Sales of hybrid cars, which had just started to take off in Malaysia, may stall in the very near future if the Malaysian government fail to renew the exemption for Complete Built Up (CBU) hybrid vehicles that expires at the end of the year.
It is being widely reported that PSA Peugeot-Citroen Group of France (PSA) is in talks with Dongfeng Motor of China to deepen their partnership, especially in the world’s largest car market. Speaking at the opening of the PSA’s fourth JV factory in China, although the latest one does not seem to involve Dongfeng, CEO Philippe Varin told reporters, “It is important to examine all cooperation options to go further than now.”
China’s Great Wall Motor Co Ltd (GWM) is reported to have inked a deal with a Malaysian joint venture partner, which is said to be worth over USD600 million and the Malaysian company thought to be the majority partner.
The new facility at Rayong, Thailand costs USD450 million and is described as a state of the art manufacturing plant. It will add some 150 000 car capacity to Ford Thailand, bringing the total to 445 000 and a combined total investment of USD2.5 billion in the Kingdom. The first vehicle that will come off the line will be the all new Focus for ASEAN, New Zealand and Australia.
Katie Melua sang about “9 million bicycles in Beijing” in a catchy yet irritating song that replays relentless in your head; perhaps she should revise the song lyrics to “there are 120 million electric bikes in China” considering the increasing popularity of the motorised 2-wheelers. According to estimates, 1 out of 5 bicycles in China has a battery, and the numbers are higher in urban areas.
It played out like a scene out of a thriller movie: Code names and secret meetings at remote locations; business suits conspiring together, all in the name of greed. It’s not a work of fiction though; this is real life.