Thai electric car

Driving and riding in Hua Hin and Thailand, all topics on cars, pickups, bikes, boats, licenses, roads, and motoring in general.
Post Reply
User avatar
Nereus
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10900
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:01 pm
Location: Hua Hin and Bangkok

Thai electric car

Post by Nereus »

Thai electric car rolls out

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/new ... -rolls-out

Thailand's first electric car brand has made its debut amid scepticism from an industry expert about its commercial viability.

Vera Automotive, founded on Oct 7, 2015 by five Thai engineers from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), yesterday introduced the Vera V1 battery electric vehicle (BEV), powered with a battery capacity of 22 kilowatts per hour, which can be registered with the Land Transport Department as a passenger car.

The maximum speed of the Vera V1 is up to 105 kilometres an hour. It can run up to 180km per charge, which takes six hours to complete.

Co-founder Wanchai Meesiri said all Vera cars are designed by Thai engineers under the Thai brand, but the company has hired the Chinese carmaker Geely Automotive to produce the BEVs. The company imports the cars as completely built-up (CBU) vehicles to Thailand.

Vera V1 is subject to all related taxes similar to other imported vehicles, including an 80% import duty, a 10% excise tax for all types of electric vehicles, a 10% interior tax and a 7% value-added tax.

Yossapong Laoonual, chairman of the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (Evat), said it's a good sign for the country to create its own electric vehicles, even if the vehicles are made by foreign firms.

A retail price below 1 million baht is affordable for Thai customers, he said.

"Electric vehicles for Thailand remain very new, and they're unlikely to become popular or proliferate in the short term," he said. "If you are a new company or brand, the best solution is to sell electric vehicles as a fleet to other agencies, which are easier to provide after-sales services for."

Mr Wanchai said the primary purpose for establishing Vera Automotive is to make Thai BEVs for the local market.
Managing director and co-founder Werachet Khan-ngern said Vera vehicles aim to capture only a niche market.
He expects to sell about 100 units of Vera this year.

"We hope in the foreseeable future the government will come up with clearer policies and supporting measures once the number of electric vehicles increases," Mr Werachet said.

He said the firm will provide after-sales services at its head office on Ladprakao Road.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
RCer
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1294
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2016 12:48 pm

Re: Thai electric car

Post by RCer »

Wow, only 107 percent tax.
HHTel
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10816
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 7:44 pm

Re: Thai electric car

Post by HHTel »

More as I would guess the tax is accumulative.
User avatar
StevePIraq
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:21 pm
Location: Ting Tong Land

Re: Thai electric car

Post by StevePIraq »

Taxing it to death, Thailand has no idea how to promote new ideas
"Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right." Muhammad Ali
HHCanuck
Professional
Professional
Posts: 288
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2012 6:45 pm
Contact:

Re: Thai electric car

Post by HHCanuck »

The dream of EV will not come easy to countries like Thailand where few parking spaces near a residence exist and no street based power outlets are available. The cable thieves will have a hay day. You can just imagine how Thais would try to steal the power from their neighbors by unplugging them and plugging in their own cars it will be a blood bath.
mwbrown
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:40 am

Re: Thai electric car

Post by mwbrown »

I converted a Porsche 914 to full electric drive but it sits in storage back home until they drop the tax on importing electrics, if it ever happens. I don't want to sell it but I can't wait forever for the government to understand the value of cheap electric cars here.
User avatar
StevePIraq
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:21 pm
Location: Ting Tong Land

Re: Thai electric car

Post by StevePIraq »

mwbrown wrote:I converted a Porsche 914 to full electric drive but it sits in storage back home until they drop the tax on importing electrics, if it ever happens. I don't want to sell it but I can't wait forever for the government to understand the value of cheap electric cars here.
I have a great interest in alternative systems for vehicles be it electric, hydrogen, hybrid etc. but what is the value add, what do they benefit the world?
Millions if not billions have to be spent on infrastructure in every country, they do not help the environment as the electricity has to come from somewhere, read coal/gas fired power stations which have huge emissions. In some countries where the cost to generate electricity is very high electric cars are more expensive to run than petrol, Singapore has recently show this with the Tesla.
"Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right." Muhammad Ali
User avatar
Nereus
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10900
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:01 pm
Location: Hua Hin and Bangkok

Re: Thai electric car

Post by Nereus »

FOMM to make EVs in new Thai plant

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/new ... thai-plant

Japan's FOMM Corporation is scheduled to start the construction of its assembly plant for its compact electric vehicles (EVs) at Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate this year, with production expected to kick off by June next year.

Chief executive Hideo Tsurumaki said the plant, which has an investment cost of about US$6 million (206 million baht) will make 5,000 units of compact EVs a year.

Founded in 2013 and based in Kawasaki, Japan, FOMM Corporation develops and manufactures four-seater electric vehicles. The company also designs and develops micro electric vehicles, provides technical consultancy services for micro electric vehicles and designs and develops electric vehicle components, as well as offering engineering consultancy services.

The company successfully developed its first and second prototypes in 2014 under a US$6-million development budget.

FOMM set up a joint venture company in Thailand, FOMM Asia, in February last year to take care of research and development, manufacturing, and marketing and sales, and run the EV production facility. With registered capital of 360 million baht, FOMM Asia is 49.9% equally held by FOMM and Trinex, and 0.2% by Kusumoto Chavalit and Partners Co.

Mr Tsurumaki said the company is now studying details of the investment privileges offered by the Board of Investment.

In March, the BoI approved promotional privileges for EVs, including tax holidays of 5-8 years. The privileges focus on production of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

The BoI added 10 more important EV parts that will enjoy corporate income tax exemption for eight years. They include batteries, traction motors, battery management services, EV smart charging systems, DC/DC converters, inverters, portable electric vehicle chargers and electrical circuit breakers.

"We believe the packages will be good for FOMM, now that we plan to localise EV production," he said.
Mr Tsurumaki said, FOMM's main focus would be only on BEVs for which it already has a prototype compact EV.

Due to a higher production cost, FOMM compact EVs are estimated to cost more than earlier expected, from 300,000- 400,000 baht each, he said.

He has set local sales target of 4,000 units in 2018, 16,000 in 2019, 30,000 in 2020 and 40,000 in 2021. It also plans to export to Asean and Europe in 2018.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
handdrummer
Addict
Addict
Posts: 5389
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:58 am

Re: Thai electric car

Post by handdrummer »

why can't Tata be sold on Thailand? 2 cycle, 4 seater, inexpensive to buy and drive?
Post Reply