NexV Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (“NMSB”), a JV company between Careplus Group Berhad and the GoAuto Group Sdn Bhd, will start the construction of the country’s first green technology facility dedicated to manufacture and assembly of New Energy Vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs), aiming to commence operations beginning in Q1 2025, and creating new employment opportunities and investments in the region within and adjacent to Negeri Sembilan.
The groundbreaking ceremony of the plant in Chembong Industrial Area, Rembau, Negeri Sembilan, was officiated by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar, YAB Dato’ Seri Haji Aminuddin bin Harun, today.
The plant will have a capacity of 30,000 vehicles per year, in which one third will comprise the assembly of NETA models through the JV between Careplus and Intro Synergy Sdn Bhd (a GoAuto subsidiary). The plant will not only assemble NETA vehicles, but will be open to other NEV brands intending to carry out Completely Knocked Down (CKD) assembly of passenger and commercial EVs or electric motorcycles.
Phase one of the project involves the development of an assembly plant, expected to begin in the first quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, phases two and three will begin in 2026 and 2028 respectively, expanding to an even bigger production capacity of 50,000 units per year. The total investment for the plant development is about Ringgit Malaysia Six Hundred Million (RM600,000,000).
This first phase will also create more than 600 skilled and semi-skilled jobs with specialisation in EV manufacturing, especially in the use of smart manufacturing technologies, including automation, system integration, robotics, cloud-based plant management, industrial IoT and other technologies synonymous in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As operations are scheduled to start in early 2025, recruitment and training of the plant’s workforce will commence as early as August 2024.
Parallel with the production of green vehicles, the plant will also utilise eco-friendly solutions, such as technologies that produce zero wastewater discharge, zero noise pollution, while solid waste will be processed through recycling centers within the facility. A significant portion of factory’s energy will also be powered by solar panels to be installed on the roof of the plant.
Apart from Intro Synergy Sdn Bhd (the sole distributor for NETA brand), the HIGER and YUTONG brands (distributed by GVT Sdn. Bhd., a joint venture between W&R Resources Sdn Bhd and Careplus Group Berhad) will work with NMSB to assemble for all models locally produced under these brands.
At the same event, Intro Synergy and Hozon New Energy Automobile Co. Ltd. (The principal company that produces NETA) exchanged a CKD agreement, as collaborations for CKD operations in Malaysia. NMSB also exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qingdao Huayue Guotai New Energy Car Co. Ltd. To explore new opportunities for New Energy Vehicles in Malaysia and ASEAN.
”We would like to thank all stakeholders including federal and local authorities, local residents and all of our business partners. We hope that with the assembly of NETA V model, more Malaysians will be able to accept and support the products produced by Chembong”, said Careplus CEO, Lim Kwee Shyan.
NMSB had obtained its interim Manufacturing License from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), through the Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) in October 2023. NMSB had also recently received the Development Order (Kebenaran Merancang) to commence construction of the manufacturing plant from Rembau District Council.
“We take pride in the extensive support this project has garnered from both state and federal governments, contributing to its rapid progress in advancing local assembly and localization efforts within the country. We believe that this represents a significant stride towards fostering greater acceptance and awareness of electric vehicles in the future,” stated Go Auto Chairman, Dato’ SM Azli SM Nasimuddin Kamal.
Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, the CEO of MIDA, commended the successful milestone of NMSB, saying “Congratulations to Careplus Group and GoAuto Group for their collaborative efforts in driving the future vision of sustainable mobility. It is also meant to augment national EV targets defined by the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (LCMB) and National Energy Policy (DTN). It also complements the aspirations described in the National Automotive Policy(NAP) 2020 and the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030. MIDA applauds NMSB for its commitment to innovation, green energy and industry leadership, advancing Malaysia’s status as a major player in the EV industry while placing the nation at center stage as a pivotal global impetus., We stand ready to offer our full support and facilitation to the local businesses, ensuring a seamless journey for businesses aiming to thrive in our dynamic and competitive market.
