Chinese EV maker XPeng will be entering Malaysian market. XPeng has appointed Malaysia-listed Bermaz Auto Bhd as its distributor.
Bermaz Auto Bhd announced in a filing to bourse on Thursday that it has been awarded the distributorship, sale of spare parts and provision of after-sales services of XPeng marque smart EV in Malaysia by Shenzhen Xiaopeng Motors Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., China and Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Trading Co., Ltd., China.
Shenzhen XPeng and Guangzhou XPeng oversee the distribution and/or sale of XPeng marque smart EVs, sale of spare parts and merchandising, and provision of after-sales services globally. The principal distributors are affiliates of Guangzhou Xiaopeng Motors Technology Co., Ltd, the manufacturer of XPeng marque smart EVs which is headquartered in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China with offices in Mountain View, California, United States and Munich, Germany.
XPeng Motors’ stock is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
“We are excited to be awarded the XPeng Distributorship for Malaysia. XPeng marque vehicles are among the top smart EVs in China as well as globally. They are equipped with the latest state of the art features such as autonomous driving technology, digital cockpits and high performance batteries. XPeng marque smart EVs’ Navigation Guided Pilot software offers autonomous-driving capability and can navigate in major cities in China such as Beijing and
Shanghai,” said Francis Lee Kok Chuan, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Bermaz, in a statement.
Sharing his views on the XPeng Distributorship, He Xiaopeng, the founder and chief executive of XPeng marque EVs said, “XPeng Group intends to expand its business operations over the next 3 years. Currently, our product line-up of award-winning smart EVs include the P7i (sports sedan), P5 (family sedan), G9 (flagship SUV) and P7i (sports sedan) and the newly launched X9 (flagship MPV).”
“Artificial intelligence is the key area of investment, designed to make our smart EVs more efficient, convenient, and accessible to appeal to the large and growing base of technology-savvy middle-class consumers. Our mission is to drive smart EV transformation with technology, shaping the mobility experience of the future and to optimize
our customers’ mobility experience,” he said.
Bermaz Auto Bhd is listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. The group is principally involved in the distribution and retailing of completely built-up (CBU) and completely knocked-down (CKD) vehicles and provision of after-sales services and spare parts for certain internationally renowned vehicle marques as well as in wholesaling and retailing of automotive spare parts and provision of automotive-related training centre in Malaysia.
It is also the distributor of Mazda marque CBU vehicles and spare parts through appointed dealers in the Philippines.
XPeng’s move to enter the Malaysian market also came as competition in China’s EV market intensified. EV companies race to cut prices, with market leader BYD spearheading a deeper round of price reductions. On Saturday, XPeng announced plans to launch a cheaper brand, entering a highly-competitive segment.
In Malaysia, Chinese EV brand BYD is being crowned electric vehicle market leader for 2023. The EV maker has appointed Sime Darby Motors, the automotive arm of Sime Darby Bhd, as its official exclusive distributor in Malaysia and officially launched BYD EVs in the country in December 2022.
Featured photo credits: XPeng’s Facebook page
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