Thailand’s distributor of Dongfeng vehicles, EV Primus Co., reportedly aims to establish an “EV supermarket” in an effort to compete in the electric vehicle industry, as per The Bangkok Post.
The company sees an opportunity to grow its automotive business as more Chinese automakers enter the market. It comes after the government’s EV incentive package was introduced to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in Thailand.
EV Primus’ plans
EV Primus will keep introducing models from Dongfeng and other automakers through its EV supermarket after debuting the city car Volt in July.
“We will mix together car brands with prices ranging from 300,000 to 3 million baht,” said Pitaya Tanadamrongsak, managing director of EV Primus.
“The idea is to give prospective car buyers a new experience when they come to showrooms that offer a variety of EV brands.”
EV Primus’ goals
Over the following four years, EV Primus aims to market and sell at least five different car brands. These entail battery-powered electric vehicles and extended-range EVs that use generators to charge their batteries.
Due to the fact that the company is not a major global auto manufacturer that can commit sizable investments to open branches in Thailand, Mr. Pitaya contends the EV supermarket model is appropriate for the business.
“We have to admit we are as small as a mouse,” he said. “We cannot fight elephants. We must run faster to differentiate ourselves from our rivals.”
Thailand’s electric vehicle incentives
The cabinet gave its approval to the government incentive program in February. According to Mr. Pitaya, it encourages Chinese automakers to expand their operations in Thailand and market their vehicles in ASEAN.
Top Car News reported that the electric vehicle incentives range from 70,000 to 150 000 baht in tax breaks and subsidies depending on the type and model. These are intended to encourage the purchase and manufacturing of EVs throughout 2022 and 2023.
“Chinese automakers are increasingly interested in Thailand and Asean, viewing them as high-potential markets,” said Mr. Pitaya.
The electric vehicle market in Thailand has enormous potential to grow, especially with the government’s support. Numerous automakers will undoubtedly be driven to expand their business in the nation, as demonstrated by EV Primus’ reaction to the incentive.
