Malaysia’s Largest Car Manufacturer, Perodua, Sets Record-High Sales and Production Targets for 2022

After losing its market share in 2021, falling to 37.4% from 41.7% in the year prior, Perodua expects to regain some of it to achieve a 40.6% target this year. At the same time, the best-selling car manufacturer in Malaysia is setting record-high targets, aiming for 247,800 new registrations and 265,900 units to roll off the production lines by the end of 2022.

Perodua fell short of targets last year due to multiple challenges besides the pandemic and lockdown measures; the carmaker is not immune to the semiconductor shortage plaguing the industry globally and recent floods in parts of the country stopped production in two of their suppliers based in Shah Alam, 16 kilometres southwest of the country’s capital of Kuala Lumpur.

During a press briefing today, CEO Dato’ Zainal Abidin said, “…we have learnt a lot from this situation and have incorporated effective countermeasures to ensure that we will be able to face them better if they re-occur.”

Besides strengthening their supply chain and continuing to work with local automotive parts suppliers to minimise interruptions to production, Perodua expects to achieve their targets as the demand for vehicles is still strong. The sales tax exemption that continues until 30 June 2022 will also boost sales and Dato’ Zainal added that they do not expect another lockdown as they see the government’s measures to contain the pandemic.

In response to the government’s initiative to electrify the roads of Malaysia, Dato’ Zainal admits that it has indeed changed the company’s plans for electric vehicles. However, Perodua is less optimistic about the number of EVs that will ply the local roads by 2030 (“more like 5% instead of 15%”) but Dato’ Zainal said that their investment in this area will be significant and the EV that they produce must be “affordable”.