Isuzu Motors, based in Yokohama, Japan, plans to invest ¥1 trillion (240 billion baht) in Thailand by 2030. Part of this investment will go towards manufacturing battery cells and electric pickups in Thailand for export.
- Isuzu Motors plans to invest ¥1 trillion in Thailand for battery cell and electric pickup manufacturing, making the country its EV export base.
- Thailand will play a key role in Isuzu’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality and digital transformation in the logistics sector through a 32-billion-baht investment.
- Isuzu Motors aims to export battery-powered pickups to Europe in 2025 and has joined Thailand’s EV3.0 incentive scheme to promote EV production and consumption.
The company aims to use Thailand as its base for electric vehicle (EV) exports, starting with battery-powered pickups to Europe in 2025 and later expanding to Australia.
This investment aligns with the Thai government’s EV3.0 incentive scheme, which promotes EV production and consumption. Additionally, Isuzu Motors is exploring hydrogen fuel for trucks and other projects in line with carbon neutrality campaigns.
Isuzu will debut its first battery electric vehicle, the D-MAX pickup truck, at the 45th Bangkok International Motor Show from March 27 to April 7 in Bangkok, Thailand.
D-MAX BEV is designed to meet various commercial and passenger vehicle needs with strong performance expected of pickup trucks. It features a full-time 4WD system with newly developed e-Axles for excellent performance on rough roads and a smooth acceleration feel. It also has high towing capacity, thanks to high-power electric motors and a robust frame and body design, making it perform as well as existing diesel models.
Thailand is a significant manufacturing hub for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, producing 1.8-1.9 million cars annually, the highest in the Asean region. It is also the world’s 10th largest producer of ICE-powered cars. In the previous year, Thailand exported 786,383 pickups, which made up 70% of all car exports.
