Chinese-Thai battery plant opens in Rayong, boosting Thailand’s EV mission
NV Gotion, a joint venture between Chinese battery maker Gotion and Thai state-owned PTT, opened its first factory in Thailand on Thursday.
The new plant, located at Siam Eastern Industrial Park II in Rayong, is a significant step in the country’s ambition to become a global hub for electric vehicle production, said the president of Thailand’s oil and gas giant.
NV Gotion said its high-quality lithium-ion batteries will be rolling off the production line by year-end, with production capacity starting at 2 gigawatt-hours per year before expanding to 8GWh in the second phase.
Auttapol Rerkpiboon, president and CEO of PTT, said the company is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 to address climate change.
He said PTT was introducing new technologies and innovations, including high-quality batteries, to accelerate the creation of an EV and clean energy ecosystem in Thailand.
"The giga-level battery factory will help Thailand transition from importer to manufacturer and exporter of lithium-ion batteries," he said.
Auttapol said NV Gotion would be another engine for Thailand's ambition to become an EV manufacturing leader in the ASEAN region.
He added that the factory would help meet the government’s policy to increase domestic EV production to 30% of total vehicles made by 2030 while boosting production of renewable energy to 50% in line with the National Energy Plan.
