Suriya sees EVs changing gear after 3,000 vehicles sold at Bangkok motor show
The sale of 3,000 electric vehicles at the recent Bangkok International Motor Show was proof that the EV industry in Thailand was gaining momentum, Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said.
Suriya said the sale of EVs in the motor show constituted 10 per cent of the total 33,936 vehicles sold during the show that ended on Sunday.
The industry minister said more EV manufacturers had joined the show this year.
He said the registrations of EVs in the country had been rising from 2,000 EVs in 2020 to 4,000 last year, and the number this year could more than double to 10,000.
“It will be a leapfrog in growth,” Suriya said.
The minister added that the automobile industry and the manufacturing of auto parts was a strong driving force for the Thai economy. Their export value of THB1.09 trillion last year comprised 6.4 per cent of national gross domestic product.
He said Thailand had manufactured 1.7 million vehicles in 2021 and the number is expected to rise to 1.8 million this year.
Suriya said the Industry Ministry has discussed with concerned government agencies, as well as the Thai Automotive Industry Association, the Thai Auto Parts Manufacturing Association, and the private sector about the government’s vision to turn Thailand into a hub for manufacturing EVs and EV parts for the region.
Suriya said the ministry aims to see EV manufacturing capacity in Thailand increase to 225,000 vehicles a year in 2025, and 725,000 in 2030.
The minister said the EV industry would add THB200 billion to the GDP in 2030 and create 30,000 jobs a year in the modern automobile industry by 2030.
Suriya said the Industry Ministry has set 114 standards for controlling the quality of electric cars, pickups, buses, trucks, motorcycles, tri-cycles, batteries and EV charging stations in its efforts to create an environment to facilitate the strengthening of the EV industry.
He said the ministry has also built the Automotive and Tyre Testing, Research and Innovation Centre in Sanam Chaikhet district of Chachoengsao province to improve automobile standards.
