Tengku Zafrul, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, recently announced that JAC Motors, The China-based automobile manufacturer, is planning to invest in Malaysia.
“Today, JAC Motors, the global leader in commercial vehicle manufacturing, has discussed their investment plans in Malaysia. The investment will not only create more high-skilled job opportunities, but also bolster local capacity in the production of electric and hybrid commercial pick-up trucks and vehicles. With JAC Motors’ plan to make Malaysia a hub for commercial vehicle manufacturing and export to ASEAN, our country is now at the forefront of driving green technology and boosting competitiveness in the automotive industry. These investments will also contribute to the development of local automotive supply chains and strengthen the country’s commercial industry.” Zafrul said in a post on Facebook.
JAC Motors isn’t known for its EV, and more for its commercial vehicles such as pick up trucks and vans. However, it did take the first step entering the market space when it launched its first EV, the Yiwei E10X, powered by Sodium Ion batteries. The car was aimed mainly at the Chinese market, given the battery’s reliability in colder climates. The trade-off is that they have lower density compared to LFP batteries, which means they can’t hold a big charge, with the range of the car only being 252km, tops.
Nevertheless, the takeaway here is that JAC Motors is expanding its operations and Malaysia is set to be one of several ASEAN countries that is expected to benefit from said investments.
