GAC's Inpow starts battery pack output at first overseas plant in Thailand

Inpow Battery has produced its first power battery pack in Thailand, opening GAC Group's first overseas in-house pack plant on October 29 in Chonburi province. The company said the facility is also Inpow's first factory outside China.

The plant gives GAC a local battery supply for its Southeast Asian vehicle operations. In a statement on Friday, Inpow said the site will strengthen GAC's vehicle manufacturing, battery supply and local service capabilities across the region, supporting deliveries of its new energy vehicles in Thailand and other ASEAN markets. No capacity figure, output target or headcount for the Chonburi plant appeared in the statement. That omission matters; without a stated line rate, the plant's contribution to GAC's ASEAN volumes cannot be measured.

Who attended the launch?

Thai officials signaled state-level backing for the project. Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, spokesperson for the Thai Energy Ministry, attended the ceremony, as did Narong Vachirasathien — named in the source as Narong Vacharasathien — business development head at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). GAC executives were also present.

Inpow said it plans to work with EGAT and other partners on new energy vehicles, energy storage and energy equipment, with battery manufacturing at the core of the cooperation. The statement did not specify investment terms, timelines or contractual commitments for that cooperation.

What does Inpow bring to the market?

The company cites cumulative delivery of more than 300,000 power battery packs. Its 300,000th pack rolled off the line on October 15, two weeks before the Thai ceremony. Vehicles using Inpow batteries have covered a combined 10 billion kilometers (6.2 billion miles), the company said — a fleet-tracking claim that cannot be independently verified from the announcement alone.

Inpow's batteries power GAC models including the Aion i60, Aion N60 and Aion UT. The 2027 Aion i60 equipped with Inpow batteries offers a 700-kilometer range.

The subsidiary is GAC Group's battery manufacturing arm, with total investment of 10.9 billion yuan ($1.62 billion at 6.7138 yuan per dollar). Its business spans EV batteries and energy storage.

Why Thailand?

Thailand is ASEAN's largest automotive manufacturing hub, and the plant's timing tracks its policy cycle. Under the government's "30@30" target and EV 3.5 policy, Thailand aims for zero-emission vehicles to reach 30% of national vehicle output by 2030 — more than 700,000 electric passenger vehicles, according to Inpow's statement. The company said this target is driving demand for local battery supply and energy infrastructure.

Localizing pack production also fits the incentive logic of EV 3.5, which conditions benefits on domestic manufacturing. GAC gains a supply base inside its target market; Thailand gains battery investment aligned with its 2030 output goal.

What to watch next

Watch for a disclosed capacity figure for Chonburi, the first Thai-built packs fitted into locally assembled Aion models, and any formal agreement between Inpow and EGAT on storage projects. The 30@30 target's interim milestones — and whether EV 3.5 incentives are extended beyond their current window — will shape how fast this plant needs to scale.