Mazda has announced a new investment in Thailand worth THB5 billion (USD150 million, approx. RM667.8 million) to establish a new mild hybrid (MHEV) production hub in the nation.
The announcement comes after a meeting between Thailand Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Mazda Motor Corporation President and CEO Masahiro Moro in Bangkok yesterday.
The new investment will establish Thailand as the manufacturing hub for its “electrified compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) product line”, through upgrading its existing AutoAlliance and Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing Thailand (MPMT) plants to support future electrified products, including the production of batteries.
“The vehicles to be produced will be high performance compact SUVs that meet international standards, both in terms of environmental friendliness and hybrid technology. This large-scale comprehensive production investment is to support domestic sales and exports to Japan and other countries, such as ASEAN countries, targeting a production of 100,000 units per year.” Moro said.
According to The Nation Thailand, production of new MHEV models at the newly upgraded plant is slated to begin in 2027.
As part of the investment, the company will also be introducing a “new compact SUV”, presumably a compact B-segment model based on the concept image shown during the signing ceremony.
No details on the new model has been divulged yet, but Mazda says that it aims to introduce five new models in Thailand by 2027, including two hybrids, one plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and two battery-electric vehicle (BEV). Amongst the BEV planned for Thailand is the Mazda 6e, marking its first market outside of China and Europe.
The public unveiling of the Mazda 6e in Thailand is scheduled for 2025, the company said in a press release.
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Mazda’s investment in Thailand follows the nation’s National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee latest support measures to incentivise electrification, announced in December 2024. These include reduced excise tax rates for hybrid (HEV) vehicle production (6-9%) and mild-hybrid (MHEV) vehicles (10-12%), effective for seven years from the start of the new tax structure in 2026.
The tax breaks have drawn investments from many carmakers worldwide, further cementing Thailand as Southeast Asia’s automotive production and export base. Most recently, China’s BYD, GWM, GAC, and Changan Auto have all announced their plans for a production facility in Thailand.
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