Author: Dimas Mahendra

China’s FAW Group has appointed Thailand’s Metro Group as the official distributor for its premium Hongqi brand in the country, as the state-backed automaker accelerates its push into Southeast Asia. The agreement was signed through FAW Group Import & Export Co., Ltd. (FAWIEC), the company’s wholly owned subsidiary responsible for overseas operations. Metro Group already represents several international carmakers in Thailand, including Toyota Motor, Mitsubishi Motors, Honda Motor, and Mercedes-Benz, and also operates dealerships for the Chinese electric brand Zeekr. FAWIEC had initially considered managing Thai operations directly but opted for a distributor model, which it also uses in Europe,…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Zeekr plans to relaunch its presence in Indonesia at the Indonesia International Motor Show in 2026, introducing two battery-electric models as it seeks to expand in Southeast Asia’s largest automotive market. The company intends to begin sales of the Zeekr 7X sport utility vehicle and the Zeekr 009 luxury multipurpose vehicle while building its own retail and service network rather than relying solely on third-party distributors. Alex Bao, managing director of Zeekr Southeast Asia, said the automaker aims to open up to 20 showrooms nationwide by 2027, with about half scheduled to launch this year. Zeekr…

BYD has surpassed 5,000 cumulative vehicle sales in Vietnam, marking a milestone for the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker in Southeast Asia, according to a report by Yiche. In 2025, its first full year operating in the Vietnamese market, BYD sold 3,718 vehicles in the country. The company had previously sold 485 units in 2024 after entering the market in June of that year. See also: BYD Officially Unveils Sealion 7 in Indonesia, Expanding Its Reach in Southeast Asia BYD launched its first three models in Vietnam in July 2024: the Dolphin compact hatchback, the Seal mid-size sedan, and…

Vietnam-based electric vehicle maker VinFast said it expects to deliver about 300,000 electric vehicles worldwide this year, underscoring a sharp acceleration in volumes as the company focuses its expansion strategy on Asia. The target represents a significant increase from the nearly 197,000 vehicles delivered in 2025 and reflects VinFast’s emphasis on markets such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, where electric vehicle adoption is rising and competitive pressures are less intense than in North America and Europe. See also: VinFast Doubles Domestic EV Sales as Demand Concentrates on Lower-Priced Models In addition to passenger cars, VinFast expects deliveries of its…

SAIC-GM-Wuling said its manufacturing base in Indonesia has shipped its first batch of Binguo electric vehicles to Pakistan, marking a new phase in the Chinese automaker’s overseas expansion strategy and the formal launch of its local partnership in South Asia. The vehicles rolled off the production line at Wuling’s Indonesian plant before being dispatched to Pakistan, the company said, adding that the project marks the operational start of cooperation with local partner JW SEZ. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. The Indonesian operation, run by SAIC-GM-Wuling’s Wuling brand, has become a central pillar of the group’s international strategy,…

Hesai Technology has appointed Grab as its exclusive distributor for lidar sensors in Southeast Asia, expanding the availability of the technology for robotics, autonomous mobility and mapping applications across the region. Under the strategic partnership, Grab will manage sales, customer support and marketing for Hesai’s lidar products across Southeast Asia’s eight-country market. The companies said the agreement is intended to accelerate adoption of lidar hardware as demand rises for automation and artificial intelligence-driven systems. See also: Hesai Selected by Nvidia as LiDAR Partner for Drive Hyperion L4 Platform “By expanding access to world-class lidar technology in Southeast Asia, Grab is…

Chinese lithium battery maker Eve Energy has taken a further step in its overseas expansion by backing a new partnership in Indonesia aimed at building a fully integrated new energy industry chain, according to details released this week. On Jan. 30, HYD Investment Limited — a joint venture formed by Eve Energy, Huayou Cobalt and PT Daaz Bara Lestari — signed a framework agreement with Indonesia’s state-controlled miner ANTAM and Indonesia Battery Corporation. The agreement brings together multiple partners to develop an end-to-end industrial ecosystem covering nickel resources, battery materials, manufacturing and recycling. See also: Eve Energy Breaks Ground on…

Nio has begun deliveries of its premium compact car brand Firefly in Singapore, following the brand’s official entry into the city-state last month, the company said. The first batch of right-hand-drive Firefly electric vehicles was formally delivered on Sunday, according to a post by the Nio sub-brand on Weibo. Firefly did not disclose the number of vehicles included in the initial deliveries. See also: Nio’s Firefly Brand Reaches 40,000 Vehicle Deliveries Singapore is the first market to receive the right-hand-drive version of the Firefly EV. The model made its public debut at the Singapore Motorshow 2026 on January 8, when…

Chinese e-mobility specialist Westwell has secured an order for 60 battery-electric terminal trucks from Westports Malaysia, as the port advances its decarbonisation and fleet electrification programme. The vehicles, known as E-Trucks, will be deployed alongside automated battery-swapping infrastructure to support continuous terminal operations with minimal downtime. Each truck is powered by a 282 kWh battery and is designed for an operating range of up to 150 kilometres under typical terminal duty cycles, the companies said. See also: Wuling BingoEV Enters Local Production In Malaysia Under SGMW Integration Strategy Energy supply will be supported by automated battery-swapping stations capable of completing…

Thai electric vehicle charging provider Sharge has partnered with ride-hailing company Grab to develop a dedicated EV charging network for Grab drivers in Thailand, committing more than 400 million baht ($10.7 million) to the project, the companies said. Under an initial pilot programme, Sharge will install three Grab-exclusive charging stations — at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang Airport, and in Pattaya. More than 60% of Grab drivers operating in these areas have already adopted electric vehicles, according to the companies. See also: Momenta Receives Strategic Funding From Grab to Target Southeast Asian Markets Sharge plans to scale the network to 40…

Thailand’s automotive market showed early signs of recovery in 2025, supported by rising demand for electrified vehicles, with battery-electric models making the largest contribution to growth, industry data showed. According to figures from the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), domestic vehicle sales excluding motorcycles reached 621,166 units in 2025, an increase of 8.47% from the previous year. Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 120,301 units, representing 19.37% of total sales and marking a year-on-year increase of 80.27%. See also: Avatr Builds First Right-Hand-Drive Avatr 07 SUVs for Thailand Expansion The rebound follows a weak performance in 2024, when Thailand sold 66,732…

Avatr Technology has produced its first batch of right-hand-drive Avatr 07 sport utility vehicles, marking a new step in its overseas expansion as the Chinese electric vehicle maker prepares to ship the models to Thailand. Avatr said on Wednesday via Weibo that the vehicles were built at its Chongqing manufacturing facility and are set for export to Thailand, a right-hand-drive market. The move comes as the company accelerates its international rollout beyond China, where vehicles are produced for left-hand-drive use. See also: Avatr Releases Official Images of Updated Avatr 12, Adds Tri-Motor AWD Option The brand, which is backed by…

Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast has partnered with artificial intelligence company Autobrains to jointly develop advanced autonomous driving technologies, including a lower-cost, camera-based self-driving system. The collaboration is aimed at strengthening VinFast’s driver assistance capabilities while reducing the cost and complexity of autonomy systems, as the automaker seeks to accelerate deployment after years of high investment and delays in self-driving development. See also: VinFast Rolls Out 200,000th EV at Hai Phong Plant in 2025 Under the agreement, the two companies will focus initially on enhancing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for upcoming VinFast electric vehicles, building on the carmaker’s existing…

Vietnamese vehicle manufacturer Kim Long Motor and Chinese automaker and battery producer BYD have agreed to build a new electric vehicle battery factory in Vietnam, investing about $130 million as the partners seek to strengthen local supply chains and tap into fast-growing regional demand. Kim Long Motor will finance construction of the plant at its automotive production and assembly industrial park in Huế, while BYD will provide battery technology and oversee technical implementation. The project is designed to help Kim Long Motor gradually master battery production know-how and improve the performance, safety and competitiveness of its electric vehicles. See also:…

China’s Geely has begun overseas assembly of its EX2 electric vehicle in Indonesia, marking the first international production of the model, as the automaker accelerates its global expansion and localization strategy. Local partner Handal Indonesia Motor (HIM) is assembling the EX2 at its factory in Purwakarta, with locally sourced components and manufacturing processes accounting for 46.5% of the vehicle’s value. That level exceeds Indonesia’s 40% domestic content requirement, qualifying the model for a preferential value-added tax rate of 1%, compared with the standard 12%. See also: Geely Auto Targets Solid-State Battery Pack Production This Year “We are targeting a domestic…

Line Man plans to deploy 50 units of BYD’s e6 electric multi-purpose vehicle on its ride-hailing platform, as part of an electric taxi programme launched in partnership with local operators. BYD delivered the first batch of vehicles in Bangkok on Jan. 16, the companies said. The initiative is being carried out with ITPP Co., Ltd., which provides taxis under lease and hire-purchase arrangements. Under the Line Man EV Taxi programme, ITPP will supply BYD e6 electric vehicles to drivers operating on the Line Man platform through five-year lease agreements. See also: BYD Thailand Plant Produces 70,000th Vehicle as Export Operations…

VinFast has launched a new seven-seat electric multi-purpose vehicle, the VF MPV 7, in its home market, expanding its passenger EV lineup with a model derived from the Limo Green commercial vehicle introduced last year. The VF MPV 7 measures 4.74 metres in length, 1.87 metres in width and 1.73 metres in height, with a wheelbase of 2.84 metres. VinFast is offering the model in a single configuration, powered by a front-mounted electric motor producing 150 kilowatts and 280 newton metres of torque. Energy is supplied by a 60.13 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which VinFast says can be…

SAIC-GM-Wuling said the first mass-produced Wuling BingoEV has rolled off the assembly line at the Tan Chong plant in Malaysia, marking the automaker’s first locally assembled Wuling model in the country and a step forward in its regional integration strategy. The vehicle began production on Jan. 20, SAIC-GM-Wuling said, describing the milestone as part of its broader “Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand” strategy to strengthen manufacturing and supply chains across Southeast Asia. The company said the move also reflects its long-term commitment to the Malaysian market. See also: BMW Starts Local Assembly of i5 EV in Malaysia, Expands Regional Production Footprint The local assembly…

BMW Group Malaysia has begun sales of its first locally assembled electric vehicle, the BMW i5, marking a milestone in the automaker’s electrification strategy in Southeast Asia. The move makes Malaysia one of the first markets in the region to produce the electric sedan locally, with a second EV model, the BMW iX1, set to follow later this year. The i5 eDrive40 is now being assembled at BMW’s plant in Kulim, Kedah, operated in partnership with Inokom, a subsidiary of the Sime Darby Group. BMW has operated the facility since 2008, producing vehicles for the local market using completely knocked…

VinFast more than doubled its domestic electric vehicle sales last year, driven largely by strong demand for lower-priced passenger models, as the automaker continued to expand its manufacturing footprint at home and abroad. The company said it sold nearly twice as many vehicles in Vietnam as the previous record held by a foreign brand, offering the broadest electric lineup in the country, ranging from the VF 3 micro-SUV to the VF 9 full-size SUV. Passenger cars accounted for the majority of domestic deliveries. See also: VinFast Rolls Out 200,000th EV at Hai Phong Plant in 2025 The VF 3 micro-SUV…