Great Wall Motor Sales Malaysia (GWM Malaysia) has announced penning a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PEPS-JV (Melaka, a subsidiary of EP Manufacturing Berhad (EPMB), for local assembly (CKD) and manufacturing of Haval models in Malaysia.

A key component of the MoU will see GWM Malaysia and EPMB propel their collaboration towards a definitive agreement in the coming three months, culminating in EPMB handling CKD operations for the selected GWM models.

The move will see prominent models from the brand such as the GWM SUV, pick-up truck and electric vehicles be assembled in Malaysia. Furthermore, the move also aims to advance local vehicle assembly, aligning with the vision of the Malaysian government to develop automotive capabilities and contribute to the growth of the industry in Malaysia.

Should the agreement come to fruition, EPMB expects to kick off the collaboration from 2024 onwards. It is anticipated that EPMB's production of GWM vehicles will gradually ramp up every year with the goal of reaching 20,000 units by 2028 at its plant in Malacca.

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“GWM Malaysia is delighted to witness the exciting moment together with EPMB, a reputable Tier-1 automotive supplier in Malaysia. As GWM’s first CKD project in Asean, this will be a significant footprint in GWM's global production landscape,” said GWM Malaysia’s Managing Director, Mike Cui.

EPMB has been listed since 1997 and is a Tier-1 automotive supplier of modular assemblies and other components to the likes of Proton, Perodua, Honda, Mazda, Toyota and Kia.

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On the EV front, EPMB has partnered with major automotive players to manufacture, assemble and distribute EVs such as the Blueshark electric scooter, in Malaysia and other regional markets.

GWM now has a presence in all major Asean automotive markets. This collaboration is expected to play a significant role in GWM Malaysia's plan in the region to further strengthen its market presence with a comprehensive sales, aftersales and service infrastructure network.

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