Advertisement
Electric & new energy vehicles
BusinessChina Business

GAC Aion, China’s third-largest EV maker, begins selling cars to Thailand, plans local factory to serve Asean market

  • GAC Aion, the electric vehicle (EV) unit of the GAC, the Chinese partner of Toyota and Honda, said 100 of its Aion Y Plus vehicles are to be shipped to Thailand
  • Company plans to set up Southeast Asian headquarters in Thailand this year as it prepares to build a plant in the country

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0
Performers present a Chinese-made smart electric car Hozon NETA V during a launching ceremony event in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: EPA-EFE
Daniel Renin Shanghai
Chinese state-owned carmaker Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) has joined its domestic rivals in tapping Southeast Asian demand with a shipment of 100 electric cars to Thailand, marking its first overseas consignment into a market historically dominated by Japanese carmakers.

GAC Aion, the electric vehicle (EV) unit of the GAC, the Chinese partner of Toyota and Honda, said in a statement on Monday evening that 100 of its right-hand drive Aion Y Plus vehicles would be shipped to Thailand.

“It marks a new milestone for GAC Aion as we export our vehicles to an overseas market for the first time,” the company said in the statement. “We are taking a first step in internationalising Aion’s business.”

The EV maker added that it would set up its Southeast Asian headquarters in Thailand this year as it prepares to build a plant in the country to serve a fast-growing market. In the first half of 2023, over 31,000 EVs were registered in Thailand, more than three times the number for all of 2022, Reuters reported citing government data.

The BYD Atto 3 EV car is displayed at the 39 Thailand International Motor Expo, in Bangkok, Thailand, November 30, 2022. Photo: Reuters
The BYD Atto 3 EV car is displayed at the 39 Thailand International Motor Expo, in Bangkok, Thailand, November 30, 2022. Photo: Reuters
Aion, the third-largest EV brand in terms of sales in the mainland China market, follows BYD, Hozon New Energy Automobile and Great Wall Motor which have all produced cars in Southeast Asia.
On the mainland, the carmaker trailed only BYD and Tesla in terms of sales between January and July, delivering 254,361 electric cars to customers, nearly double the 127,885 units in the same period a year ago, according to the China Passenger Car Association.
Advertisement