Thailand wants to boost EVs production up to 30%

Thailand government as part of efforts to tackle toxic air pollution plans to have electric vehicles account for 30% of car production by the end of the decade.

Thai Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said they want to "accelerate the use and production of electric vehicles, with national strategies focusing on the environment and air pollution solutions," reports Bloomberg. 

In an interview, the minister also said Thailand already has an advantage by being a car-production hub and it's now time to focus on Electronic Vehicles (EVs).

While the overall contribution from vehicles to pollution is much smaller than other sources like crop burning or forest fires, a survey commissioned by Nissan Motor Co. showed that 91% of Thais would buy an EV because of the environmental impact. 

The survey found 43% of Thai non-EV owners would consider an EV for their next car purchase within the next three years.

According to Suriya, some of the measures to stimulate the domestic market and achieve the 2030 goal include encouraging the use of electric vehicles by state agencies, tax benefits and parking discounts for buyers, more investment incentives for companies, and developing charging infrastructure across the country. 

"The set 30% target will include cars, motorbikes and buses," he added.

While the Thai EV market is still small, it showed "great resilience" last year despite the pandemic denting overall auto sales, Abraham said. EV car sales increased by 1.4% in 2020, while regular auto sales slumped 26%.

Thailand's Board of Investment has already granted EV privileges to more than a dozen companies, including Nissan, Toyota Motor Corp., Mercedes-Benz AG, BMW AG, and Energy Absolute Pcl's Mine Mobility.