Mazda to introduce SkyActiv in Thailand

Mazda said it will introduce its SkyActiv technology, the company’s initiative to improve the fuel economy of its conventional gas-powered cars, earlier than expected in Thailand. “We will no longer wait for the government’s tax incentives to support the introduction of our new technology if we see it is truly beneficial to Thailand and Thai consumers,” said Choichi Yuki, managing director of Mazda Sales (Thailand). Mazda earlier urged the government to grant an excise tax cut for any car models with the SkyActiv technology, which it claims can compete favorably with other alternative-fuel technologies. The Thai government imposes a 10% excise tax on hybrid vehicles and 22% on E85-compliant vehicles. Mazda is studying which of its models will be the first to apply the full range of SkyActiv technology in the Thai market. While no firm decision has been made, the CX-5 compact sport-utility vehicle is likely to be the first SkyActiv model to be built in Thailand, the Bangkok Post reports. Mazda is projecting that total domestic vehicle sales in Thailand will reach one million units this year. The company is also projecting a 45% increase in sales to 60,000 units. (January 20, 2012)