BYD Malaysia picks Sime Motors’ Inokom as CKD partner

Gerard Lye · October 15 2026 Link copiedShare×Link copied!

BYD Malaysia has finally settled on a local assembly (CKD) partner, announcing today that Sime Motors’ Inokom Corporation will be producing the Chinese brand’s vehicles at its plant in Kulim, Kedah. This comes a month after BYD Malaysia said it has shelved its planned Tanjong Malim facility, which was originally part of its CKD plan revealed over two years ago.

“BYD Malaysia appointed Inokom following an assessment of the local market and available manufacturing capabilities. Inokom’s vehicle assembly operations, experienced workforce and existing infrastructure provide a practical foundation for BYD Malaysia to advance its local assembly plans by building on Malaysia’s existing automotive capabilities,” the company said in its official release.

Both parties have already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at a recent ceremony in Shenzhen, with Liu Xueliang, vice President of BYD and general manager of BYD Asia Pacific Auto’s sales division, and Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson, group CEO of Sime, representing their respective companies.

The selection of Inokom as a CKD partner has been hinted given Liu’s visit to Kulim in May. Additionally, the company is a subsidiary of Sime Motors, which is the authorised distributor of BYD vehicles in Malaysia. At present, BYD has seven models in its Malaysian line-up, while its luxury arm Denza has the D9. The release did not mention which models will be the first to roll off the line in Kulim.

“Local assembly is an important part of BYD’s long-term commitment to Malaysia. Partnering with Sime to assemble at Inokom allows us to build on established automotive manufacturing capabilities as we progress our local assembly plans. We aim to bring BYD’s expertise in new energy vehicles and battery technologies closer to the Malaysian market while contributing to the continued development of the local automotive industry,” said Jacob Ma, managing director of BYD Malaysia.

“This partnership marks another step in BYD’s growth in Malaysia alongside BYD Sime Motors. We remain focused on developing our local presence and exploring opportunities to deepen our investment in Malaysia through collaboration with local industry partners,” he added.

“BYD’s decision to partner with Sime reflects the strength of Malaysia’s automotive manufacturing capabilities and the expertise we have developed over the years. Our experience in vehicle assembly, supported by an established workforce and local supply chain, provides a strong foundation for this collaboration,” commented Jeffri.

“Beyond vehicle assembly, partnerships such as this create opportunities to strengthen Malaysia’s automotive ecosystem, support local businesses and develop capabilities that can contribute to the industry’s long-term growth. We look forward to working with BYD Malaysia to build on these strengths and create greater value for Malaysia’s automotive sector,” he continued.

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