China’s Great Wall Motor muscles in on Thailand’s electric vehicle scene
Add BT as a preferred source
ON THE third floor of Iconsiam, an upmarket mall in Bangkok on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, there is a newcomer to the Motor Vehicle Kingdom – a series of showrooms for imported luxury automobiles and motorcycle brands catering to the super-rich.
Neighbouring the fancy Rolls-Royce, Maserati, BMW and Mini Cooper displays is that of Great Wall Motor (GWM), showing off their ORA Good Cat – a battery-powered electric vehicle (EV) imported from China – and HAVAL models. The latter are hybrid EVs currently assembled at GWM’s plant in Rayong province, which was acquired from General Motors in 2020 after the US automotive giant closed its Thailand operations.
All the GWM models on display sell for about 1 million baht (S$38,950), below the price of most imported BMW motorcycles and 30 per cent below that of Nissan’s all-electric Leaf model, also on sale in Thailand.
TRENDING NOW
CSE Global independent director quits after clashes with chairman Eugene Lai over board refresh
What’s wrong with Orchard Road? Experts weigh in on the street’s cachet and its future
‘I felt like dying’: Thai Singha beer scion speaks up after disclosure of alleged sexual abuse
Rare brutalist Singapore house opens to the public before changing hands
