The sales of Daimler trucks in Thailand rose 60 per cent year on year to 178 units in the first half of the year, Daimler executives told Asian media on Wednesday at the 67th International Commercial Vehicles Motor Show 2018 in Hanover.

Daimler sold 111 units of its FUSO truck brand in Thailand in the first half of 2017, and has now expanded its line-up to include light trucks in the Kingdom this year.

The group’s immediate plan is to invest Bt450 million in a CKD (complete knock down) assembly plant in the Eastern Economic Corridor, with an annual production capacity of 4,000 trucks and bus chassis in the first phase of the project. The project will be 100 per cent dedicated to the Thai market.

Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin next month and should go into operation by the second quarter of next year. The CKD plant in Thailand will import parts from Daimler’s manufacturing plant in India.

“We have committed ourselves to doing long-term business in Thailand,” Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Trucks Asia, said.

He said he is optimistic that Thailand and other markets in the region will continue to grow at a rapid rate in the years to come as Daimler Trucks Asia has seen solid sales growth in the first half of 2018.

Sales in Asia rose 16 per cent to 88,886 units in the first half of the year. The sale of Daimler trucks in Indonesia jumped 69 per cent year on year to 28,762 units in the first half 2018, while sales in Taiwan rose 19 per cent to 3,799 units in the same period.

Sales in Japan rose 3 per cent to 22,341 units, as the market there is stable so growth is not that high, Daimler executives said.

The group’s manufacturing plant in India has produced 100,000 units since 2012, and the production of the next 100,000 units should take a shorter time, Schick said.

The global sale of trucks in the first half of this year rose to 238,000 units, up from 210,000 units in the same period last year. The group expects significant growth for the entire 2018, after selling 471,000 units last year.

At the Hanover show, Daimler also launched new models of trucks, buses and vans, equipped with new technology. The group also showcased its electric truck, bus and van at the show, as Daimler foresees the “future as electric”. Also highlighted was the Mercedes-Benz Citaro hybrid, which has won the Bus of the Year 2019 title, and an autonomous driving concept car.

Daimler’s newest model of the Mercedes-Benz Actros truck comes with an Active Brake Assist 5, which it claims will provide more safety, and mirror cameras.

The Actros consumes 3 to 5 per cent less fuel than other trucks thanks to its Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmission and lower air resistance of its mirror cameras, Daimler said.

Martin Daum, head of Daimler Trucks, said the new Actros can even be driven by inexperienced drivers.

The IAA 2018 Commercial Vehicles kicked off yesterday and runs until September 27.

The model is currently in development.

There are many reasons and data behind the confidence of success, a seminar was told yesterday.

The rising number of registered EVs, the development of a locally made EVs, as well as research and development of some EV parts are indications that it could have a major role in Thai society, said Amonrat Kaewpradap, a committee member of the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT), at a panel discussion yesterday titled “The future of Electric Vehicle in Thailand”.

The discussion was held as part of the Delta Future Industry Summit, organised by Delta Electronics (Thailand), as a venue for exchanging innovative ideas for a sustainable future.

Amornrat said the number of EVs in use in Thailand was gradually increasing, leading to the continuous growth of infrastructure of charging stations.

“More stations will boost the confidence for consumers in using EVs and so far, there are 500 charging stations in the country, she said.

She pointed out that the accumulated number of EV registrations in Thailand for Battery Electric Vehicles [BEV] and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) sharply increased from 2016 to 2017.

In 2016, there were 80,194 registrations but the number surged to 102,700 in 2017, or an increase of 20,000 units.

Incentives will bring down price

Another indication is the higher imports of EVs, she said, adding that more BEV motorcycles were sold these days, pointing to its popularity.

Moreover, EV manufacturers are hiking production amid increasing demand from buyers.

Also, educational institutions have launched development projects for EV battery, motors and the structure of a light-weight car.

She believes the price of EVs could come down in the future as the government will support its usage with incentives.

Jumpote Himacharoen, director of research and development, Metropolitan Electricity Authority [MEA], said the power agency would provide sufficient electricity to serve the targeted number of EVs.

MEA has recently launched an online application on the locations of EV charging stations for the convenience of drivers.

In a separate panel discussion titled “A Decade into the Future: Predictions for Thai Cities”, participants said smart cities would be the cornerstone of the country’s future urban landscape, with significant investment from the government and private sector.

Pansak Siriruchatapong, the vice minister of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, said the government would expand its smart city project to three more provinces – Chon Buri, Rayong and Chaochengsao – on the Eastern Economic Corridor this year.

Currently, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Bangkok are the cities earmarked for the pilot programme.

“Within the next five years, Thailand will develop smart cities in all 77 provinces,” he said.

He added the two factors driving the development of smart cities are the engagement of community and local government and the connectivity and sharing information with technology solutions.

However, Piyapan Tayanithi, Bangkok Bank’s executive vice president, warned that smart or high-technology is a double-edged sword, and back-up measures were needed in the event of malfunctions.

Piyapan cited an incident late last month when banks’ electronic money transfers, withdrawals and payment services crashed for several hours.

The banks attributed the cause to heavy interbank money transfers at the end of the month at large banks.

“Simplicity or convenience of a group of people could come along with difficulty or complexity for another group [of people],” he said.

Hsieh Shen-yen, president of Delta Electronics (Thailand)

Hsieh Shen-yen, president of Delta Electronics (Thailand), said: “We are currently witnessing the decline of old technologies such as gasoline cars and the gradual shift to smarter, cleaner technologies to power our lives and manage our cities.

“But the shift to the future will only gain real momentum when the public and private sectors work together and get serious about action for climate change and managing urbanisation,” he said.

The latest model of the Mercedes-Benz Actros comes with a new safety feature, Active Brake Assist 5, which is claimed to provide more safety for the driver, other motorists and pedestrians.

The new model truck is also incorporated with mirror cameras, which will help give the driver a better view of traffic.

The Actros consumes between 3 and 5 per cent less fuel than other trucks due to new driving mode of the Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmission and the lower air resistance of its mirror cameras, according to Daimler.

Market leaders Mercedes-Benz and BMW have long established themselves as leading luxury car brands in the Kingdom and Audi has always struggled to reach the same level of success.

But in 2016, Audi AG announced the appointment of a new official importer and distributor – Meister Technik Co Ltd, which is also referred to as Audi Thailand.

Meister Technik is led by business tycoon Krisada Lamsam, whose love for Audi cars inspired him to venture into the automotive world.

However, Krisada needed a professional to handle things.

In came Grisnagorn Sawettanan.

Grisnagorn, 50, is the chief executive of Audi Thailand, which means he handles “everything”.

A graduate from St Gabriel’s School, Bangkok University and the National Institute of Development Administration, Grisnagorn started off in 1992 at Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Co Ltd (TAAP), which was the official distributor of Mercedes-Benz at the time.

He then moved to Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) in 2002, taking up the position of senior manager for sales, and was responsible for unit sales, dealers, fleet sales, diplomat sales and used-car sales.

Grisnagorn said he chose to walk out of a highly successful company like Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) to join his friends and family at Audi, as it presented a “challenge”.

“I’ve known Krisada and other co-owners for a long time, and setting up a new operation like Audi Thailand seemed like a great challenge for me,” he told The Nation.

“Setting up is a tiring process as it involves wholesale and retail, plus virtually every department including sales, logistics, finance, etc,” he said.

He joined Audi in the fourth quarter of 2016, and Audi Thailand was officially launched in March 2017. By the end of the year, it had achieved its sales target, with 610 vehicles sold to Thai customers.

“Apart from selling cars, our work at Audi Thailand actually involves a lot more such as recreating the Audi brand and leading people back to us,” he said. “There was a lag in Audi sales in Thailand over the past few years, but worldwide Audi has been a highly successful brand.”

Despite the ongoing “dieselgate” emission scandal involving VW Group vehicles, Audi was voted as the most reliable brand in the United States this year, reflecting a strong customer preference for the brand.

Worldwide, Mercedes-Benz sold over 2.1 million vehicles last year, followed by BMW with over 2 million, while Audi followed close behind with 1.87 million vehicles.

In Thailand, Mercedes-Benz sells over 10,000 vehicles per year, while Audi’s target for this year is just 1,200 units.

“In Thailand, Audi has been working hard in advertising with a high level of social media involvement, billboards and continuous PR activities,” Grisnagorn said. “Brand awareness is our No 1 goal.”

Audi’s second goal is to re-establish customer confidence by setting up a dealer network covering all major areas in the country.

“When we went to the [Bangkok International] Motor Show for the first time, customers came from Udon Thani and Phang Nga [provinces] and wanted to purchase our cars. But they said there weren’t any Audi servicing facilities in their provinces. A large number of Audi owners in Chiang Mai have also called for servicing facilities,” he explained.

“Only when we have established a strong network for sales and after sales, can we start looking at serious sales growth,” he said.

While the first Audi showroom and service centre is located on New Petchaburi Road in Bangkok, a second facility has been opened in Pattaya. Most recently, the Bt1-billion Audi Centre Bangkok was opened in Bangkok on Ekamai-Ramindra Road.

Grisnagorn said Audi is planning five to six new dealerships in the near future.

“The Phuket dealership will open at the end of the year, while Udon Thani will be opened next year,” he said, adding that Udon Thani has a potentially large market for luxury cars and Laotian customers can also easily cross over for services.

Most Laotian Audi owners have special models like the RS6, which needs high-quality servicing.

Being an innovative brand with high technology, Audi plans to electrify a large number of its products and bring some to Thailand.

“In terms of EV [electric vehicle], we have been talking with the Thai government and our standpoint is that we follow the government policy 100 per cent. We need to, otherwise we would not be able to survive in the market,” he said.

“EV technology is needed as the new Euro 7 emission standard is so tough it would be difficult to pass without using any electric assistance. You’ll need at least a PHEV [plug-in hybrid] to pass,” Grisnagorn noted.

Audi is also expanding its product line-up in Thailand at a quick pace in order to be present in every sub-segment.

“We know that we can’t compete against rivals that are assembling locally with imported products like the Audi A4 due to the price difference caused by the import duty,” he said. “But the A5 or A4 Avant are very popular, while the A7 comes with very high specs and goes for Bt3 million plus, while its rivals cost over Bt5 million. This is the market segment in which we are highly competitive.”

Although Grisnagorn did not comment on local production plans for Audi, it is understood that when the environment is right, the German luxury brand will not hesitate in starting local assembly in Thailand just like its fellow German rivals.

Standard features in the XC40 Momentum include a 12.3” screen display, hands-free tailgate opening, wireless charging station, city safety, blind spot information, rear collision warnings with braking at standstill, cross traffic alerts with brake support detecting vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, large animals, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, road sign information, lane peeping aid, rear parking camera and parking assist.

Meanwhile, the T5 also comes with adaptive cruise control – with speed sign assist and pilot assist, Park Assist Pilot and Harman Kardon sound system. .

The decision stems from Volkswagen’s emphasis on electric cars and larger family-oriented vehicles.

“As we move to being a full-line, family-focused automaker in the US and ramp up our electrification strategy…there are no immediate plans to replace it,” Hinrich Woebcken, chief executive of Volkswagen Group of America said in a statement.

“But, I would also say, never say never,” he added.

“The loss of the Beetle after three generations, over nearly seven decades, will evoke a host of emotions from the Beetle’s many devoted fans,” Woebcken said.

Volkswagen plans to offer the two final edition models in both coupe and convertible styles. The cars will include nods to earlier versions and be priced at $23,045 and up, said the company.

The insect-inspired vehicle has a long history going back to the Nazi era. It was first developed by Ferdinand Porsche with support from Adolf Hitler, who in 1937 formed the state-run Volkswagenwerk, or “The People’s Car Company.”

The sedans were launched in the US market in the 1950s but could not pick up sales, partly due to the company’s Nazi origins.

In 1959, advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernback rechristened the car calling it Beetle, and marketed its small size as an advantage to consumers, according to a History Channel show.

The 1968 Disney movie, The Love Bug, featured the story of a racing Volkswagen with a mind of its own, giving the car a lot of popularity.

The Korean automaker said it would announce more details, including data, development status and sales plans of its next-generation hydrogen trucks, at the upcoming IAA Commercial Vehicles 2018, which kicks off Wednesday in Hannover, Germany. The name of the vehicle and the actual vehicle will be unveiled in time for the launch next year.

The upcoming hydrogen truck has a strong image and motifs of hydrogen represented by geometrical grill patterns, the automaker said.

Hyundai is currently developing hydrogen cars, with the aim of targeting the eco-friendly car market globally amid growing interest in green cars driven by environmental regulations.

The automaker plans to advance into the European market first with the hydrogen trucks and expand to other markets based on demand and the status of hydrogen charging infrastructure.

“When the hydrogen truck is mass-produced next year, Hyundai’s hydrogen leadership will extend to commercial cars beyond sedans and sport utility vehicles,” said a spokesperson of Hyundai Motor.

Hyundai launched the world’s first hydrogen car, Tucson, in 2013 and its next model, Nexo, a hydrogen-powered crossover SUV, in March.

Prioritising digital platform development along with ongoing sales promotions, the company plans to aggressively market K-Auto Finance (Refinance) in order to meet its target of Bt90 billion of loan extension by year-end.

Sasawat Virapriya, KLeasing executive chairman, remarked upon the healthy growth of the Thai domestic car market, buoyed by brighter economic growth, and the launch of new car models through attractive sales promotional campaigns and marketing activities by car manufacturers.

Such factors have led to higher new car sales, as reflected in the growth of auto hire purchase during the first half of 2018 by 12.4 per cent, over-year.

KLeasing’s total loans during the first half of this year reached Bt49.17 billion, comprising new hire purchase, leasing and car registration loans of Bt19.98 billion, rising 7 per cent YoY, and dealer floorplan loans of Bt29.19 billion, rising 32 per cent YoY.

With outstanding loans growing 8 per cent YoY to Bt100 billion, and NPLs of 1.42 per cent, KLeasing’s profit surged 18.5 per cent YoY, to Bt683 million.

For the final quarter of 2018, KLeasing will join forces with its car dealer partners in offering products that continue to meet the needs of our customers, as well as introducing a new K- Auto Finance (New Car) campaign during the Thailand International Motor Expo, scheduled for the end of 2018.

We have also mapped out plans to increase the efficiency of our risk management so as to expand the quality loan base while fully focusing on marketing our K-Auto Finance (Refinance) via KBank branches nationwide and digital platform.

Given this, KLeasing will likely be ready to accommodate the rapidly growing number of our customers in an efficient manner, as well as assisting them in conducting all transactions related to auto financing with ease.

These coupled with KLeasing’s capacity in precisely analysing customer behaviour through Data Analytics will enable us to offer auto-finance via online channels to the right customers.

The BMW 520d Sport has diesel powertrain and a sportier character, 18-inch double-spoke light alloy wheels and high-gloss shadow line.

The interior has a fine-wood trim in poplar grain grey with pearl chrome highlight trim, leather steering wheel and sport seats. It has BMW Gesture Control and a touch-control display.

Powered by a two-litre, four-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo diesel engine that produces up to 140 kW/190 hp, the BMW 520d Sport has a peak torque of 400 Nm, which lets it accelerate to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 7.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 235 km/h.

Paired with an eight-speed Steptronic gearbox, the engine averages 20 km/l in fuel consumption and emits 132 grams of CO2 per km.