GAC Aion ES EV to add some colour to Bangkok's taxi operators alongside Corolla Altis
CY Foong · Dec 11, 2023 11:00 AM
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GAC Aion is China’s second best-selling domestic electric vehicle (EV) brand behind BYD and has plans to turn Thailand into its regional hub in Southeast Asia. The company is preparing to invest THB 6.4 billion (RM 840 million) to set up a production plant in Rayong which will export to markets around ASEAN.
The Aion brand is one of a few dedicated EV sub-brands sold by Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC). Two models are being offered in Thailand, which are fully imported from China, the Aion Y Plus crossover and the Aion ES electric sedan.
The Aion ES, also known as the Aion S Plus in China was recently launched at Thailand Motor Expo 2023. Given that Thai buyers mostly stay away from sedans, the Aion ES is mainly targeted at taxi operators and is priced from THB 850,000 (~RM 111.5k).
On the day of its launch, it was announced that 850 units have been placed by EV Me Plus Co. Ltd. which will begin picking up passengers in Bangkok by 2024. Taxi operators that choose to purchase from them will receive free third-party insurance, a free home charger, and a free taxi meter with GPS for an extra THB 79,900 (~RM 10.5k).
EV Me Plus is the largest provider of EVs in Thailand and is established by Arun Plus, a subsidiary of PTT, Thailand’s state-owned oil company.
The Thai-spec Aion ES is powered by a single front-mounted motor that makes 136 PS and 225 Nm. It is juiced up by a 50.6-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery with a maximum range of 420 km (NEDC standard).
The EV supports AC charging of up to 6.6 kW which takes about 6 hours to charge from 0-100% while fast DC charging support, up to 75 kW, takes 40 minutes (0-80%).
The Thai-spec Aion ES comes with McPherson struts up front and torsion beam suspension in the back. It has 17-inch alloy wheels, black leather seats, automatic air-conditioning, a rotary-style gear shifter, and cruise control.
Might we see a new standard of taxis flooding the streets of Bangkok? The city’s default taxi of choice for decades has been the Toyota Corolla Altis. Still, with Thailand shifting its gears towards electric vehicles, GAC Aion is stepping up to offer an alternative for the capital’s taxi operators.
Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines are among the markets that Aion aims to enter in ASEAN
GAC Motor is currently distributed in Malaysia by WTC Automotif, a sister company of Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM). Even though Aion's Thai distributor announced Malaysia as one of the brand's future destinations in ASEAN at an announcement back in August, there is no official news from GAC's Malaysian distributor.
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.
