BOI offers to help non-EV automakers develop low-emission vehicles
Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) will continue offering promotions to manufacturers of both electric and non-electric vehicles, the agency recently told Thansettakij newspaper.
Narit Therdstreeasukdi, BOI secretary-general, said non-EVs, such as ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, hybrid EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs, which together make up approximately 70% of the automotive market.
“We will not abandon these non-EV automakers,” he said. “Instead, we will support them in adopting technology that reduces the emission of carbon dioxide.”
Narit added that on the EV front, the government will continue its 30@30 policy, which aims to have Thailand manufacture EVs at 30% of the country’s capacity by 2030.
Thansettakij said the policy has successfully attracted several EV auto- and auto-parts makers, especially those from China, to invest in Thailand.
BYD, China’s largest EV manufacturer, is set to start producing 150,000 units annually in Thailand from next year, under a 3.8-billion-baht BOI investment promotion package.
MG Motor is also set to open its factory in Thailand next year. The company under China’s state-owned automaker SAIC Motor has also invested another 500 million baht in Thailand for its battery manufacturing facility.
NETA Auto, meanwhile, recently appointed Thailand’s Bang Chan General Assembly as its local assembler, expecting to start a line of NETA EVs by early 2024.
Changan Automobile, meanwhile, was this month granted a promotional package of 8.8 billion baht to produce 58,000 EV battery units per year and 36,000 plug-in hybrid EV units per year.
