China.

The top tesla model y is some 600K baht more than the equivalent in China. I'd also hope prices will decrease, but that is likely to be across the board for all EV's. 

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, digbeth said:

The arrival or 'cheap' Teslas from China hopefully will shatters that perception somewhat, the average BMW and Mercs buyer are starting to question the value of 'European' Imports now

A recent article in the Thai press suggested that the arrival of Tesla will significantly reduce the second hand prices of European cars here. They may be some good deals to be had for them next year. 

[digbeth]

2 hours ago, placeholder said:

Doesn't Tesla get a say in this? They don't have to agree to allow imports from China.

Toyota and Mercedes has long has grey market in Thailand and the most they can say is that they won't let you use the dealer for a service, unless you paid up.

 

While it is theoretically possible to import Chinese cars tax free providing you can get the Form O from the factory, some Thai individual had imported ORA before they opened for business officially in Thailand

 

good luck getting Tesla factory in China to sell you RHD cars, 

 

How much cheaper would it have to be for you to put up with LHD cars with GB/T connector in Thailand

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, DavisH said:

The top tesla model y is some 600K baht more than the equivalent in China. I'd also hope prices will decrease, but that is likely to be across the board for all EV's. 

I think you will find EV cost will increase next year due to increased costs in material cost and in China the subsidy on EV ends in 2023

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3910805-chinese-ev-maker-byd-to-raise-prices-from-jan-1-on-higher-raw-material-cost-subsidy-end

 

Will the EV prices remain at current pricing no one knows

What we see at the moment is brands taking reservations for a limited number of vehicles then closing their reservations what we don't know will the current pricing remain the same or will there be a price increase when they re-open their reservations systems for the next batch of orders

[Bandersnatch]

10 hours ago, digbeth said:

The arrival or 'cheap' Teslas from China hopefully will shatters that perception somewhat, the average BMW and Mercs buyer are starting to question the value of 'European' Imports now

I recently had a conversation with a very condescending owner of a Mercedes dealership. I asked why Mercedes has only one electric car planned for Thailand - the EQS which costs north of £100,000 in the UK and how many EQS were they were expecting to sell.

 

I said we will soon be able to buy Teslas for under ฿2m why will people buy old technology Mercedes instead. He didn’t look happy ????

 

Mercedes could manufacture the EQA and EQB in Thailand instead of making the EQS here for a similar price to Teslas.

 

When I spoke with BMW at a show last year they said that were hoping to assemble the iX1 in Thailand which could sell for around ฿2m but I haven’t heard anything since. 

[KhunLA]

9 hours ago, DavisH said:

The top tesla model y is some 600K baht more than the equivalent in China. I'd also hope prices will decrease, but that is likely to be across the board for all EV's. 

Until there is more competition in the market, like CH's EV market, there's no need for Tesla to lower the market price in TH.  Taking more orders than any other proves that.

 

Many, like myself, may be happy with the fact that their car is coming from CH, instead of 'made in TH'.   Quite happy MG hadn't produced their EVs here yet.  

 

Having 2 Toyota and 1 Mazda here, that were made in TH, compared to the vehicles that come out of Japan ... yea ... very happy our ZS is made in CH.

 

Have to say though, the ICE version and EV version of the ZS, are quite compatible.  Maybe MG has better handle on their QC here, than others.  EV a bit nicer, slightly, but could simply be 2 yrs of upgrade, and better components needed for the EV, and explains the price difference besides simply being an EV.

 

One has to consider, that 1 battery pack on our solar system cost about ฿100k, and the MG ZS EV comes with one, 5X the kW, 50kW vs 10kW.

 

Original pricing of ICE vs EV

฿700k vs ฿1.2m, and may help some understand WHY, EVs are priced higher.

[Bandersnatch]

 

 

Bjørn Nyland’s English Channel (He also has a Thai Language channel)

https://youtube.com/@bjornnyland 

 

Anybody else following him?

 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Bandersnatch said:

 

 

Bjørn Nyland’s English Channel (He also has a Thai Language channel)

https://youtube.com/@bjornnyland 

 

Anybody else following him?

 

Not that I would spend over 1m baht for any 4 wheeled vehicle, but I'd go with Tesla, as better spec'd & price.  Simply don't trust Volvo or BMW, as put out a lot of krap in the past.

[JBChiangRai]

I think the build quality of Chinese cars is far superior to Tesla.

 

What's with all the panel gaps? and bumpers flying off in the rain? and the autopilotcrash software? It's about time the Model S & 3 were replaced, refreshes are like putting lipstick on a pig.  Come on Musk, invest in a new model! and where is that pickup truck? and the roadster?  The guy's an idiot and a pedoguy for what he's doing on Twitter (in his own definition of pedoguy).  He can't take criticism, creepy.

 

 

[KhunLA]

36 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I think the build quality of Chinese cars is far superior to Tesla.

 

What's with all the panel gaps? and bumpers flying off in the rain? and the autopilotcrash software? 

Saw a couple vids from respected YT'ers pointing out a few things that surprised me.  They aren't cheap, so I'd definitely expect a little more attention to the fit & finish.  

 

Making our MG ZS even more of a quality bargain at almost half price.

SAIC rocks ????

 

[josephbloggs]

Was driving behind a brand new Audi e-Tron GT yesterday - stunning looking car.