Thailand's production of EVs to exceed 50,000 units by 2020

BANGKOK, May 23 (TNA) - Thailand Automotive Institute (TAI) says that the country's production of electric vehicles (EVs) should exceed 50,000 units by 2020. TAI Acting President Adisak Rohitasune voiced the assessment in Bangkok on Thursday, saying that the projected over 50,000-unit-production of EVs in Thailand in 2020 should be higher than the country's anticipated production of about 36,000 units of EVs in 2019, from about 25,200 units and about 8,900 units in 2018 and in 2017 respectively. Adisak told journalists that Thailand is moving ahead towards the "Smart Mobility" society, seen by many car manufacturers in the country have planned to increase their production of EVs. According to the TAI acting president, the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI), under the Ministry of Industry, has approved applications, with incentives, for the production of nine EVs projects with their total production capacity of about 500,000 units annually, totally worth about 54 billion baht of investment funds. Besides, there are another seven EVs production projects waiting for the BOI's approvals of official incentives, along with five projects submitted for the production of EVs batteries. Based on TAI figures, there have also been over 400 battery charging stations for EVs in Thailand so far. The TAI acting president announced, meanwhile, that as part of Thailand's preparations for the "Smart Mobility" society in the foreseeable future, TAI, in cooperation with Reed Tradex Co. Ltd, a leading exhibition organizer in the ASEAN Community (AC), will organize the "Automotive Summit 2019”, themed “Smart Mobility Driving Tomorrow’s Society”, at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC) during June 19-20, 2019. (TNA)