BYD’s Zhengzhou car carrier docks in Malaysia, quicker EV deliveries

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has just received a fresh shipment of BYD electric vehicles, but this time, they didn’t arrive on a random commercial vessel.

The delivery was made via BYD Zhengzhou, a purpose-built car carrier fully owned by the Chinese EV giant itself — a move that underscores BYD’s growing global logistics muscle and its long-term bet on Southeast Asia.

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The roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ship, capable of transporting up to 7,000 fully-built vehicles at once, made its first-ever trip to the region this week.

Malaysia was one of its key stops, alongside the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore, before it continues on to Thailand and eventually returns to China.

For BYD and Sime Motors, the official distributor of BYD vehicles in Malaysia, the docking of BYD Zhengzhou at North Port, Port Klang, isn’t just another routine vehicle arrival — it’s a strategic milestone.

“This is a significant milestone in our partnership with BYD,” said Jeffrey Gan, Managing Director of Sime Motors for Southeast Asia. “It symbolises confidence and the growing potential of Malaysia as a vital EV hub. With the enhanced regional supply chain provided by the BYD carrier vessel, we are now assured of shorter delivery times, enabling us to provide better customer satisfaction.”

The newly arrived units are part of a broader regional effort to accelerate the availability of BYD EVs in Malaysia. BYD Malaysia’s Managing Director, Eagle Zhao, sees this as more than just an operational upgrade. “The carrier vessel plays a key role in heightening BYD’s global ambition and reinforces our ties to Malaysia which we view as instrumental to our growth in Asia Pacific,” he said.

The Zhengzhou is the seventh vessel in BYD’s growing fleet of dedicated car carriers, a sign that the company isn’t just focused on building cars — it wants full control of how they reach their destinations.

As Zhao explains, “By investing in our own fleet of vessels, we’re in a more secure position to manage global demand and critical transport resources through superior delivery stability and scale.”

This RORO shipping method, which allows vehicles to be driven directly on and off the ship, skips the delays and costs typically associated with container-based shipping. It’s faster, more efficient, and gives BYD Malaysia and Sime Motors better flexibility in planning local deliveries.

For Malaysian customers, this could mean quicker turnaround times from booking to delivery, something that’s increasingly important as EV demand rises and more consumers make the switch.

Gan added, “This also prepares us to support greater volumes ahead, as we accelerate EV adoption in Malaysia through a dynamic ecosystem that spans retail, after-sales, and customer education as we make the shift towards cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable mobility.”

So far, BYD has established over 35 outlets across Malaysia, with plans to grow that number to 60 by the end of 2026. With logistics now in their own hands — quite literally, via the Zhengzhou — BYD’s local presence looks set to become even more formidable.

While pricing and local assembly remain separate conversations, what’s clear is that BYD’s shipping game is now part of its regional strategy. And Malaysia, already home to the country’s best-selling EV, the Dolphin, looks to be a key part of that plan.

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