The household names of the auto industry are
introducing hybrids and plug-in hybrids in Thailand, riding on the Board of
Investment’s (BoI) fresh electric vehicle incentive programme for carmakers to
build hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs in the country.
Market leader Toyota was the first to apply for and
receive BoI privileges under the hybrid category, and it’s the first to roll
out a new model under the scheme with the Toyota C-HR Hybrid. Premium brands
BMW and Mercedes-Benz are on the trail as well, the latter having recently
announced a 100 million euro investment in the country, to go
into the extension of an existing car plant and a new hybrid battery assembly
plant.
But there are other punters as well. A Thai affiliate
of Japan’s FOMM Corporation will apply for BoI incentives to make an electric
car in Chon Buri, and the assembly line is expected to start churning in
August. The car in question is this, the FOMM One. FOMM stands for “First One
Mile Mobility” by the way.
The tiny electric car was on show at the 2018
Bangkok Motor Show, and FOMM was taking pre-orders for the first 2,000 units
for 599,900 baht. Thereafter, the FOMM One will be priced at 664,000
baht. Deliveries are expected to start next year and FOMM is looking
at exports to ASEAN and Europe in the future.
The FOMM One looks like a toy and is constructed
like a cheap one inside; the foul smell (we’re not sure if it’s the plastics)
means we didn’t linger too long. Amazingly it’s a four-seater despite the 2,585
mm length and 1,295 mm width. There’s just one pedal, for the brakes – the
driver needs to pull the steering wheel paddles to accelerate.
The 630 kg One has a detachable cassette type 12 kWh
lithium-ion battery (clearly visible from the back) powering two 5 kW (6.7 hp,
280 Nm) in-wheel motors at the front. Charging (AC Type 2, port in front) takes
six hours, and a full charge is good for a 160 km claimed range under WLTC
(worldwide harmonised light vehicles test cycle) standards.
There’s some localisation involved too. FOMM claims
that in a flood, the One will be able to “float on water”, although it’s not
clear how that will happen. The little EV will also have a “high power cooling
system” to beat our region’s heat.
