Japanese automakers unveil plans for Thai EV production hub
Japanese auto plants in Thailand are powering up to produce electric vehicles while Japan’s business presence in the Kingdom remains strong despite Covid-19, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) reported on Thursday.
JETRO shared its economic report on the first half of 2021with Energy Minister and Deputy PM Supattanapong Punmeechaow during an online meeting today. It said Japanese business operations in Thailand were still above 66 per cent of pre-Covid levels, indicating investors’ confidence in the Kingdom.
JETRO shared guidelines for EV production Thailand while the two parties also discussed infrastructure development, benefits and taxes, and clean-energy manufacturing.
Supattanapong said Thailand’s investment promotion plan is environmentally friendly in line with the 2022 National Energy Plan to gradually transfer to renewable energy in each sector. The Japanese private sector is interested in producing electric vehicles in Thailand, including HEV, PHEV, BEV, FCEV and others, in order to pilot domestic use of electric vehicles and forge a regional production hub, he added.
Japanese automakers’ push for e-vehicle production is being backed by tax and other incentives offered by the Thai government.
