BMW has secured the leading position in the Thai luxury car market for the second consecutive year, the company announced at its annual press conference on February 10.
BMW executives said that in 2021, BMW and MINI together achieved a 45.5-per cent market share in the luxury segment, up from 44.6 per cent in 2020.
BMW and arch rival Mercedes-Benz did not disclose exact sales figures for 2021, although registration figures compiled by the Land Transport Department showed that 9,982 BMW vehicles were registered in 2020 compared with 9,817 Mercedes-Benz cars. The figures include vehicles sold by authorized dealers as well as independent importers.
BMW Group Thailand president Alexander Baraka said the company’s success roots from introducing more advanced driving assistance technologies in Thailand.
“We create a more digitalised and personalized future for mobility by incorporating design, electricity, connectivity and sustainability as well as go forth with endless innovation and development,” he said. “With a clear goal for the future, we aim to blaze the way for electric mobility, to offer the best experiences for all motorists, including ICE, PHEV and especially BEV users as we move into 2022.”
BMW is also the leader in the premium electrified segment in Thailand with a market share of 32.9 per cent last year, and is strengthening its product lineup with more plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles in 2022.
They include the i4 which has a range of 521 kilometers for the dual motor, all-wheel-drive M50 version and up to 590 kilometers for the rear-wheel-drive M40 version. The iX3 priced at Bt3.399 million is another electric model from BMW, offering a range of 460 kilometers (WLTP).
BMW said it has been collaborating with partners in expanding the ChargeNow public charging stations for all electric vehicles since 2017, in order to sustainably drive the adoption of electric mobility in Thailand. Up to date, 130 public charging outlets at 48 locations nationwide have been installed, while 183 charging outlets were located at BMW and MINI authorised dealers and the national sales company (NSC) across the country. All owners of plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles can conveniently access ChargeNow charging stations under BMW and MINI network which has a total of 313 charging outlets. Furthermore, a total of approximately 2,000 BMW & MINI Wallboxes have been delivered to customers nationwide.
In addition, through the collaboration with Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and EVolt Technology Co., Ltd, customers can now access charging stations with more than 300 chargers. When combined with chargers available through the ChargeNow program, BMW and MINI authorized dealers, and partners, BMW and MINI customers can access over 600 charging spots nationwide.
