Veteran Thai journalist Nithi Thuamprathom has covered the automotive industry for two decades but it was only recently, at an exhibition in Shanghai a few years ago, that Chinese electric cars first caught his attention.

“The show opened my eyes to how much China has progressed in developing its electric cars,” he said. “I had visited car shows in Europe for 10 years, but it was in China that I was very impressed with the car products on display.”

When Great Wall Motor – a Chinese carmaker that’s still a newcomer in the Thai market long dominated by Japanese brands – last month released the Haomao or Ora Good Cat, it received more than 4,200 pre-orders in less than 24 hours, a record for zero-emission cars in Thailand and a figure that eclipsed even the previous high for annual sales of battery-run EVs in the kingdom.

“Irrespective of technology, the Ora Good Cat looks so pretty and attracts lots of young consumers to want to try it,” Nithi said.

“The EV market in Thailand is also slowly changing. Men used to be the biggest EV consumers because they were willing to try it, but now there are more women. And the Good Cat is both functional and fashionable. The driving range and the prices are very reasonable.”

The rise of Chinese EVs
The Ora Good Cat is priced between 989,000 baht and 1.1 million baht (US$30,000-US$35,000) in Thailand and has a range of between 400km and 500km. The first batch of vehicles have been imported from China, but Great Wall Motor (GWM) is looking to begin local production in 2023.
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GWM’s plant in Thailand is the company’s second full-production manufacturing facility outside China and its base for expansion in Southeast Asia, as well as for exporting to other Southeast Asian countries, Australia and beyond.

Japanese car brands lagged in EV technology compared to China, Nithi said. The Nissan Leaf cost twice as much as the Ora Good Cat, yet its range per charge was just over half as far.
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The Fomm, a locally made Japanese EV, had not picked up sales in Thailand, said Nithi, due to price and range. The Japanese EV pickup truck Takano, also made in Thailand, also could go only 100km per charge.
“Chinese EVs are value for money. I’m not saying the Thai market is ready now to welcome the Chinese car products priced at 3 million baht which would place them in the same


Releasing in UK soon:


Malaysia review


This post has been edited by Kakwen: Nov 27 2021, 04:51 PM

Posting in ccp bootlicking thread

no takut chinesium?

Holy shit!!! No wonder people buying it! The looks has so many elements from so many manufacturers!!! Really a lot!
Porsche/ front
Mini fender
Citroen Wheel
Juke/Fiat side to rear quarter body
Hyundai/ Kia bumper style back lights

I was surprise how pleasant it look for a budget ev..... Look nicer than xpeng nio tesla to me.... Only issue too short range for me

Tenkiu Elon Musk

owait

Quite cun.

Someone gonna accuse ts ccp buttlicker in 3, 2, 1.

Unknown reliability too. But on the looks department, really win liao. If one comes from the back i swore it was a Porsche. 🤣

if you see the UK GT version... lagi more Porsche like




This post has been edited by Iceman74: Nov 27 2021, 05:04 PM

In Australia, some already fear that China car market (GWM and MG) probably going to overtake Nissan and Mitsubishi soon in term of sale number. Honda already kalah.

Someone already butthurt as shown in this topic.

RM120k Yikes!

BYD Dolphin also not bad, cheap and cheerful

Malaysian be like, WTF 120k, can buy 2 Maivi.

KEK

60k I buy now.

Indeed a very affordable EV

Majulah Thailand. See, this is how u work with China.
So much success in Thailand.
10 year projection is 1 thai bath = RM3.

China and it's weird car names

ORA CAT

ORANG CACAT?

da fark

Looks cute