By Charles E. Buban
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AS General Motors and Japanese rival Toyota battle it out for domination of the world auto market, GM announced it will intensify its presence in the Southeast Asian region, which the Detroit-based car giant described as one of the fastest-growing car markets in the world.
“Like China, Russia, India and Brazil, GM sees a huge opportunity for expansion in Southeast Asia. Expect more developments in the coming months, which would include introduction of new vehicle models that car buyers within this market will want at a price they can afford,” announced Steve Carlisle, president of GM Southeast Asia Operations Limited and Chevrolet Sales Thailand.
Speaking before the official opening of the 29th Bangkok International Motor Show in Thailand, Carlisle hinted at coming up with a new vehicle model that would fall under the Asian utility vehicle category, a type of vehicle that is already popular in the region, including the Philippines.
“A few years ago, GM has no pickup model in Thailand (the kingdom is the world’s 2nd largest pickup truck market after the United States) but that changed as GM decided to expand beyond our home markets (the US mainly). In fact, right now, Chevrolet sold out all its 2007 Colorados,” shared Carlisle who added that a similar strategy will be used in other markets in the region.
This move is part of a GM world strategy to push its sales in emerging markets while anticipating their future demand.
“GM is already looking ahead: If gasoline prices continue to remain high, we expect our bi-fuel models here in Thailand like the compressed natural gas/gasoline-fed Optras (already sold in Thailand) to skyrocket. Afterward, we’ll be increasing our output of these locally assembled vehicles, which might reach other countries in the region,” Carlisle said.
He explained that as GM works to develop solutions for the world’s automotive energy requirements, the company noted that there is no one single fuel solution that is best for every country or part of the world.
“Here in Thailand and perhaps in most of Southeast Asia, GM sees great opportunities for vehicles powered by natural gas,” he said.
In 2006, GM became Thailand’s first and only automaker to offer a CNG passenger car: the 1.6-liter Chevrolet CNG Optra that is capable of running on either CNG or gasoline at the flick of a switch.
It’s equipped with a slightly modified internal combustion engine and a pressurized tank to store natural gas.
The success of this model led GM to come up with more CNG-powered models including the 1.6-liter Chevrolet Optra Estate and the recently launched 2.5-liter Colorado CNG (that operates on a dual-fuel injection system using a mixture of 65 percent CNG and 35 percent diesel).
GM’s Chevrolet Colorado CNG becomes the first pickup truck in Thailand that runs on compressed natural gas.
“This vehicle underscores GM’s global commitment to alternative fuels and the (Thai) government’s stated objective of encouraging the development and application of all forms of alternative energy to reduce the consumption of petroleum fuels and to lower emissions,” explained John Thompson, Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Ltd. VP for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales.
One benefit is that CNG is one of the cleanest burning fuels available today.
“CNG is one of the cleanest-burning alternative fuels and vehicles powered by this type emit 85 percent less nitrous oxide, 70 percent less reactive hydrocarbons, and 74 percent less carbon monoxide than similar gasoline-powered vehicles. Moreover, here in Thailand, CNG costs only one third the cost of diesel,” Thompson reported.
CNG is also found in the Philippines, sourced mainly from the Malampaya gas fields in offshore Palawan and transported via a pipeline to Batangas (price is initially pegged at P14.52 per liter, which is much lower compared to the diesel’s P35 per liter price).
While CNG industry is still in its infancy in the Philippines, GM is hopeful that the first fleet of CNG-powered buses that now ply the Manila/Cubao to Laguna/Batangas routes would spark more interest among Filipino commuters and motorists into supporting this type of fuel.
“When that time comes, GM and Chevrolet will be ready to bring to (Philippine) shores its class-leading CNG-powered vehicles,” Thompson promised.
April 18th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Wow it would be great to have those CNG vehicles here. Cleaner plus lower cost fuel…hopefully gasoline stations would invest in having CNG in their stations so that car companies can finally bring in these vehicles, and buyers would not hesitate in buying them.