Thailand has witnessed a significant expansion in electric vehicle (EV) production with the introduction of the Ora Good Cat EV, the first Chinese brand to be assembled in the country.
The development comes as part of the broader growth in Thailand’s EV sector, with the Board of Investment (BOI) approving 23 EV projects from 16 companies.
Six leading Chinese EV companies, ranked in the top 10 for revenues in China in 2022, have either entered or are planning to enter the Thai market. Ora Good Cat’s manufacturer, Great Wall Motor Co., Ltd. (GWM), has announced a substantial investment of 22.6 billion baht for EV production, components, and infrastructure development in Thailand.
The production line for the New GWM Ora Good Cat electric vehicle was inaugurated on January 12 at the GWM plant located in the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate, Rayong. The event, attended by Minister of Industry Pimpattra Wichaikul, places Thailand as one of the pioneering nations to produce Ora electric vehicles for global distribution, moving the country closer to becoming a central EV hub in the ASEAN region.
Starting in March, GWM plans to incorporate battery packs produced by the SVOLT battery factory. This subsidiary has established a battery production facility in Thailand since July 2023, marking another step in Thailand’s bid to become a regional leader in EV production.
By 2030, EVs are expected to make up 30% of Thailand’s total vehicle production, equating to around 725,000 units annually. (NNT)
