Japanese car maker Mazda Motor Corporation yesterday officially kicked off its local eco-car production with a combined investment of 12.6 billion baht.
The Mazda2 eco-car will be produced at the AAT plant in Rayong province. It will make its world premiere at the Thailand International Motor Expo on Nov 28.
Senior managing executive Yuji Nakamine said the Mazda2 will debut at the Thailand International Motor Expo on Nov 28.
Details of the new eco-car's specifications, price and sales will be disclosed at the event.
He said the Mazda2 met all the requirements of the second phase of the government's eco-car programme including a 1,500cc diesel engine releasing less than 100 grammes of carbon dioxide per 100 kilometres and consuming 4.3 litres of fuel per 100 km.
Moreover, it is installed with Mazda's SkyActiv high-technology transmission system.
The Mazda2 remains subject to 17% excise tax, on a par with eco-car models under phase one of the project, as the new excise tax will take effect in early 2016.
Mr Nakamine said a combined 9.73-billion-baht investment in Mazda's eco-car scheme would be spent to make 158,000 vehicles and 200,000 auto parts annually.
Another 2.87 billion baht will be invested on engine production, scheduled to go into operation next January.
Mazda is the first eco-car manufacturer to apply for the Board of Investment's investment promotion in the second phase as well as one of five new car makers to apply.
In total, 10 car makers including five existing eco-car manufacturers officially applied for the scheme, the deadline for which was set at the end of March.
The 10 projects will make 1.58 million eco-cars combined with 100 billion baht more than the total outlay from the five eco-car manufacturers in the first phase.
The existing five manufacturers have earmarked 86.8 billion baht to produce 753,000 eco-cars, while the five newcomers will invest 52 billion on 828,000 vehicles.
Thailand launched the first phase of the eco-car scheme in 2007, attracting investment of 28.8 billion baht from Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Suzuki.
Mazda now operates a production facility called AutoAlliance (Thailand) or AAT in Rayong's Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate as a joint venture with Ford Motor Co.
Founded in 1995, AAT has an annual production capacity of 140,000 one-tonne pickup trucks and 100,000 passenger cars.
Of that, 120,000 vehicles belong to Mazda — 70,000 pickup trucks and 50,000 passenger cars.
Ford recently moved its passenger-car production line from AAT to the wholly owned manufacturing facility in Rayong, while its pickup truck line remains at AAT.
"Despite the dramatic fall in car sales this year, the parent company in Japan still feels optimistic about the market here," said Mr Nakamine.
"The Thai market is expected to recover in the near future."