From left: Gu Huinan, General Manager of GAC Aion, Lin Chuqin, Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, Narit Tsatirasak, Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), Pimpala Wichaikun, Minister of Industry of Thailand, Zeng Qinghong, Chairman of GAC Group, Delap, Governor of Rayong Province, Thailand, and Ma Haiyang, General Manager of GAC Aion Southeast Asia. Credit: GAC Aion.

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer GAC Aion has today (17 July) inaugurated its first factory in Thailand.

Located at an industrial estate in Rayong province, about 180 km (112 miles) east of Bangkok, the facility has been constructed with a reported investment of Bt2.3bn ($64m).

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GAC Aion says the smart factory adheres to the concept of ‘small scale, fast output, and rolling development’. Among the technologies it will make use of are big data, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and vision tools. Initially, there will be an annual production capacity of 50,000 units, which will be expanded to 100,000 in the future.

Zeng Qinghong, GAC group chairman, said: “We will support Thailand’s EV production and promote Thailand as an EV industry centre in Southeast Asia.”

Ma Haiyang, managing director of GAC Aion Southeast Asia, commented: “We are using a strategy to produce quickly in a small amount using AI, to reduce waste and minimise cost.”

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Thailand’s industry minister Pimphattra Wichaikul added: “The opening of a new EV manufacturing plant strengthens Thailand’s potential to become a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles in this region, in line with the government’s investment policy.”

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GAC Aion is incentivised by Thailand’s electric vehicle policy. The government aims for 30% of all the cars produced in Thailand to be electric by 2030. It is part of Thailand’s push to become a hub of EV production in ASEAN.

GAC’s move into Thailand is in line with the rapid expansion of Chinese EV makers in the region. Earlier this month, BYD Motor opened an EV factory in Thailand.

Earlier this year in April, GAC Aion announced plans for a second EV factory in Indonesia.