First locally assembled compact electric car at 300,000 baht to be available end of this year

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First locally assembled compact electric car at 300,000 baht to be available end of this year

BANGKOK: -- Thai people may have a chance to experience the first locally assembled electric vehicle (EV) car when FOMM Corporation said it expected to produce and market the world's first four-seated EV car at 300,000 baht in the country at end of this year.

FOMM Corporation, a Japanese company involved in development of EV cars, is working closely with the Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology of Thammasat University (SIIT) to conduct research on compact EV cars in Thailand.

At present the Department of Land Transport is amending the law that will allow compact EV car with engine power lower than 15 kilowatts to be registered.

The Department of Industry Promotion’s industrial development director Mr Pitoon Pholpanichrasmee said by either the end of this year or early next year, the first compact EV car will be available and in use in Thailand.

Mr Pitoon Pholpanichrasmee, The Department of Industry Promotion’s industrial development director

But for battery cloud for EV cars, it still needs to develop for faster charging from the present 6-8 hours to half an hour, he said.

He said Nissan has introduced “Leaf” model, a 100℅ EV car, in the Thai market but its price has not yet been concluded adding however it is affordable price.

Most car companies are awaiting government’s policy on import tax before importing them to the Thai market for use at affordable prices, he said.

The Bangkok Mass Transit Organization’s pilot project for running 200 EV buses end of  this year is also awaiting the meeting of the Energy Policy Supervision Committee next week or mid next month to fix electricity charging rate for vehicles.

According to The Nation, FOMM and SIIT have recently signed MOU to conduct joint research for one year evaluating electric vehicles.

The other is between FOMM and Bangchak to undertake a study on implementation of a “battery cloud” system for FOMM compact vehicles by utilising Bangchak’s service stations.

The main purposes of this collaboration are the development of EV efficiency, driving convenience, basic infrastructure, and a future Thai EV industry.

In addition, Bangchak will participate in a feasibility study on a “battery cloud” system and general maintenance services at its service-station network.

Under FOMM’s “battery cloud” concept, batteries for its EVs can be charged at home or be replaced at service stations.

A fully charged battery can run the EV for up to 100 kilometres. The batteries are designed to allow smartphones monitor the remaining power.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/first-locally-assembled-compact-electric-car-300000-baht-available-end-year/

-- Thai PBS 2016-08-01

[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

Tesla it is not

But as a city-car, great, get the cost down by 30% and I may even buy one.

[Artisi]

Wishful thinking at the moment, still sorting out battery charge times which should be the least complex item. 

[seahorse]

How do they rate for safety?

[BSJ]

Safer on a scooter!  In an accident with anything bigger than a tuk tuk......they will bury you in it!   But then with sparks flying everywhere and all the plastic you may end up cremated!

[rhythmworx]

The windscreen was designed to allow people that get ran over to fly over the roof easier?

Fiat Punto was designed that way

[Inn Between]

That little box on wheels would have to have air conditioning, or it would be unbearable. I can't see it getting a lot of of mileage with the AC running, unless they've come up with a new super-efficient method. Also wonder if AC running will affect power, like those old Daihatsu 700 cc boxes. A friend had one briefly years ago, and said that he had to turn the AC off going up some hills or it just wouldn't make it.  

[bangkokheat]

electrical products made in thailand, hmmm

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, bangkokheat said:

electrical products made in thailand, hmmm

Every time you change gears you will feel some current going through your body.

[SOTIRIOS]

...would like to know more about the safety rating on such a vehicle....

[gregk0543]

It is a Japanese designed car. Assembled in Thailand. Just like a Thai Toyota, honda or any of the many cars they make in Thailand.

http://fomm.co.jp/wordpress/index_en.html

Check it out is actually floats in a flood.

I charge my phone overnight so not worried about doing the same with a car.

Aircon will be interesting to see how they do that. But they have it in a Tesla. They have a separate electric motor to run it.

Price sounds cheap. 300,000 baht is less than $10,000 us and then with fuel saved and reduced running costs would probably pay for itself in five years.

 

[klauskunkel]

hope it's properly grounded

[The Old Bull]

I hope they don't plan on using Thai made batteries

[dageurreotype]

1 hour ago, Bob12345 said:

Every time you change gears you will feel some current going through your body.

 

 But on a more serious note, the size of the car a big improvement on the Single Room Occupancies I see hogging road space on places like Phuket. As if the Chinese tour buses aren't enough 

[DrTuner]

Great. 100k of these tottering at max speed of 15km/h in BKK traffic. Just what we need.

[Crossy]

A post misusing the name of SIIT has been removed as potential lesé majesté.

For those who didn't read the article properly, SIIT is the Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology.

 

[Sakeopete]

The problem is where to plug it in? Most people in big cities live in condos with no designated parking. Can you imagine Thai's sharing power outlets. 

[gregk0543]

Here a link to the document giving the specs of this vehicle. It answers all your question and issues raised.

http://fomm.co.jp/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/20140219en.pdf

Here is an excerpt of the important points. Plugs into any power point. Battery packs are removable. Floats in a flood. Has unique cooling system that stores the cool during charging. Direct drive no gears. Drives like a motorcycle, no pedals. 100km range.

Product features - One of the smallest four-seat ultra-compact EVs in the world Length 2495 mm, width 1295 mm, height 1550 mm, vehicle weight 460 kg. Designed to allow boarding and disembarking with a minimum of space by using sliding doors on both sides. A four-seater structured in a size comparable to that of a typical two-seat motorized mini-car (whose dimensions might be length 2395 mm, width 1095 mm, height 1500 mm). - FF in-wheel motors*

 

Direct drive promises high driving responsiveness with high efficiency. FF (front motor, front drive) layout makes it easy to recover regeneration energy, allowing a gas equivalent efficiency of 96.7 km/L. Furthermore, the use of an in-wheel motor secures more space. Steering and electrical parts fit where the engine would usually be, helping to make the vehicle so small. *Electric motor contained in a wheel. Good power transmission efficiency and responsiveness. Installing a motor in each wheel allows each wheel to be controlled independently. Moreover, loss from gears, drive shafts, etc. is eliminated, making it possible to drive with high efficiency and responsiveness. As in-wheel motors also improve the freedom of body design and allow broader cabin space, they hold great promise for drive systems for EVs and fuel cell vehicles.

- New handling system The FOMM Concept One is controlled not with the feet, but entirely with the hands. Using a handlebar for control like a motorcycle, it eliminates the accelerator pedal and thus is able to move the driver seat forward as far as possible. This also prevents the danger of stepping on the wrong pedal. - Portable batteries and home power Portable batteries are used to solve the problem of mismatch between battery price and performance which has been a major barrier to the spread of EVs. Up to three sets of two batteries in a series configuration can be installed. This allows a range of approximately 100 km (in urban driving mode). The batteries are consumed one set at a time, making them convenient to replace. They can even be used for emergency power at home.

Besides replacing the portable batteries, the FOMM Concept One can also be recharged from a home electrical outlet just like an ordinary EV. -

Simple thermal storage cooler (optional) It is said that using air conditioning shortens the range of EVs, but the FOMM Concept One can be equipped with a thermal storage cooler. The charging power is used to cool a cooling medium in a vacuum flask, so that cold air can be released from the cooling medium directly onto the driver while driving.

- Equipped with water resistance features The FOMM Concept One is fully equipped with water resistance features to prevent damage in the floods that often occur in Southeast Asia. Even if caught in a flood, a water-jet generator allows vehicle movement on the water surface (Note 2). Note 1: Maintenance work is required after vehicle was caught up in floods or water damage. Note 2: This is an emergency function. This is not an amphibious vehicle. Movement capability on water is limited.

Product data Product name: FOMM Concept One Body weight: 460 kg (when empty) Body size: L 2495 mm × W 1295 mm × H 1550 mm Passenger capacity: 4 Max. output: 5 kW × 2 Max. torque: 280 Nm × 2 (FF in-wheel motors)

[AjarnRichard]

I didnt read all of the specs above, but the first question for me is the battery.... if it is not lithium ion batteries, it will be a major cost replacing batteries more often, and the power will be low.......
and if it is Li batteries, then be careful................ Tesla needs to corner the Li market for taking over the world with their products...
(along with other companies already ahead in the Li market)

 

[Balance]

Word to the wise: don't sit in the car when it is charging.

[CanInBKK]

Yeesh.... Steering controls are a handlebar like a motorcycle? Imagine the shoulder ache after driving Bangkok to Hua Hin with both hands on the bars using your muscles to keep your arms in the air.

(reading the description that they want the driver to sit as close as possible to controls, I can only imagine one handed driving or resting your arm on the window ledge will not be possible)

[kotsak]

So we are talking about an electric tuk-tuk

[Sakeopete]

54 minutes ago, CanInBKK said:

Yeesh.... Steering controls are a handlebar like a motorcycle? Imagine the shoulder ache after driving Bangkok to Hua Hin with both hands on the bars using your muscles to keep your arms in the air.

(reading the description that they want the driver to sit as close as possible to controls, I can only imagine one handed driving or resting your arm on the window ledge will not be possible)

I don't think you need to worry about getting sore shoulders it would need to be recharged before you even made it out of Bangkok.

[schlog]

12 hours ago, BSJ said:

Safer on a scooter!  In an accident with anything bigger than a tuk tuk......they will bury you in it!   But then with sparks flying everywhere and all the plastic you may end up cremated!

IF the safety standard is similar to SMART then you don't have to worry. So maybe the Japanese provide this also.

Had once an accident in town in a SMART with a Volvo and big surprise the SMART didn't have nearly the damage like the Volvo.

[DavisH]

12 hours ago, seahorse said:

How do they rate for safety?

Not well, after some bozo in their pickup slaps into it...

[Mansell]

I had a Nissan Leaf all electric for a couple of years in California. Good car but limited range, but impressive going down hills and recharging itself. Only couldn't get home once when a friends garage power switched off when we thought it was charging the car. GPS on board told us the nearest charging places, so we drove to a university and plugged in for 20 mins and moseyed home. We charged for free mostly courtesy of Santa Monica City. But you really needed a second car for long trips, though Nissan offered one for nothing. Lots of power, you could leave most cars standing, but then you use up more power. But it is the future combined with self driving cars that you don't own, but just call on your phone and they will pick you up and pay as you go.

[Moonmoon]

this is great. good for bkk traffic. n less pollution.

[Dumbastheycome]

Suggestion to  all the negative  bozos. Don't  buy  one. Stay with  your current  ( probably  made  in Thailand and therefore  a piece  of  sh.t according  to your opinion). Unless  you  rife  a  Harley  designed  in the  50's andchurned  out for  rednecks  since  day one. In that  case I suggest  you change  to something that  can corner safely and generates  less  noise and exhaust pollution !

Personally I would  be interested in a collaborative Japanese designed product that is innovative. Production is rarely  contemplated without  comprehensive control checks on  quality  even in Thailand. If the concept  achieves  success  then the possible potential in provision of  charging  outlets in many areas may well see a priority  for  EV  rather than petrochem  vehicles.

Why resist change? Or have you become as assimilated as ....?

 

 

[BKKdreaming]

6 hours ago, Mansell said:

I had a Nissan Leaf all electric for a couple of years in California. Good car but limited range, but impressive going down hills and recharging itself. Only couldn't get home once when a friends garage power switched off when we thought it was charging the car. GPS on board told us the nearest charging places, so we drove to a university and plugged in for 20 mins and moseyed home. We charged for free mostly courtesy of Santa Monica City. But you really needed a second car for long trips, though Nissan offered one for nothing. Lots of power, you could leave most cars standing, but then you use up more power. But it is the future combined with self driving cars that you don't own, but just call on your phone and they will pick you up and pay as you go.

 

the 20 minute recharge is with the special fast charger , if you charge at home on regular house current it is over 10 hours , no problem if its overnight ,  it , as you can plan for it , 

 

It  is getting closer to being a decent first car as long as you can have a long distance back-up plan  the few times you need it  ,

 

I just wonder how much power the AC will take in BKK temps ,  

[ChoakMyDee]

I find it hilarious that people think they are saving the whales and the trees by driving an electric car. That power has to come from somewhere. The electricity in Thailand comes from fossil fuels, (natural gas, coal, oil). If more and more people move over to electric cars, there will be a drain on the grid which will mean more and more fossil fuels will need to be burned to meet the demand. Power bills are going to be massive if people are going to be charging their cars for 10 hours every night. Not to mention they won't be practical for trips over 100 km so most people will need a conventional car as well. I don't really understand the drive to develop the electric car. If it isn't going to reduce fossil fuel consumption or replace the conventional car then why bother?