Thailand's market is dominated by Chinese EV brands, and this week's news was about the next wave of entrants and what the first wave has done to local industry.
New entrants and pricing
Smart set Thai prices for its three EVs, all imported complete from China: the #1 Premium at THB 1,449,000, the #3 Premium at THB 1,549,000 and the #5 Premium at THB 1,749,000. Thonburi Stardust holds the import rights and will sell through participating Mercedes-Benz dealerships; ten outlets are due to open by December 2026. Luxeed plans to launch the EHV V9 range-extended MPV in January 2027, the first right-hand-drive market in ASEAN and the sixth Chery Group brand in Thailand; no Thai price has been given. At the other end, the locally assembled GAC AION UT is THB 20,000 cheaper, from THB 499,900, matching its Motor Expo campaign. Nio's Firefly now has a Comfort Plus trim at 799,000 baht, the Comfort is 759,000 baht, and Thonburi Blue Sky has taken over distribution from Geely; a Bangkok flagship store has opened.
The cost to local industry
A report on how Chinese EV growth is reshaping Thai industry says Chinese brands hold 85% of Thailand's EV market, EVs made up a third of new-vehicle sales in the first seven months, and two-thirds of those EVs were imported. It cites closures and cutbacks by Subaru, Suzuki, Nissan and Honda in 2024–25 and an estimate that up to 300,000 jobs in a parts sector of about 700,000 could be lost within five years if EVs dominate. BYD's Rayong plant employs 5,600 people, 94% of them Thai, but still imports cells and other components, and tax tiers now favor local components.
What it means
- Imported EVs, including Smart's, still arrive as complete vehicles, even as Thai policy leans toward local content.
- The 85% share figure is from one report and covers EVs only, not the whole market.
- Luxeed's January launch will test demand for a luxury MPV, a segment the report calls challenging.