BYD Malaysia has selected Sime Motors’ Inokom as its CKD partner, moving its local assembly plans to the existing Kulim facility in Kedah.
BYD MALAYSIA has confirmed Sime Motors subsidiary Inokom Corporation as its local assembly partner, with future BYD CKD vehicles to be produced at Inokom’s plant in Kulim, Kedah.
The appointment follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between BYD and Sime at BYD’s global headquarters in Shenzhen, China.
BYD Malaysia says Inokom was selected following an assessment of the local market and available manufacturing capabilities, citing the assembler’s existing infrastructure, vehicle assembly operations, and experienced workforce.
It also gives BYD Malaysia a clear path forward for local production after the company shelved its previously planned Tanjong Malim assembly facility last month.
Inokom is already an established vehicle assembler in Malaysia and forms part of Sime Motors, which is also involved in BYD’s local distribution through BYD Sime Motors.
BYD Malaysia says the partnership will allow it to build on existing Malaysian manufacturing capabilities rather than establishing an entirely new assembly operation from scratch.
“Local assembly is an important part of BYD’s long-term commitment to Malaysia,” said BYD Malaysia managing director Jacob Ma. He added that assembling vehicles at Inokom would allow the company to bring its new-energy vehicle and battery expertise closer to the Malaysian market while contributing to the development of the local automotive industry.
Sime group chief executive officer Dato’ Jeffri Salim Davidson said the collaboration would also draw on Malaysia’s existing automotive supply chain and assembly workforce, with potential benefits extending to local businesses and the wider automotive ecosystem.
The MoU was signed by BYD vice president and general manager of BYD Asia Pacific Auto Sales Division Liu Xueliang and Jeffri, and witnessed by representatives including Jacob Ma and Sime Motors Southeast Asia managing director Jeffrey Gan.
For now, BYD Malaysia has not announced which models will be the first to enter CKD production in Kulim, nor has it provided a production start date. The company says further details on the local assembly programme will be announced later.