Mercedes-Benz is considering investing in a battery plant in Thailand to meet growing demand for plug-in- hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the country.
Michael Grewe, president of Mercedes-Benz Thailand, told local reporters his company currently imports high-voltage batteries from Germany for the PHEVs it assembles at its Samut Prakan plant just outside Bangkok.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
He did not confirm when the plant would be built but said a local source for these batteries is needed. In July, BMW also announced it is considering investing in a plant for such batteries for its locally-made plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Demand for hybrid vehicles in Thailand has grown strongly, driven by tax incentives for fuel-efficient vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz confirmed that it has sold 1,500 PHEVs in Thailand so far this year and 500 units in August alone – close to 60% of the brand's total sales.
While Mercedes-Benz only began local PHEV assembly this year, non-plug-in hybrid vehicle began in 2013 but has since ceased. It has sold a total of 4,000 of these vehicles locally so far.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData
