Chinese company launches electric vehicles in Thailand

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Chinese company launches electric vehicles in Thailand
PICHAYA CHANGSORN
THE NATION



THE FIRST COMPANY to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) to Thailand is not Japanese or Western, but Chinese.

BANGKOK: -- BYD, a Chinese car and battery manufacturer 9.9-per-cent-owned by American billionaire Warren Buffett, yesterday held a grand ceremony to announce the launch of its K9 electric bus and e6 electric sedan to the Thai market.

The event that included a test drive of its vehicles was held at the Bangkok headquarters of BYD's Thai partner, Loxley, and was attended by hundreds of guests including senior officials from the Ministry of Industry, PTT, and |other public and private organisations, as well as the Chinese Embassy.

Industry Minister Chakramon Phasukhavanich did not show up, although he was on the list of invited guests, a copy of which Loxley sent to the media.

According to a press release issued yesterday by Loxley, the company aims sell 200 units of each model in the first year. However, Kosol Surakamol, adviser to Loxley, told the press that those figures were estimated from statistics of sales that BYD could make in other markets.

"It's a benchmark, where we wish to go," he said.

Kosol said that because of their high prices, BYD electric buses and cars initially would be targeted at fleet customers in the government and private sectors such as the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the Transport Co, Airports of Thailand, the Royal Thai Police, and taxi companies.

"According to news reports, the Transport Ministry has an initiative for the Transport Department to study fuel options for public bus fleets, whether they should be run on diesel, electricity or CNG [compressed natural gas].

"We're still in the 'wait and see' stage," he said.

Call for govt support

Kosol said the government should support the use of EVs through providing a clear-cut tax structure for CKD (completely knocked-down) kits imported for assembly in this country.

The retail price for the e6 sedan will be almost Bt3 million, while the K9 bus will start from about Bt12 million, he said.

Liu Xue-liang, BYD Auto Industry's general manager for the Asia-Pacific region, told the press conference that the company was seeking ways to bring down its prices for the models sold here.

According to foreign news reports released this month, BYD created a novel leasing programme that helped it to win a public tender in Rio de Janeiro.

As the batteries for electric vehicles make them more expensive than cars that use fossil fuels, BYD offered a leasing option by which taxi companies and drivers can get cars without batteries at the same price they would pay for a regular car, then leased the batteries. Electric buses, also without the batteries, were offered at the same price as diesel vehicles, and the money that would have been spent on fuel pays for the battery leasing.

To service its EV fleets, Loxley said that during the initial phase, it planned to set up five service centres in Bangkok and vicinity, and would set up charging stations in the area of clients or service providers.

"It's premature to talk about assembly at present," Kosol said. "Investment must be carefully [considered]. We may start by outsourcing to an existing plant that has spare capacity."

company's release, the K9 electric bus has a range of more than 250 kilometres per single charge that takes about five hours, while the e6 five-passenger car can go more than 300km on a single charge that takes about two hours.

Running on BYD's proprietary iron-phosphate battery technology, the e6 sedan can achieve a maximum speed of 140km/h.

Based in Shenzhen, in China's Guangdong province, BYD has exported its EVs to 35 countries worldwide.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Chinese-company-launches-electric-vehicles-in-Thai-30256292.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-19

[BSJ]

"The retail price for the e6 sedan will be almost Bt3 million" They have to be kidding, right?

[JOC]

3 million for a Chinese build car!!

Chok Dee

[Thian]

I have never ever heard of a good car developed by Chinese. Did any of you?

Actually only the Japanese can make good quality cars, even the German ones are not very reliable anymore.

[trogers]

"The retail price for the e6 sedan will be almost Bt3 million" They have to be kidding, right?

The sedan cost Bt450,000. The batteries Bt2.55m guaranteed for a year...?

Reminds me of those toy advertisements - all sold without batteries...

They should throw in an emergency Kite.

Edited March 19, 2015 by trogers

[monkey4u]

"The retail price for the e6 sedan will be almost Bt3 million" They have to be kidding, right?

Warren Buffett has to recoup his 9.9 % somehow

[Oziex1]

And for the local Thai market, a couple of bare wires will be hanging out the back so you can twist on your 240 V wires for charging

[trogers]

And for the local Thai market, a couple of bare wires will be hanging out the back so you can twist on your 240 V wires for charging

What? Bt3m and no earth cable?

[yellowboat]

Wonder what the taxes are on the car as it is imported ? They have been operating as taxis in Shenzhen for about three years.

[maidee]

3 million for a golfcar on steroids

at least in the west, you pay around 1.2 ... so ... no thank you

[kotsak]

This will be DOA

[MaxYakov]

"The retail price for the e6 sedan will be almost Bt3 million" They have to be kidding, right?

The sedan cost Bt450,000. The batteries Bt2.55m guaranteed for a year...?

Reminds me of those toy advertisements - all sold without batteries...

They should throw in an emergency Kite.

Wait till you see the prices for the solar and wind power options!

[MaxYakov]

"The retail price for the e6 sedan will be almost Bt3 million" They have to be kidding, right?

Warren Buffett has to recoup his 9.9 % somehow

Warren can't lose for winning, based on his track record.

[MaxYakov]

Article: Electric buses, also without the batteries, were offered at the same price as diesel vehicles, and the money that would have been spent on fuel pays for the battery leasing.

Are the leased batteries perpetually charged?

There seems to be a lot of "book cooking", or overlooked costs and govenrnent subsidies w/r these so-called "green" technologies.

[geriatrickid]

At least they are trying.

[Sviss Geez]

I have never ever heard of a good car developed by Chinese. Did any of you?

Actually only the Japanese can make good quality cars, even the German ones are not very reliable anymore.

"Actually only the Japanese can make good quality cars..."

There goes a man who really knows his cars.

Never heard of BYD?

[Sviss Geez]

Article: Electric buses, also without the batteries, were offered at the same price as diesel vehicles, and the money that would have been spent on fuel pays for the battery leasing.

Are the leased batteries perpetually charged?

There seems to be a lot of "book cooking", or overlooked costs and govenrnent subsidies w/r these so-called "green" technologies.

"Are the leased batteries perpetually charged?"

Are non-electric vehicles supplied with a lifetime of fuel?

[h90]

And for the local Thai market, a couple of bare wires will be hanging out the back so you can twist on your 240 V wires for charging

twist it on your something between 150 to 260 Volt

Edited March 19, 2015 by h90

[joboss]

And for the local Thai market, a couple of bare wires will be hanging out the back so you can twist on your 240 V wires for charging

Haha!! Just got to park overnight at the corner street lamp.

[Srikcir]

BYD will have an uphill battle to get the Thai government to consider its electric bus for use in Thailand. Remember last September when PEA announced its newly designed all electric bus*?

"The PEA will test the bus during the next six months. If results are satisfactory, it will deploy the vehicle to serve its staff next year."

I questioned then why didn't PEA test the BYD electric bus that has been already used throughout the world, primarily in the US, as a demostration of their techonlogy? But maybe the PEA bus was essentially a pirated BYD design, and everyone knows a knockoff is always cheaper than the original.

* http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/759714-pea-introduces-thailands-first-electric-passenger-bus/

[JAG]

Well I hope it is nothing like our household, Wife, daughter, stepson and self all have mobile phones. In addition I must have purchased 4 chargers from 7/11 in the last year. Can anyone find a charger when we want one? No hope.

Of course we may be exceptionally disorganised, but...........

[Enoon]

I have never ever heard of a good car developed by Chinese. Did any of you?

Actually only the Japanese can make good quality cars, even the German ones are not very reliable anymore.

There are people living today, some of them read TV, who can remember when the West had "never ever heard of a good car" (or motorcycle) developed by Japanese.

When it was suggested that the Japanese might be able to do such a thing, everybody laughed.

[Rancid]

"The retail price for the e6 sedan will be almost Bt3 million" They have to be kidding, right?

Warren Buffett has to recoup his 9.9 % somehow

Recall the US govt bailed him out last time. Can't have the 1% losing any money.

[captbob]

I don't trust Chinese crap no way I am a cowboy I like good horse not gay horse

[retell]

Boss, I cannot come to work today , cos the sugarcane truck ripped some cables last night so my car isn't charged

[Thai at Heart]

Could you imagine the brown outs if 100,000 of these all went on charge in bangkok overnight?