BYD has officially selected Inokom Corporation, a subsidiary of Sime Darby, as its partner for local vehicle assembly in Malaysia. The agreement was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed at the BYD global headquarters in Shenzhen.
The company will utilize Inokom's existing manufacturing facilities in Kulim, Kedah, to assemble vehicles using the completely knocked-down (CKD) method. Specific models and production timelines for this local assembly operation have not yet been disclosed.
This partnership follows reports that BYD abandoned plans to construct its own independent assembly plant in Tanjung Malim. The shift to a local assembly partner allows the company to bypass new import regulations introduced in July 2026.
Current Malaysian policy requires fully imported battery electric vehicles to meet a minimum CIF value of MYR 200 000 and a power output of at least 180 kW. Local assembly helps BYD maintain the competitiveness of its mainstream models that fall below these thresholds.
