Tesla Inc has launched sales in Thailand, offering its popular Model 3 and Model Y at prices aimed at competing with rivals such as China’s BYD Co (比亞迪).
Tesla yesterday staged a glitzy showcase of its plans at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon shopping mall. Online purchases have begun, with plans to deliver vehicles to buyers in the first quarter of next year.
Southeast Asia’s market of more than 600 million consumers is increasingly a focus for automakers looking to expand sales, especially of electric vehicles (EVs).
Photo: AP
Tesla said the vehicles would have the latest satellite navigation systems and other features such as over-the-air software updates.
The company is selling its Model 3 Long Range and Performance models, while the Model Y would be sold in three versions “to meet the specific demands of the EV lifestyle for every Thai driver,” the company said.
Prices are to range from 1.76 million baht to 2.5 million baht (US$50,218 to US$71,332), it said.
Tesla is to open its first service center and supercharger station in Thailand by March, and plans to have at least 10 set up in the country next year, it said.
Apart from Tesla and BYD, Nissan Motor Co has made Thailand a regional EV hub, while Mercedes-Benz Group AG says it is due to announce sales of its EQS450+ soon.
Nithi Thuamprathom, an auto expert for Auto Life Thailand, said Tesla’s launch would likely give the EV market in Thailand a big boost, largely thanks to its competitive pricing and brand value, which is an advantage over Chinese automakers like BYD.
“It’s unbelievable that Tesla announced the entry price [of its cheapest model] at 1.7 million Thai baht,” he said. “That’s the price of Japanese cars with combustible engines or hybrid engines. This will create such a big change in the market.”
Still, Thailand remains mainly a land of gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas-fueled vehicles, even as a nationwide network of charging stations expands.
“The EV trend is growing in Thailand and there is an increase in the consumer acceptance, but we have to accept that this is just a beginning,” Nithi said. “It’s in a pioneering stage.”
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