Thailand's automotive sector is pushing for the highest excise tax on imported electric vehicles to protect local manufacturers and incentivize global automakers to establish production facilities domestically. The government is considering a 30% excise tax on imported EVs, with a new three-tier tax structure approved by the National EV Policy Committee that applies lower rates to domestically-produced EVs meeting local content requirements and highest rates to fully imported vehicles. This protectionist measure aims to shift investment toward local production as the government's 3.5% EV incentive program expires next year.