Chinese EV makers drive steep discounts in Thailand

Chinese electric carmakers are entering Thailand with aggressive discounts, exporting a price-cutting strategy honed in their highly competitive home market to Southeast Asia.

As local demand wanes, Thailand has become a vital new growth market for carmakers as they gravitate towards cash-strapped consumers trying to upgrade their rides and companies that can squeeze more cars onto congested roads.

The deals are significant as each manufacturer seeks to bring in clients. BYD slashed the price of its Seal electric sedan by as much as 38% in October. It pledged that if prices were to fall again this year for certain models, the brand would offer cover. 

SAIC Motor also followed the trend, reducing the price of its MG4 electric hatchback by approximately 27%. Chery Automobile’s Jaecoo J5 has received nearly 20,000 orders, despite a two-month delivery wait associated with its promotional pricing feature. 

Dealers have reported an increase in customer traffic. “I’ve never been so busy,” said Thawee Chongkavanit, who operates a BYD showroom in Bangkok. 

The sales effect is a pay-off strategy. In both October and November, EV deliveries increased by more than 20%, contributing to the step-wise shift away from Japanese brands, which have long dominated Thailand’s automotive market. 

Discounts boost sales but deepen industry risks

Price cuts have stimulated demand, but they are also uncovering underlying market tensions. Auto companies are slashing prices to clear inventory and achieve production goals associated with government incentives, but that short-term surge is laden with long-term risks. 

Many buyers are putting off purchases, expecting discounts to follow. Krisda Utamote, a senior adviser at the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand, said that the repeated reductions were damaging to the market. He added that the price cuts instilled fear among buyers, particularly as production outstripped demand and tighter auto-loan rules complicated financing. 

Some dealers report that cars are being sold at cost—or even at a loss—to preserve sales volumes, and after-sales service isn’t a priority for the long haul as manufacturers focus on meeting targets. Consumers are venting their frustration online, claiming the cars lose as much as a fifth of their value after a month, or that the loan outlay for buying a new car tops the cost. 

Supreeya Watcharakorn, a 31-year-old marketing officer in Bangkok, said that she was considering switching to an EV but was hesitant, as prices might drop even further, so she was waiting.

Subsidies push Chinese EV makers to grow fast

The main engines of the boom were Thailand’s massive EV subsidies, established in 2022, aimed at promoting local production and adoption of electric vehicles. Incentives can rise to up to 150,000 baht per vehicle, if automakers produce at least three cars locally for every two bought abroad. 

A separate program, running until 2027, offers rebates of up to 100,000 baht for EVs priced below 2 million baht and equipped with larger batteries. Companies that fall short of production goals must repay the subsidies, resulting in high pressure to ramp up operations as quickly as possible. The Chinese will drive the expansion. 

BYD’s Thai plant is capable of producing as many as 150,000 vehicles a year, Changan could produce up to 100,000, and Chery about 80,000. EV makers are predicted to collectively manufacture around 30,000 vehicles locally in the last months of the year. Their fast growth has helped Chinese brands gain share. Japanese automakers, such as Toyota and Honda, meanwhile, lag in the market, producing few fully electric models and missing out on critical subsidies. 

Unlike in China, where authorities have fought off aggressive discounting, Thai regulators have largely allowed the trend to continue. And pressure is unlikely to ease as production quotas rise and subsidies decrease annually. Analysts say that once they hit their targets, prices can stabilize; however, competition can be fierce, and there is a risk of even lower prices lasting longer. 

The EV industry in Thailand is accelerating, driven by ambitious Chinese manufacturers, supportive state policies, and price cuts. A measure of its sustainability will be the industry’s most important test in the months to come.

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