Sime Motors’ Inokom Corporation has been officially named as the local assembly (CKD) partner for BYD in Malaysia. The formal collaboration was sealed following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at BYD’s global headquarters in Shenzhen, China.
Today’s announcement by BYD Malaysia confirms months of industry speculation after the Chinese battery and New Energy Vehicle (NEV) giant halted its initial plan to build a dedicated manufacturing plant in Tanjung Malim due to recent changes in CBU and CKD EV policy frameworks in Malaysia.
Despite the shift in manufacturing strategy, BYD has maintained that it is committed to long-term operations in Malaysia, previously confirming during the local unveiling of the Atto 3 Performance in September that a local CKD assembly partner had been selected.
Located in Kulim, Kedah, Inokom’s assembly facility already has established experience with EV production. Fully electric models currently assembled at the Kulim plant include the Chery Omoda E5 and BMW i5.
Strategic Shift to Contract Assembly in Kulim
According to BYD Malaysia, Inokom was selected following an evaluation of local manufacturing capabilities, citing its established vehicle assembly infrastructure and experienced workforce as a practical foundation to advance BYD’s localised operations.
“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.” — Jacob Ma, Managing Director, BYD Malaysia.
Jeffri Salim Davidson, Group CEO of Sime, echoed similar sentiments, emphasising that beyond vehicle production, the partnership helps strengthen Malaysia’s wider EV supply chain and automotive ecosystem.
“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.”— Jeffri Salim Davidson, Group CEO, Sime.
Which BYD Vehicle Will Become the First CKD Model?
While the official announcement solidifies BYD’s assembly partnership with Inokom, both companies have kept specific model line-ups and launch timelines under wraps for now, noting that further details on the local assembly programme will be shared in due course.
According to the latest vehicle registration statistics as of 30 September 2026, BYD stands as the 9th most popular overall car brand in Malaysia this year. With 8,087 units delivered so far in 2026, BYD remains the 2nd most popular EV brand in the local market.
BYD confirms Inokom as local CKD assembly partner in Malaysia
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