Morais (left), Zafrul and Gonzalez posing with the C10.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia was chosen as the first market of entry for Leapmotor's C10 in South-East Asia because there is a strong demand for electric vehicles (EVs).Additionally, the government has been supportive in driving adoption of new energy vehicles through various incentives to achieve the country's net zero emission goals by 2050," said Stellantis Asean chief operating officer Daniel Gonzalez.
"With Leapmotor now part of Stellantis’ offerings in Malaysia, we are bringing cutting-edge EV technologies to consumers, aiming to contribute to the country’s goal of achieving 15% of total industry volume (TIV) for EVs and hybrids by 2030.”
Stellantis also announced future plans for Malaysia, including the local assembly of multi-energy vehicles of Stellantis brands at the Stellantis Gurun facility in Kedah catering to markets in the Asean region, as well as further contributing to the local supply chain, talent development and job creation.
Stellantis Malaysia managing director Jamie Morais said the C10 would allow Stellantis to offer an innovative and competitive EV option in Malaysia’s rapidly expanding market.
Stellantis is the world’s fourth-largest automaker and has 15 auto brands under its roof. Besides Peugeot and Leapmotor, Morais said Stellantis is considering bringing back Jeep, Citroen and Alfa Romeo to the local scene.
When asked why some brands were no longer available in Malaysia, Morais told StarBiz it was not intentional, but due to different importers involved over the years, each with their own strategies.
“Since the 1960s, the brands in Malaysia changed hands between five different importers. Each of these importers had their preferences, focusing on certain brands over others. As a result, some brands, like Citroen, were present at one point but may not have been actively pushed by later importers,” said Morais.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz , who launched the C10, highlighted the significance of the Stellantis-Leapmotor collaboration.
He said the partnership supported Malaysia's industrial reform goals in innovation and sustainability.
The launch today comes amid a rapid surge in Malaysia’s EV market.
Zafrul said as of the first half of 2024 (1H24), Malaysia has over 31,000 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) on the road.
According to Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), 6,117 BEVs were sold in the 1H24, marking a 112% increase from the same period last year.
