Alongside the launch of the BYD brand and the Atto 3 electric SUV in Malaysia today by Sime Darby Motors, the Chinese brand will be investing RM500 million towards the development of a showroom network in the country, the company announced today.
The first BYD showroom will be opened this month in TREC KL along Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur, with three more to be opened each in Ara Damansara, Penang and Johor in the first half of 2023. By the end of next year, the brand along with Sime Darby Motors aim to reach a network size of 20 dealers across Malaysia.
This total will then be doubled the following year in 2024. The majority of BYD showrooms to be set up in the country will be 3S (sales, service and spare parts) centres, Sime Darby Motors managing director for retail and distribution for Malaysia, Jeffrey Gan said at today’s launch event.
While the Atto 3 lands in the Malaysian market as a CBU (fully imported) model, any CKD (local assembly) plans for the brand’s passenger vehicles will depend on incentives offered by the Malaysian government, as well as the prevailing market conditions, Gan added.
The RM500 million investment is to be carried out over a period of two years, and this will include the rolling out of electric vehicle infrastructure, according to the company.
“In line with our aim to be a leader in [the EV segment] and with a view towards propelling Malaysia’s EV aspirations, we are excited to embark on this new chapter with BYD following our success in Singapore. With half a billion ringgit set to be invested, this will support our aggressive expansion plans for the brand here, and reflects our belief in the brand’s universal appeal,” Sime Darby Motors managing director Andrew Basham.
“Drawing on Sime Darby Motors’ proven track record and capabilities as a regional player in the automotive industry, particularly its broad distribution network in Malaysia, combined with BYD’s pioneering technology and expertise, we strive to deliver our innovative vehicles to Malaysian consumers and support the country’s carbon reduction ambitions,” said BYD Asia Pacific auto sales division general manager Liu Xueliang.
Launching with the brand’s arrival here in Malaysia is the Atto 3 fully electric SUV, price from RM149,800 for the Standard Range variant and up to RM167,800 for the Extended Range variant. This will be joined by the e6, while the Seal (Atto 4) and the Dolphin (EA1) are set to enter the Malaysian market by the fourth quarter of 2023.
2022 BYD Atto 3
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Tahniah mantan MITI mentri Azmin for bringing BYD investments into Mesia! Well done and better than previous lousy mentri!
We are one of the furst to use bYD buses on the sunway bus route.
Submitted my resume last october to SDM for this newly BYD subsidiary, till this day still no response. Please at least let me know my application was rejected.