Isuzu to invest RM4.2 billion in Thailand; investment to include battery cell, EV pick-up truck production

Isuzu plans to one trillion Japanese yen (RM31.3 billion) on investments through 2030, which will include budget for battery cell and electric pick-up truck manufacturing in Thailand, where the Japanese manfacturer’s EV export operations will be based, reported Bangkok Post.

The manufacturer’s investment in battery cell and BEV pick-up truck production is part of a wider, 32 billion baht (RM4.2 billion) budget that has been allocated for its operations in Thailand, and a portion of the funds will be in support of projects aiming to achieve carbon neutrality as well as digital transformation in the logistics sector, the report wrote.

“We are considering how much we will spend for a battery cell factory and EV assembly. We are also deciding on battery cell production capacity,” said Isuzu Motors EVP of carbon-neutral strategy and engineering divisions Takashi Oodaira.

The specific location of Isuzu’s battery production site has yet to be decided, though the company has chosen the Samrong area in the Samut Prakan province as the area for the construction of the assembly plant for Isuzu D-Max electric pick-up trucks, according to the report.

Isuzu plans to export its electric pick-up trucks to Europe next year, and it is targeting Australia as the next market for the export of its EV pick-up trucks.

The Japanese manufacturer unveiled the D-Max BEV concept as well as the D-Max Hi-Lander mild-hybrid concept earlier this week, the BEV concept set for its public showing at this year’s edition of the Bangkok International Motor Show and both offering a glimpse into Isuzu’s immediate future into electrification.

The D-Max BEV Concept integrates the battery pack and management system from the Elf EV into the middle of its ladder-frame chassis, with a battery capacity of 66.9 kWh and one drive motor on each axle; a 54 PS/108 Nm unit powers the front wheels, while the rear axle gets a 122 PS/217 Nm unit, combining for a system output of 177 PS and 325 Nm.

Meanwhile, the D-Max Hi-Lander mild-hybrid concept pairs a 1.9 litre Ddi BluePower four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with a a battery pack and a DC-DC converter under its rear seats.

GALLERY: Isuzu D-Max BEV Concept

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