Electric Vehicles (EV) Thread

[KhunLA]

Do you believe they build better or cheaper? Sorry, but I'm the latter.

I'm going with better, but overall less expensive, as not adding all the extras & options western manufacturers add to their EV's trying to out do each other.

China makes practical cars for practical people & wallets. Devoting much less manufacturing to the high end crowd with deeper pockets who buy for show.

[Dannie Boy]

Do you believe they build better or cheaper? Sorry, but I'm the latter.

I'm going with better, but overall less expensive, as not adding all the extras & options western manufacturers add to their EV's trying to out do each other.

China makes practical cars for practical people & wallets. Devoting much less manufacturing to the high end crowd with deeper pockets who buy for show.

I think that’s flawed - the Chinese brands I’ve looked at (and the MGHS PHEV that I own) have just as many extras as western made cars have if not more, but in most cases, the quality is not as good, hence why they are cheaper, plus the big fact that China is producing most of the batteries so can sell them at lower price and charge other manufacturers a premium.

[caller]

I think that’s flawed - the Chinese brands I’ve looked at (and the MGHS PHEV that I own) have just as many extras as western made cars have if not more, but in most cases, the quality is not as good,

I agree - and I think that was part of the attraction. Certainly when I looked at MG and Haval, the kit as standard impressed me. A bit like when Japanese cars were first introduced to the UK, in the days when, in the UK, for a euro car, you had to pay extra for a near side wing mirror! That soon changed.

For me, the issue with the Chinese cars is what will they be like in a few years? Theyre unproven. What will their support be like (mentioned in an earlier post of mine). I'm happy to let the others do the proving for me. And certainly, in Thailand, the Thai Government has given them free rein in an uncrowded market. Unless you want top end - and I saw the beemer with the fake grill in Bkk the other day - then there is no real alternative other than to buy Chinese if you want electric.

[pharvey]

Do you believe they build better or cheaper? Sorry, but I'm the latter.

I'm going with better, but overall less expensive, as not adding all the extras & options western manufacturers add to their EV's trying to out do each other.

China makes practical cars for practical people & wallets. Devoting much less manufacturing to the high end crowd with deeper pockets who buy for show.

You've obviously spent a great deal of time there Khun... Good luck to you.

[STEVE G]

For those wary of Chinese cars, Honda are bringing out an electric version of the HRV later this year that could be interesting.
We've had a petrol one for about 8 years and have been pleased with it.

[caller]

For those wary of Chinese cars, Honda are bringing out an electric version of the HRV later this year that could be interesting.
We've had a petrol one for about 8 years and have been pleased with it.

I had an Accord as my last car in the UK for years and have just bought the new to Thailand, hybrid HRV. Do you know when this is scheduled to be released in Thailand?

[STEVE G]

For those wary of Chinese cars, Honda are bringing out an electric version of the HRV later this year that could be interesting.
We've had a petrol one for about 8 years and have been pleased with it.

I had an Accord as my last car in the UK for years and have just bought the new to Thailand, hybrid HRV. Do you know when this is scheduled to be released in Thailand?

No, this article just says "2023":

https://autolifethailand.tv/honda-enp1- ... iland-mou/

[caller]

No, this article just says "2023":

https://autolifethailand.tv/honda-enp1- ... iland-mou/

Thanks, it just seems a bit odd to introduce a new model, and then in effect put out another one, effectivelly in competition with itself, so soon after. Then again, seeing the Chinese racing ahead here, maybe they feel the sooner they get an EV on the market, the better.

[Dannie Boy]

There’s a little bit more here in English

https://autolifethailand.tv/honda-enp1- ... iland-mou/
Maybe not in English, but the headlines were it will be introduced at the end of this year - price not confirmed but estimated between 1.2m - 1.4m and have a range of about 500km

[STEVE G]

No, this article just says "2023":

https://autolifethailand.tv/honda-enp1- ... iland-mou/

Thanks, it just seems a bit odd to introduce a new model, and then in effect put out another one, effectivelly in competition with itself, so soon after. Then again, seeing the Chinese racing ahead here, maybe they feel the sooner they get an EV on the market, the better.

Yes, I was reading in the motoring press that there are something like 40 new models of EV being launched around the world this year so it's clearly not a time for car companies to be hanging around.

[brianks]

I finally remembered why I have been downbeat on the EV's. In US for a few years now BYD has been manufacturing EV busses for public transport agencies anxious to go "Green". Everything I have read about their product being poor quality and not matching the specifications required for such vehicles tells a story here. Los Angeles MTD had some for "evaluation" and they failed miserably with batteries not holding their charge (and stopping mid route) and build quality very poor. Many other transit agencies have had the same problems.

It reminds me when Hyndai first brought cheap cars to the US that were very Yugo like in durability. Took Hyndai years to get their act together to now make quality cars. I'd rather stand on the sidelines and let others spend their money and test their vehicles until something reliable and viable comes along.

I'm interested to see how it all shakes out in the future.

[Dannie Boy]

Two articles about EV Battery developments, or at least what’s in the pipeline.

The first article talks about what’s coming but as always it’s “jam tomorrow rather than today”.
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/soli ... 12900.html

The second article is much the same, talking about solid state battery developments, but puts (disappointedly) a more realistic timeframe of when they are likely to enter commercial production (not this decade)!!

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/wher ... ews_static

[KhunLA]

I'd rather stand on the sidelines and let others spend their money and test their vehicles until something reliable and viable comes along. I'm interested to see how it all shakes out in the future.

I think that time is already here.

I can only speak about SAIC's MG line, specifically our ZS. Also waited to let them tweak the initial offerings, as not one to jump in on new tech. TBH, mostly due to complete ignorance, and prices being a bit more than I'd pay for 4 wheel transport.

To me $20k+ USD is a silly price for cars, let alone ฿949k / $27k USD. I thought ฿515k+ for entry level Vios & Mazda2 was high, but it is what it is. In the USA, I never paid more than $6k USD for any car, most 2nd hand, and only bought 1 new vehicle when there. So yea, anything over $10k if I was still there, is not my norm.

MG line has been around now for 5+ yrs, 2017, I think, and actually progressed nicely, without too many bumps along the way. Now for TH, using LFP chemistry in the battery, upgraded to 50.3kWh (2020/44kWh), and battery pack is IP69 vs previous IP67. MG uses CATL's battery banks. They've been at it for more than a few years, and an industry leader. Tesla being there biggest customer.

50kWh +/- seems to be about the standard now, for family car, in the ฿750k to ฿1 mill price range. More than enough for TH roads, as gives us 3+ hr of driving/260 kms, w/100 kms reserve before looking for a Charging Station. A welcome break after 3-4 hrs on TH roads.

Of course the Govt incentive of ฿240k was the deciding factor for us, along with already having solar to charge at home. We were quite happy with the ZS ICE version, and didn't see any major advantage, cost wise to upgrade, if needing to pay ฿1.2 mil vs our ฿700k ZS ICE, which we loved.

Anyone in the market, in TH, should really consider an EV, as saving over maintenance & petrol more than pays for itself, IMHO, and price for excellent MG EP is ฿771k, about the same of wee bit more than popular top end entry level ICEs.

EVs not everyone, but most would be more than happy with the savings, and not contributing to the air pollution is nice plus also.

A few MG EV owners on AsianNow forum, and we all seem to be quite happy with them.

[Dannie Boy]

As mentioned in the postings above, the holy grail of solid state batteries doesn’t seem to be getting any closer - it was originally suggested that they should be available by about 2025 - it now looks like it will be the early 2030’s unless there’s a miracle, so anybody waiting and hoping might as well give up and decide now whether an EV suits their lifestyle - it won’t suit all, but some sitting on the fence might now be tempted, especially those like KhunLA living in Thailand with access to solar charging.

Having said that, I’m still very firmly of the opinion that the lower end EV’s around the B1m mark are not particularly good quality, just ok.

[pharvey]

Has to be noted though that the EV's we have in Wales are damn powerful, caravan towing beasts!

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wale ... d-26669413