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Bio-fuels have been available in Thailand since the beginning of 2008
Speaking at the launching ceremony in Bangkok, Proton Managing Director Dato’ Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said: “We believe the Persona CNG is the answer for many of our Thai consumers who demand a car which has better fuel efficiency and, at the same time, offers value for money, especially given the escalating global fuel prices.”
He added that “offering the Persona with the standard manufacturer-fitted CNG kit shows our seriousness in fulfilling customers’ needs in Thailand.”
He said Proton is encouraged by Thailand's auto market growth and potential. Following the debut of the brand in the country, the reception was better than expected and Proton had increased its sales target from 2,000 units to 5,000 units for 2008 (first-quarter sales amounted to some 1,500 units). Proton now has 31 outlets in Thailand, of which 12 are located in Central Bangkok.
The Persona CNG will be available in three versions with prices starting at 549,000 baht (RM55,670). As its CAMPRO IAFM 1.6-litre engine is also tuned to run on E20 bio-fuel (a blend of 80% petrol and 20% ethanol which is derived from crops such as sugarcane or cassava), owners will also be entitled to a 5% excise tax rebate offered by the Thai government to promote use of the fuel. E20 fuel (also known as ‘gasohol) was introduced in Thailand earlier this year and is about 12% cheaper than petrol and diesel, costing about 37 baht (RM3.74) per litre.
“We are optimistic about its sales performance and have set a monthly sales target of about 500 units,” said Dato’ Syed Zainal Abidin.