Bangkok to Chiang Mai by electric car: stops, time and cost
· EVNav TH
Bangkok to Chiang Mai is the most popular long EV trip in Thailand, about 685 km. Leaving Bangkok at 90% battery, a BYD Sealion 7 needs 2 charging stops; the whole trip takes about 9 h 44 min (8 h 38 min driving + 46 min charging) and charging costs around ฿588.
In short
- Distance: about 685 km, mostly four-lane highway
- Charging stops: 2–4 depending on the car (table below)
- Time spent charging: from 34 min to 1 h 53 min, depending on how fast the car charges
- Charging cost: about ฿422–790 at DC prices around ฿7.4/kWh
- Fast-charging stations along the way: 148 close to the road
Recommended charging stops
This plan uses a BYD Sealion 7 leaving at 90%, arriving with at least 20%, and allows for chargers that deliver less than their rated power (our cautious default).
- EV Station PluZ PTT Station Khanu Woralaksaburi (HUB) · Kamphaeng Phet 180 kW · hub (many chargers) · arrive 19%, charge to 80%, about 30 min
- EV Station PluZ PTT Station Tor. 1994 Petroleum (OB) · Lampang 120 kW · arrive 30%, charge to 64%, about 16 min
Provinces on the way: Bangkok · Nonthaburi · Pathum Thani · Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya · Ang Thong · Sing Buri · Lop Buri · Chai Nat · Nakhon Sawan · Kamphaeng Phet · Tak · Lampang · Lamphun · Chiang Mai
The main road runs north past Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet and Tak before Lampang and Chiang Mai. The second half climbs and descends through hills and uses more energy than the flat central plain, so keep a buffer before that part instead of running the battery down and then looking for a charger.
14 popular models compared
Same planner, same settings (leave at 90%), only the car changes. The quickest car is not the one with the biggest battery but the one that charges fastest.
| Car | Stops | Charging | Total | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 RWD (Highland) | 2 | 34 min | 9 h 42 min | ฿422 |
| Xpeng G6 Standard RWD (2025 facelift) | 2 | 34 min | 9 h 42 min | ฿568 |
| BYD Sealion 7 Premium RWD | 2 | 46 min | 9 h 44 min | ฿588 |
| BYD Seal Dynamic RWD | 2 | 1 h 7 min | 9 h 59 min | ฿542 |
| Tesla Model Y RWD (Juniper) | 3 | 1 h 0 min | 10 h 24 min | ฿583 |
| Zeekr X Standard RWD (2024) | 3 | 1 h 3 min | 10 h 24 min | ฿603 |
| MG MG4 Electric V / D+ Long Range | 3 | 1 h 5 min | 10 h 25 min | ฿618 |
| Volvo EX30 Core / Ultra Single Motor Extended Range 69 kWh | 3 | 1 h 7 min | 10 h 26 min | ฿637 |
| BYD Atto 3 Extended Range | 3 | 1 h 14 min | 10 h 35 min | ฿581 |
| GWM ORA Good Cat Pro / Ultra / GT (Thai-assembled) | 3 | 1 h 42 min | 10 h 53 min | ฿589 |
| BYD Dolphin Extended Range (Thai-assembled) | 3 | 1 h 32 min | 10 h 54 min | ฿644 |
| GAC AION Y Plus 490 Elite / Premium | 3 | 1 h 45 min | 10 h 59 min | ฿708 |
| Deepal S07 S07 (NMC) | 3 | 1 h 52 min | 11 h 4 min | ฿790 |
| MG ZS EV D / X (facelift) | 4 | 1 h 53 min | 11 h 11 min | ฿688 |
Plan it with your own car Map and stops
Two days with a night in Kamphaeng Phet
If 9 h 44 min in one go is too much, the planner suggests a night in Kamphaeng Phet, arriving around 13:01 with about 18%. Top up at the hotel or a nearby station in the morning and take the hill section the next day on a full battery.
Tips from planning this trip
- Leave home nearly full. AC charging at home is cheaper than DC on the road and can save a stop.
- Charge to about 80%. Above 80% most cars charge much slower; several short stops are usually quicker than one full charge.
- Speed matters a lot. 120 km/h uses clearly more energy than 90 km/h; see real highway range.
- Long holidays (Songkran, New Year, long weekends) bring queues on the main roads: leave early, prefer hubs with many chargers and keep one backup station in mind.
- Check charger status before you arrive in the charging network's own app; chargers can be down for maintenance.
- Coming back, the first downhill part gives energy back through regen, so the plan differs from the way up; see Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
How this trip's cost compares with other routes: EV charging cost in Thailand.
Figures come from EVNav TH's planner and station data, compiled from third-party sources that are beyond our control and may be inaccurate or out of date. Plans are estimates; check before you drive.