Great Wall Motors has begun selling electric vehicles in Thailand, the Chinese automaker said Monday, entering its first overseas market for EVs at a price below most of the local competition.
The Ora Good Cat subcompact starts at THB 989,000 (USD 29,800), on par with the lowest-cost electric sold in Thailand by MG Motor, the British brand owned by Shanghai-based SAIC Motor. The Good Cat also is 30% less expensive than the Nissan Leaf.
The cheapest Good Cat model travels 400 km on a charge, and can recharge up to 80% in 46 minutes using a quick charger. Great Wall initially will import the vehicle from China, but looks to begin local production in 2023.
Great Wall first entered Thailand last year when it acquired an assembly plant from General Motors. The automaker plans to turn the country into a manufacturing hub for electrified vehicles covering Southeast Asia.
Narong Sritalayon, managing director of Great Wall Motor (Thailand), anticipates the Ora will be a “game changer” in the regional automotive industry.
Gasoline-powered vehicles dominate the Southeast Asian market, with Japanese automakers holding an 80% to 90% share.
Great Wall launched Thai sales operations in June and its market share hovers around 1%. The company plans to launch nine models over a three-year period.
This article first appeared on Nikkei Asia. It’s republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei.