BMW Malaysia extends its current PHEV battery warranty programme for BMW and MINI vehicles by an additional 2 years and 60,000 km, bringing the programme to 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first. The new warranty programme applies to the hybrid battery only, the rest of the vehicle is covered by the 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. From now until 31 December 2020, existing BMW PHEV customers are able to purchase the new hybrid battery warranty as an extension for the BMW 330e, X5 xDrive
Honda Malaysia has opened Malaysia’s first high voltage battery assembly plant in Melaka, to support the world debut of the first ever Honda City RS with i-MMD. You can read our review of the City RS here. Production of the full-hybrid Honda City RS with a two-motor intelligent multi-mode drive (i-MMD) has already begun at Honda Malaysia’s Pegoh plant. It is the fifth Honda hybrid model to be produced there. Assembly of the GP1 Jazz Hybrid (IMA) started in 2012, followed by the GP5 Jazz Hybrid (
From 1 January 2020 onwards, all Volvo plug-in hybrids sold in Malaysia will be covered with an 8-Year warranty for the hybrid batteries with no extra charge. Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) is now the leader in hybrid battery warranty coverage for PHEVs in the premium segment. BMW Malaysia and Mercedes-Benz Malaysia offer 6-Years/100,000 km warranty for their hybrid battery. According to Marketing and PR Director of VCM, Akhtar Sulaiman, this is their assurance to customers on Volvo’s electrified powe
BMW 5 Series One of the concerns of owning a hybrid vehicle or a fully electric vehicle is the cost of battery replacement. BMW’s solution is to have the high-voltage battery pack with individual modules that can be replaced. In the BMW 530e, there are 6 cell modules. If only one of the modules is needed to be replaced, owners can simply change that one cell module at a cost of RM 5,000 per cell, rather than replacing the entire battery pack. BMW Group Malaysia offers a 6-year/100,000 km warrant
There was a short period of time between 2011 until 2013 when Malaysian car buyers enjoyed a too good to be true deal - import and excise duties were completely waived for fully imported hybrid models with engine capacities below 2,000 cc. The Japan-made Toyota Prius, Honda Insight and CR-Z were introduced here. Between 2009 to 2010, duty exemption was also available, but at a lower rate - 100 percent exemption on import duties and 50 percent discount on excise duties. At a time when even the mo
Introduced 2 years ago, the Honda City Hybrid and Honda Jazz Hybrid are Honda Malaysia's answer to affordable, mass market hybrid models. Malaysia is the only country in the world to locally-assemble and sell the Honda Jazz Hybrid and Honda City Hybrid. Honda City Hybrid Specifications Engine: 1.5-litre, naturally-aspirated, port injection, i-VTEC Power: 138 PS (combined system output) Torque: 170 Nm (combined system output) Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, front-wheel drive Safety:
Volvo Car Malaysia has announced an extension of the warranty for its PHEV range to 8 years or 160,000 km (whichever comes first), now covering models registered after 3-December 2015. Earlier this year, the extended warranty was only offered for Volvo cars registered from 1 January 2020 onwards. Volvo Malaysia has now decided to offer the extend warranty for its PHEV range that were purchased since the launch of the Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV on 3 December 2015. Nalin Jain, Managing Director of Volvo C
Volvo Malaysia has quietly updated the Volvo XC60 T8 with a larger capacity battery at 11.6 kWh, compared to 10.4 kWh previously, and a newly designed Orrefors crystal gear knob. Apart from those, both the T5 and T8 variants gain a net pocket on the transmission tunnel for the passenger side. The exterior colour lineup has also been revised. Gone are the Maple Brown and Luminous Sand colours, replacing them are Osmium Grey and Bright Silver. Specifications wise, it remains unchanged from before,
The Toyota C-HR is due for a mid-lifecycle update soon but the C-HR model range will most likely be dropped for Malaysia. Its vacated slot will be filled by the upcoming Toyota Corolla Cross. The C-segment Toyota C-HR was launched in Thailand in early-2018 (previewed in November 2017 at the Bangkok motor show) and after nearly 3 years on the market, a facelift is due to be launched in early-2021, reports Thailand’s Headlightmag.com. The facelifted Toyota C-HR had already been launched in Europe
The first-ever Toyota Corolla Cross has made its global debut in Thailand. All preliminary speculations of Toyota’s latest C-segment SUV have all turned out to be correct, except for its price. More on that later. Toyota has confirmed that the Corolla Cross is built on the Toyota Corolla Altis’ (and C-HR’s) TNGA-C platform, but with a different rear suspension. While the Corolla Altis/C-HR uses a more complex double wishbone setup for superior ride and handling, the Corolla Cross uses a simpler,
As recent as 2017, Malaysia was the leading country in the ASEAN region for electrified vehicles. We were the first in the region to assemble plug-in hybrid vehicles and for several years, Malaysia was among BMW’s top-five largest markets in the world for plug-in hybrid models, behind USA, UK, Japan, and China. Thanks to generous tax rebates for locally-assembled energy efficient vehicles (EEVs), Malaysia was, at one time adopting plug-in hybrid vehicles faster than Germany, despite Germany’s ne
The Honda CR-Z needs no introduction. The sporty hybrid was an instant hit when it was first introduced to the world as the spiritual successor of the Honda CR-X. Though it was well-favoured by car lovers Honda decided to discontinue the car worldwide so you can only find the sport hybrid coupe on sale in the used car market. For RM 43,000, should you invest in the CR-Z? Common issues Well, this is a Honda after all, even though it is a hybrid it still bears the same bullet-proof reliability tha
CATL has announced that it is ready to produce an electric car battery with a battery lifespan of a million miles or approximately 2,000,000 km and 16 years. To put it into context, current electric cars have warranties that last up to 240,000 km. Although current electric car batteries are predicted to last from 10 to 20 years, the warranty period is usually about 8 years. In February 2020, CATL and Tesla confirmed a partnership from July 2020 to June 2022. The batteries are to be used in the S
MG Thailand will double its battery production for PHEVs to serve growing demand in the market. Bangkok Post reports that MG’s manufacturing plant in Chon Buri will ramp the battery production to 700-800 units per month from the current 300-400 units per month. One of the PHEVs sold by MG Thailand is the MG HS PHEV. Also read: New 2021 MG HS PHEV launched in Thailand – Proton X70 rival goes electric! The MG HS PHEV is built in Thailand and launched last year, shares the same platform with the fu
CATL, the Chinese battery giant, plans to invest 5 billion USD in Indonesia for a lithium-ion battery plant. The Edge Market reports that the target is for the lithium-ion battery plant to start production in 2024. This information was conveyed by Deputy Minister Septian Hario Seto in a virtual briefing. CATL has signed an agreement with Indonesia to ensure that 60% of the nickel will be processed in Indonesia, and not abroad. Indonesia’s large reserve of nickel has attracted many investors incl
BMW Malaysia has just launched the all-new 2020 BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in Malaysia, priced from RM 440,745 (without SST, valid until 31st December 2020). With SST in place, the X5 PHEV costs RM 448,800. Both prices are on-the-road, without insurance. What's under the bonnet? First up, the mechanical bits. The all-new BMW X5 xDrive45e gets a 3.0-litre B58 turbocharged straight-six petrol engine that does 286 PS from 5,000 rpm to 6,000 rpm and 450 Nm from 1,500 rpm to 3,500 rpm. Th
Bermaz Auto, the parent company of Bermaz Motor, the sole authorized distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia, has confirmed that it will be introducing its third locally-assembled (CKD) model, hinting at the Mazda MX-30. Currently, Bermaz Motor’s manufacturing joint venture company Mazda Malaysia has a contract assembly agreement with Inokom to produce the Mazda CX-5 and Mazda CX-8 at the Kulim plant. In an interview with BFM radio earlier this month, CEO Dato’ Francis Lee said Bermaz is looki
First launched in Malaysia in March 2014, the current generation Honda City is nearing the final legs of its model life. A mid-life update was introduced in March 2017, and was quickly followed by a full-hybrid variant in July that year. Despite being the oldest model in its class, the City remains the stronger seller in its class, although the updated Toyota Vios have closed the gap significantly. Specifications for Honda City Engine: 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated, port injection Power: 120 PS
Earlier this month, we reported news that Toyota is set to launch another crossover called the Urban Cruiser, this time in India. It is a rebadged Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza which is the sub-4-metre little brother of the global Suzuki Vitara. Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, Toyota’s Indian subsidiary has released pictures and bookings for the little crossover on their official website. The Urban Cruiser is Toyota’s second partnership model with Maruti Suzuki after the Baleno-based Glanza. Hardc
Indonesia has officially launched the Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), a government-owned EV battery company, last Friday. The IBC consists of the following organizations: PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium ANTM (Aneka Tambang Tbk) Pertamina PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) The organizations fall under Indonesia's BUMN, which is a collection of state-owned enterprises in Indonesia. CNBC Indonesia reports that IBC will oversee the entire supply chain including the stages of mining, smelting, produc
Nissan initially plan to launch Nissan Kicks and Almera by this year Introduce new e-Power hybrid technology to the market Plans delayed, possible 2021 launch instead According to Headlight Magazine, Nissan was set to launch a new subcompact SUV called Nissan Kicks e-Power in Thailand at the 41st Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS). However, no thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show (and everything else) had to be postponed. Nissan Kicks As we all are aware, majority of Japanese manufactu
Thailand car buyers can look forward to cheaper BMW plug-in hybrid models with the opening of BMW’s first high voltage battery plant in Asia outside of China. The THB 500 million plant is operated in partnership with battery supplier Draxlmaier Group and is located at WHA Chonburi Industrial Estate 2. It is equipped to assemble the latest generation (Gen4) of the BMW Group’s high-voltage batteries, not just the casing but the battery modules as well. Final batteries are then transported to the B
At Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) annual business review, the company has confirmed that the locally-assembled (CKD) 2020 Volvo S60 will be launched in Malaysia in 2020, replacing the fully imported (CBU) units that were launched in 2019. VCM did not disclose the timeline of the launch but assured that the pricing and specification of the S60 CKD model will be identical to the CBU units that were offered in a sole S60 T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid R-design priced at RM 295,888 (OTR without insurance).
(Model | Gallery) The Honda City needs no introduction, as it is Malaysia's favourite non-national B-segment sedan. Honda Malaysia offers several variants of the City, ranging from the affordable City 1.5 S (from RM 73,836) all the way up to the City Hybrid (from RM 92,172). We reckon that the Honda City Hybrid is worth it, as the sophisticated powertrain transforms the unassuming Honda City into a capable performer that does not sacrifice fuel consumption. Exterior – Few Hybrid emblems that sep
Following the announcement of the 330e plug-in hybrid going on sale in Europe with an improved eDrive range of 66 kilometers (nearly 50 percent further than before), BMW has also announced that it is rolling out an to the 530e to bring its eDrive technology to be on par with the lower range 330e. The previous 530e has an electric driving range of around 45 km. The new and improved 530e however, is capable of driving with electric power-only for up to 66 km, with a maximum speed of 140 km/h – sim
If you’re reading this, you would know by now that the fifth generation GN series 2020 Honda City has just been launched in Malaysia. The 2-motor i-MMD e:HEV RS variant also made its world debut in Malaysia, and yes it’s locally-assembled too, with locally-assembled high voltage battery pack that Honda refers to as IPU (Intelligent Power Unit). Prices start from RM 74,191 for the entry S variant, which is cheaper than the previous generation model by about RM 1k, both SST-exempted prices. The gl
The Mazda MX-30 made its debut late last year at the Tokyo Motor Show, as Mazda’s first series production electric vehicle. The model made its debut as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), meaning it runs entirely on batteries, and is said to go on sale later this year. What is less said however, is that the MX-30 won’t exist purely as a BEV model. A hybrid model is expected to join the line-up. At the same time, Mazda have repeatedly mentioned that it is working on a return of its iconic rotary en
The Thailand government has not announced any bans on ICE vehicles. Instead, it has set a target for EVs. Bangkok Post reports that the Thailand government aims for EVs to account for 30% of the national production by 2030. The “EV” term used by the Thai Board of Investment includes Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Plug-In Hybrid Electrci Vehicle (PHEV), and Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV). The 30% target will include cars, motorbikes, and buses. At present, EVs in Thailand are enjoying a thr
President Director of PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN), Warih Andang Tjahjono, said that Toyota Indonesia will produce hybrid vehicles starting next year in 2022. One of the speculated hybrid models is the Toyota Avanza. “The assembly process will be carried out by Toyota's facilities in Karawang, West Java,” said Warih. “This hybrid car is not only present for the domestic market, but is also targeted for export,” he added. Bob Azam, TMMIN's Director of Administration, Corporatio
Toyota’s compact car specialist subsidiary Daihatsu will launch a new full-hybrid ‘kei’ (mini) car within financial year 2021, reports Japan’s Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun. The business daily also added Daihatsu’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV) will go on sale on year later, in financial year 2022. Unlike mild-hybrids, full-hybrids can accelerate from standstill using electric power alone, thus offering a smoother driving experience in stop-go traffic. The stronger electric motor also delivers bet
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