If you’ve filled petrol in the last few weeks, you’ve probably experienced all five stages of grief—usually between the pump and the payment counter.
Denial when you see the price. Anger when the numbers keep climbing. Bargaining when you tell yourself you’ll “drive less.” Depression when the total flashes on the screen. Acceptance when you quietly tap your card and pretend nothing happened.
Meanwhile, EV owners are… thriving.
They’ve reached a level of calm confidence usually reserved for people who bought property in Sathorn in 2003 and never let you forget it. For the first time, Sharma-ji’s son isn’t being compared to you; you’re being compared to his charging schedule.
“Bro, I told you.”
“Should have gone electric.”
“Charging at home only.”
Petrol drivers are checking prices. EV drivers are checking their WhatsApp groups to see who they can say “I told you so” to next.
And for the first time in history, the most powerful sentence at a family dinner is no longer, “I bought a new car.” It’s “I don’t go to petrol stations anymore.”
They’re not wrong, which is what makes it worse.
For the rest of us, petrol and diesel prices have gone completely off script. Petrol has jumped sharply, and diesel—of which many people rely on—has surged by around 30 percent in a matter of days.
What used to be a background expense is now something you monitor like it’s part of your financial portfolio. This isn’t a long weekend spike. This is structural.
Thailand depends heavily on imported fuel, and when global supply tightens, whether due to geopolitical tensions, shipping disruptions, or policy changes, we feel it quickly. The removal of subsidies has simply made that reality impossible to ignore.
Petrol drivers now open fuel apps the way our parents checked gold prices—frequently, nervously, and slightly in denial.
I drive a plug-in hybrid, and on paper, it’s perfect. Quiet, smooth, powerful, efficient; all the things you could want from a car.
When used correctly, it really is a brilliant system. But recently, I’ve been driving more. The electric range, which once felt generous, now runs out quicker than expected, and when it does, you’re back to petrol.
And suddenly, you’re not enjoying the drive. You’re calculating it.
I’ve started taking public transport more, such as the BTS, MRT, and Grab. It’s all part of the routine now. But even that isn’t cheap anymore.
Even our dear P’ Win Mo-sai now gives me that look, like he knows I don’t have a choice anymore.
This is the part no one tells you. The system works beautifully… until your lifestyle changes slightly.
Now, the most common advice floating around today is simple: just buy an EV.
And to be fair, it’s not bad advice. EVs are still highly recommended. They’re smooth, quiet, cheap to run, and right now, they’re clearly winning. But only if your life supports it.
If you have a charger at home, at work, in your condo, or even easy access to one nearby, EV ownership can be genuinely fantastic. If not, things can get complicated quickly.
Buying an EV without a charger is like buying a treadmill and leaving it at your friend’s house—technically useful, practically pointless.
Range anxiety is real. Charging friction is real. And queue anxiety at a public charger at 9 PM is very real.
And then there’s perception. News travels fast, especially in our circles. One incident, one forwarded video, and suddenly someone at dinner is explaining battery safety like they’ve been in the automotive industry for 30 years.
In our community, we don’t verify news; we upgrade it.
So yes, EVs are great. But they are not one-size-fits-all.
f you’re not going fully electric, the answer isn’t one single category anymore. It’s about choosing the right type of engine for your lifestyle.
Hybrids (HEVs) are still the easiest answer for most people. Toyota and Honda continue to lead, but they’re no longer alone, as Nissan, Mazda, Lexus, and even BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo are bringing hybrid options into the mainstream.
They reduce fuel consumption without asking you to change how you live. You drive, you refuel, and everything just works.
A hybrid is the only category where your father, your accountant, and at least three uncles at a wedding will all agree immediately.
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are where all the excitement is. And rightfully so. Brands like BYD, Tesla, Zeekr, Denza, Xpeng, AION, Deepal, and GWM have completely changed the landscape.
These cars are packed with technology, incredibly smooth to drive, and extremely cheap to run. Right now, EV owners are behaving as if they’ve personally discovered electricity. But again, they’re not wrong to think that.
The catch, as always, is infrastructure. If you can charge easily, this is the best solution. If you can’t, it becomes a daily logistical exercise.
Extended Range/Hybrid-Electric Systems (REEV and similar) sit somewhere in between. Cars like those from Deepal use electric driving as the primary experience, but keep a petrol engine as a backup generator.
It’s a clever solution for those who want to move toward EVs but aren’t ready to fully depend on the charging infrastructure.
And then there are efficient ICE cars, which continue to do their job quietly. Smaller engines, lighter cars, not exciting, but dependable. In times like these, boring starts to look very intelligent.
Finally, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) still exist in that middle ground. When used properly and charged regularly, they can be very effective. But when they’re not, they lose their advantage quickly.
Owning a PHEV you don’t charge is not innovation; it’s just a very expensive gym membership you don’t use.
Despite everything, the new brands, the new technology, or the motor show excitement, Japanese cars still dominate how people think. Not because they’re the most advanced, but because they’re the most predictable.
In Thailand, innovation impresses people. Reliability marries their daughters.
We don’t buy cars for innovation. We buy cars so our mechanic doesn’t become our best friend.
Chinese brands are catching up, quickly. In some areas, they’ve already overtaken. But trust takes time. And in our community, trust is still worth more than torque figures.
The recent motor show told a very interesting story. EV brands dominated attention. Booths were packed. BYD saw massive interest and multiple new launches. Bookings were strong, very strong.
But bookings are one thing. Follow-through is another.
A lot of people booked EVs. Not all of them will go through with it. Because excitement happens at the motor show. Reality happens in your condo’s parking lot.
That hesitation, that final moment of doubt, is exactly why Japanese brands continue to win. Not through excitement, but through confidence.
Diesel has taken a significant hit. Prices have surged sharply, and while it still makes sense for long-distance drivers, it’s no longer the obvious choice it once was for everyday use.
And culturally, let’s be honest, our community has never fully embraced the pickup truck lifestyle anyway.
Globally, EV subsidies are already starting to taper off. Thailand is still in a strong incentive phase, but that won’t last forever. That means today’s “cheap EV” may not stay cheap. The rules will shift again. They always do.
Despite everything, the fuel crisis, the EV boom, the endless advice, one thing hasn’t changed: our mindset.
We still value practicality. We still value reliability. We still want something that works, every single day, without drama.
Buying a fuel-efficient car today is no longer just about saving money. It’s about preserving your mood.
Because in our community, the best car has never been the most advanced. It’s the one that works, doesn’t argue with you, and doesn’t make you check petrol prices like it’s the stock market.