BAIC's Kedan plant set up, to start production of EVs from 2016

Kuala Lumpur: A news published in Beijing last week had branded Malaysia as the overall regional manufacturing hub for electric vehicles by BAIC (Beijing Auto International Corporation), the Chinese auto car-maker. Further developments to this news have now spurred, and an initial investment of around RM 300 million has been made in the Gurun, Kedan plant which is expected to come in operation from July 2016.

As such, Amber Dual Sdn Bhd is the local partner of JV and a report from MD Shabudin Md Saman reported that the project has started in Gurun. The major R&D work currently in concentrated on changing the Left Hand drive system to Right Hand drive which is estimated to cost around RM50 million itself. The prototypes will be up and running in December this year and the production will begin in July 2016, as mentioned above.

Gurun plant, set of which itself cost approximately 200-300million RM will also act as a marketing centre for BAIC vehicles for the entire ASEAN region as well as for the Malaysian market. The company aims at a small production next year, with the current target being just around 2000 to 3000 EV's for the next year, which will increase gradually as the years pass by. Shabdin said that the company has its mind set on a much higher goal and that they don't want to rely only on BAIC technology and instead aim at adding value to the vehicle design. The company as such is also working on creating a battery technology of its own. For an electric vehicle that is, the battery alone makes up for 1/3rd of the original cost.

Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, chief minister of Kedah who was present at the deal signing between BAIC and Amber Dual last week said that, “With a plant available in Gurun, the overall economy of Kedan is bound to be on a rise. Electric vehicles are the future, and we expect that there would be suppliers who are interested in entering this business”.