Tesla to make debut at upcoming Thailand International Motor Expo

[webfact]

Tesla to make debut at upcoming motor show

BANGKOK: -- TESLA, THE exotic American electric car brand, has formally set up an official importer and distributor in Thailand.

Navamol Thitiworathat, president and CEO of Tesla Automotive, said the newly formed company is a joint venture between Thai and US investors.

With an investment of Bt5 billion, the company will start importing and offering the Tesla Model S, which will make its Thai debut at the Thailand International Motor Expo next month.

Deliveries of the Model S will start early next year, although retail pricing has not been finalised. The Model S could be priced from Bt5 million to Bt7 million, she said.

The company's head office and after-sales centre is located on Narathiwat-Ratchanakarin Road and will be fully operational at the end of this year. Tesla plans to set up superchargers for its electric vehicles at 120 fuel stations around the country by March next year to serve customers free of charge, Navimol said. A 20minute charge can provide 80-percent battery capacity.

The two Model S cars, namely 85D and P90D, have a claimed operating range of 480 kilometers from a single charge (8 hours from a house socket).

Tesla also plans to sell its cars in other Asean markets such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Tesla-to-make-debut-at-upcoming-motor-show-30272850.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-13

[JoePai]

That's all we want, cars stopped by the roadside with a set of jump leads clipped to the overhead power cables

[mortenaa]

Tesla Model S: The best selling car in Norway!

http://jalopnik.com/heres-why-the-tesla-model-s-is-the-1-selling-car-in-no-1651261025

Will it sell in Thailand?

Edited November 13, 2015 by mortenaa

[Ace of Pop]

No it doesnt "CLONK" Enough..

[Jeffrey346]

Tesla is an awesome vehicle. I believe it will sell well even with a B5M price tag.

[davemos]

Drove the zist Tesla S the lotus lookalike.Great acceleration good range .After a little research the batteries might have to be replaced after 5 years .The cost at that time was close to $10000 .Hope they have improved battery life! Then batteries last a long time in Thailand don't they?

[OMGImInPattaya]

Isn't Thailand switching to an emissions based excise tax regime...and the Tesla has zero emissions...so why the high prices!

[William C F Pierce]

Expensive!!! Price is 50 to 100% more than the UK price (3.657m Baht). I live near a UK Tesla showroom. But it is still an amazing car, The chassis structure is stronger and safer that a lot of car in an accident.

[Nerone]

maybe they will settle even a production facility, like many others, in the future...

[Mudcrab]

And green idiots will proudly claim the zero emissions, forgetting where the power comes from.

Sorry, my mistake , they will all be solar charged....that might take a while.

Just a rich persons fad at the moment in my opinion. Wait until the batteries need changing,,whoops that's an expensive service.

[IMHO]

Isn't Thailand switching to an emissions based excise tax regime...and the Tesla has zero emissions...so why the high prices!

Expensive!!! Price is 50 to 100% more than the UK price (3.657m Baht). I live near a UK Tesla showroom. But it is still an amazing car, The chassis structure is stronger and safer that a lot of car in an accident.

As a fully imported car, it gets 80% import duties, 10% excise tax, interior tax (10% of excise value) and then 7% VAT.

It seems to me the Thai pricing is quite keen, considering that.

[IMHO]

And green idiots will proudly claim the zero emissions, forgetting where the power comes from.

Sorry, my mistake , they will all be solar charged....that might take a while.

Just a rich persons fad at the moment in my opinion. Wait until the batteries need changing,,whoops that's an expensive service.

I think you'll find the "greenies" buy cars like the Prius and Leaf. The Tesla Model S is more for people that don't want to commute in their Porsche 911 anymore - i.e. they want a sedan that's quiet, comfortable, just as quick as a 911 Turbo - in traffic / legal speeds, and can seat 4 people. There's really not many alternatives if you want a 3-4 second car that hits all these goals - and they're all more expensive than the Tesla in TH.

The fact that it's electric is secondary. If it did the same things, and had all the same tech with a combustion engine people would still buy it.

Edited November 14, 2015 by IMHO

[Ace of Pop]

If it doesn't make a noise Thai Pedestrians will get runover

[WarpSpeed]

Long term ownership is now demonstrating that the batteries are at a distinct disadvantage in high heat environments losing as much as 25% of their operating period.

Edited November 14, 2015 by WarpSpeed

[Ace of Pop]

Long term ownership is now demonstrating that the batteries are at a distinct disadvantage in high heat environments losing as much as 25% of their operating period.

Nice to read what is,instead of what some would like to believe.

[Robert24]

Personally I think plug in hybrid engines are smarter than 100% electric vehicles. But maybe battery technology on the next generation cars will improve significantly to make up for the disadvantage.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Isn't Thailand switching to an emissions based excise tax regime...and the Tesla has zero emissions...so why the high prices!

Expensive!!! Price is 50 to 100% more than the UK price (3.657m Baht). I live near a UK Tesla showroom. But it is still an amazing car, The chassis structure is stronger and safer that a lot of car in an accident.

As a fully imported car, it gets 80% import duties, 10% excise tax, interior tax (10% of excise value) and then 7% VAT.

It seems to me the Thai pricing is quite keen, considering that.

I guess you're right...and think of all the money owners will save on oil changes :-)

[mortenaa]

Long term ownership is now demonstrating that the batteries are at a distinct disadvantage in high heat environments losing as much as 25% of their operating period.

The battery has a built in cooling system (and heating for cold environments).

[mortenaa]

Personally I think plug in hybrid engines are smarter than 100% electric vehicles. But maybe battery technology on the next generation cars will improve significantly to make up for the disadvantage.

With a Model S, you can drive from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with one 20 minutes pit stop midway, free of charge.. I don't see the huge disadvantage.

[IMHO]

If it doesn't make a noise Thai Pedestrians will get runover

Good point. So you'd have to make your entourage follow you in the Trailblazer?

[Ace of Pop]

Worse now the Blazers an HR.V and that sounds like a kettle boiling .[emoji23]

[Robert24]

Personally I think plug in hybrid engines are smarter than 100% electric vehicles. But maybe battery technology on the next generation cars will improve significantly to make up for the disadvantage.

With a Model S, you can drive from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with one 20 minutes pit stop midway, free of charge.. I don't see the huge disadvantage.

sure, although you better make sure that 1 pit stop charging station works otherwise your options are a bit limited. With a plug in hybrid you don't have such worries.

[Jitar]

Hard to imagine a huge number of charging stations springing up any time soon. Who pays for the infrastructure if recharging is free?

If IMHO's post #12 is correct, the small number of +5M baht Teslas that maybe sold in Thailand will be commuting in BKK anyway. Presumably they would charge at home.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Jitar

[IMHO]

Hard to imagine a huge number of charging stations springing up any time soon. Who pays for the infrastructure if recharging is free?

If IMHO's post #12 is correct, the small number of +5M baht Teslas that maybe sold in Thailand will be commuting in BKK anyway. Presumably they would charge at home.

I was just joking about charging queues in the other thread

But you never know, it could be the next big PITA

Never underestimate the lengths people will go to get something for free...

Edited November 16, 2015 by IMHO

[whatawonderfulday]

Wait for it "Thailand the hub of Free Electric charging stations"

Edited November 16, 2015 by whatawonderfulday

[Ace of Pop]

Thats what Thailand needs, anther overprice Boat Anchor. Something usefull like a nice new Transit Van we will never see.

[Alration]

Hard to imagine a huge number of charging stations springing up any time soon. Who pays for the infrastructure if recharging is free?

The OP says Tesla.

[Carl58]

Wait for it "Thailand the hub of Free Electric charging stations"

i believe that Tesla is greatly underestimating the level of corruption.

[SpokaneAl]

Isn't Thailand switching to an emissions based excise tax regime...and the Tesla has zero emissions...so why the high prices!

That is pretty much the going price for a Tesla. A magnificent car, but cheap they ain't.

[IMHO]

Wait for it "Thailand the hub of Free Electric charging stations"

i believe that Tesla is greatly underestimating the level of corruption.

According to what I've heard, they've done a deal with a gas station chain. I can't see how corruption plays too much of a part in it?

In any case, you can be sure their charging stations will be able to recognize the actual car being charged, and will log the energy each customer uses along with the routes travelled so they are constantly getting feedback on battery/charge efficiency and usage, and for sure won't charge non-Tesla cars. They are a tech company after all