Bus Cap Berhad, Malaysia’s bus builder listed on Bursa Malaysia, announced Wednesday that it has entered into an exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BYD Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. to jointly advance a Malaysia-based new energy commercial vehicle platform, anchored by the proposed establishment of a localized electric bus assembly and manufacturing facility in Perak.
The proposed cooperation is expected to cover product localization, sales, marketing and distribution; comprehensive after-sales services; local assembly and manufacturing; and the evaluation of an appropriate investment and operating structure to support the proposed platform, the duo said in a statement.
Over time, the parties may also evaluate the potential extension of the cooperation beyond electric buses into other new energy commercial and industrial mobility applications, including electric trucks, electric forklifts, electric vans or minibuses and rail-transit-related solutions, subject to market demand, technical feasibility and definitive agreements.
This proposed cooperation represents a major post-listing milestone for Bus Cap.
While bus manufacturing remains the Group’s operating foundation, the MOU provides a clear industrial pathway for Bus Cap to participate in Malaysia’s electric commercial vehicle transition — from traditional bus-building towards localized electric bus manufacturing, after-sales support and lifecycle mobility solutions.
Perak, the site of Bus Cap’s manufacturing heritage since 1968 through its flagship subsidiary Sin Hock Leong Coach Works Sdn. Bhd. (SHL Coach), provides an established industrial base to execute this next phase of growth.
The timing of this initiative aligns directly with a structural transition across Malaysia’s public transport sector.
Prasarana Malaysia Berhad recently confirmed that its ongoing procurement of 310 diesel-engine buses will be its final intake of internal combustion engine vehicles before shifting entirely to electric platforms by 2037.
Furthermore, under the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), the national operator plans to integrate over 1,100 electric buses between 2025 and 2030, alongside 150 electric feeder buses for the upcoming LRT Shah Alam Line.
This structural shift towards electric mobility is expected to create long-term demand for localized electric bus assembly, engineering support, after-sales infrastructure and reliable lifecycle solutions — areas where Bus Cap is positioning itself to play a meaningful role.
“The signing of this exclusive MOU with BYD Malaysia marks a defining step in Bus Cap’s post-listing growth journey. BYD brings advanced new energy vehicle technology, solutions and global experience, while Bus Cap brings local manufacturing capabilities, engineering know-how, industry relationships, after-sales infrastructure and an established operating platform,
“This is not merely about introducing electric buses into Malaysia. It is about building a local industrial platform that can support product localization, assembly, manufacturing, after-sales and lifecycle mobility solutions,” said Bernard Ng Chong Yan, Executive Director of Bus Cap Berhad.
By combining BYD’s new energy vehicle capabilities with Bus Cap’s local platform, he said they believe there is a meaningful opportunity to strengthen Malaysia’s electric bus ecosystem and position Bus Cap for the next phase of growth.
“Our ambition for Bus Cap has always been bigger than simply building vehicles. We want to build, connect and support the full lifecycle of transportation assets — from manufacturing and delivery to after-sales, maintenance and future mobility solutions,” he added.
Luo Zhongliang, Vice President of BYD and General Manager of BYD Commercial Vehicle Division, added this exclusive MOU with Bus Cap represents an important step in evaluating the electric commercial vehicle opportunity in Malaysia.
He noted Bus Cap brings an established local manufacturing foundation, customer access, after-sales capability and market understanding, which are important elements for the successful localization of electric buses.
He said they believe the combination of BYD’s new energy vehicle technology and Bus Cap’s local industrial platform can create a strong foundation for electric bus assembly, manufacturing and deployment in Malaysia.
“While electric buses are the immediate starting point, we hope this cooperation will not stop there,
“Looking ahead, we look forward to working quickly and pragmatically with Bus Cap to evaluate broader new energy commercial and industrial mobility applications, including electric trucks, electric forklifts, electric vans or minibuses and rail-transit-related solutions, where market demand, localization conditions and definitive arrangements support such expansion,” he said.
He opined that this cooperation also provides an important strategic starting point for both parties to explore future opportunities in the wider Southeast Asian market.
Bus Cap’s existing operations remain anchored by SHL Coach, servicing a highly diversified customer base of transport operators, travel companies, vehicle dealers, and government agencies across Malaysia and Singapore.
The group’s long-term vision is to build from its Malaysian bus-manufacturing foundation into an integrated mobility platform serving customers across manufacturing, localization, after-sales support and lifecycle transportation solutions, said the statement.
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