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SAIC Motor Starts Pre-Sales for the All-New MG4 in China

SAIC Motor has officially commenced pre-sales for the latest iteration of the MG4, signalling a bold upgrade to its compact electric hatchback portfolio. With prices starting from ¥73,800 (approximately RM48,100), the new model is available in four variants at launch, while a fifth, featuring a revolutionary semi-solid-state battery, is scheduled for a price reveal in September ahead of deliveries by the end of 2025.

Positioned as one of the first mass-market vehicles globally to offer a semi-solid-state battery, the MG4 aims to reshape consumer expectations in the affordable EV segment. The battery, which has passed stringent three-directional needle penetration safety tests without smoke emissions, delivers improved low-temperature performance, boosting safety and battery longevity. SAIC has invested around ¥500 million (around RM325.7 million) in developing a new aluminium-rare earth alloy battery structure. The material, which incorporates lanthanum and cerium, enhances thermal resistance and structural strength.

Technologically advanced, the MG4 introduces a sophisticated in-car experience supported by a 15.6-inch 2.5K floating touchscreen and powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8155 chip. A new partnership with Oppo debuts the MG×Oppo Smart Mobility System, enabling comprehensive smartphone integration. This includes digital key access, AI-driven voice commands, app mirroring, and compatibility with Android, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi and more. Upcoming over-the-air updates will introduce functionalities like remote smartphone-based parking and uninterrupted walking-to-driving navigation transitions.

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MG Motor Launches “Dare to Love” Roadshow in Johor Bahru, Showcasing New Models and Exclusive Deals

MG Motor Malaysia is extending its reach to the southern region with its inaugural roadshow in Johor Bahru, offering the public a hands-on experience with its growing line-up of stylish, technology-forward vehicles. The “Dare to Love” MG Roadshow is set to take place from 6 to 10 August 2025 at North Court, Ground Floor, The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, and will welcome visitors daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

This marks MG’s debut roadshow in Johor Bahru, and the brand is putting its best foot forward by featuring a striking array of vehicles. Among the highlights are the MG5 sedan, the fully electric MG S5 EV SUV, and the headline-grabbing MG Cyberster, a fully electric roadster that has drawn significant attention for its dynamic styling and performance credentials.

Beyond static displays, attendees will be able to experience MG’s engineering and technology firsthand through test drives of several key models, including the MG5, MG4, MG HS, the new MG S5 EV, and the highly anticipated MG Cyberster.

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Neta Auto Resumes Full Salaries as Restructuring Efforts Signal First Step Towards Recovery

Neta Auto has reinstated full wage payments at its Tongxiang factory as of July 2025, suggesting the electric vehicle maker is making cautious strides towards stabilising operations amidst ongoing bankruptcy restructuring. The development comes after a prolonged period of financial distress that saw mass layoffs, suspended production, and months of unpaid employee salaries.

The update was disclosed by the court-appointed administrator overseeing the restructuring of Hozon New Energy, Neta’s parent company, on 4 August 2025. Hozon is currently in the process of soliciting strategic investors to support its revival, having formally entered bankruptcy reorganisation proceedings in June this year. To facilitate capital inflow, the company opened a pre-registration platform via Alibaba’s asset disposal site on 10 July. Since then, 47 interested parties have expressed formal interest, with potential investors required to place a 50 million yuan (around RM32,500,000) deposit by 15 September 2025.

The identities of the 47 entities that have expressed interest in investing in Hozon New Energy Automobile are not publicly disclosed.

Neta’s financial instability came to a head earlier in 2025, following months of liquidity problems that culminated in delayed salary payments dating back to November 2024. At its peak, the crisis saw the company halve its workforce, with factory staff reduced to receiving partial or minimum payments of just above 2,000 yuan. A viral video in early June captured the rising tensions as employees confronted Neta Chairman Fang Yunzhou at the firm’s Shanghai office, demanding their overdue wages.

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Proton Unveils MISI 5 Tour to Preview Entry-Level e.MAS 5 Electric Vehicle Across Malaysia

Proton New Energy Technology Sdn Bhd (PRO-NET), the electric mobility arm of national carmaker Proton, has launched a nationwide roadshow to introduce the highly anticipated Proton e.MAS 5, the second model in the brand’s e.MAS electric vehicle (EV) series. The initiative, branded as the MISI 5 Tour, will run from August to October 2025, covering five key regions across Malaysia, including both Peninsular and East Malaysia.

The Proton e.MAS 5, aimed at urban first-time EV users, young professionals, and families, is expected to offer Malaysians an affordable entry point into sustainable mobility. Designed with real-world utility in mind, the e.MAS 5 promises practicality, efficiency, and advanced technology, characteristics PRO-NET intends to highlight through this public engagement campaign.

PRO-NET Chief Executive Officer Zhang Qiang noted that while the Proton e.MAS 7 has already become Malaysia’s top-selling EV, the best way to generate confidence and excitement around the upcoming e.MAS 5 is through direct public interaction. He explained that the roadshow will allow Malaysians to inspect the vehicle, interact with product specialists, and experience how the car fits into everyday life scenarios.

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BMW iX3 Ushers in New Era of Sustainable Mobility with Circular Design and Reduced Emissions

BMW has unveiled its next-generation iX3, signalling a bold step forward in the company’s ambition to integrate sustainability across the full life cycle of its vehicles. Developed as part of the Neue Klasse initiative, the new iX3 embodies the BMW Group’s intensified focus on decarbonisation, responsible sourcing, and energy efficiency, all central to the company’s carbon neutrality targets set for 2030 and 2050.

Through extensive environmental planning during the vehicle’s design, manufacturing, and operational stages, the iX3 50 xDrive demonstrates how BMW is reshaping premium electric mobility. When powered using Europe’s general energy mix, the vehicle achieves a lower CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) footprint than a comparable internal combustion engine model after just 21,500 kilometres. If charged exclusively with renewable electricity, that break-even point drops to approximately 17,500 kilometres, allowing drivers to offset emissions within the first year of use.

BMW’s sustainability push is most evident in the dramatic changes made across the supply chain. A reduction of 35 per cent in supply chain emissions was achieved during development, largely by relying on recycled materials and renewable energy. The Gen6 battery cells in the iX3’s high-voltage storage system use 50 per cent recycled cobalt, lithium, and nickel. Moreover, the use of renewable energy in both cell production and the processing of anode and cathode materials has led to a 42 per cent reduction in CO₂e per watt hour compared to the Gen5 cell.

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BYD Strengthens Global Presence with Market Leadership in Seven Countries During H1 2025

Chinese automotive giant BYD has firmly established itself as a dominant force in the global electric vehicle (EV) sector, leading sales across seven international markets during the first half of 2025.

According to CarNewsChina, the company’s General Manager of Brand and Public Relations, Li Yunfei stated that the automaker topped charts in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Spain, Italy, and Brazil, with particular strength in the new energy vehicle (NEV) segment comprising both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

This global expansion aligns with BYD’s long-term strategy to have half of its total vehicle sales come from markets outside China by the end of the decade. In pursuit of this objective, the company has focused its export efforts across Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, and the Middle East, with continued investment in local production and infrastructure.

Sales data for the first half of 2025 paints a clear picture of BYD’s growing international footprint. In Hong Kong and Singapore, the carmaker emerged as the overall market leader, delivering 4,909 and 4,667 units, respectively. In Thailand, BYD’s performance was even more significant, with 24,072 units sold, representing a year-on-year increase of 64.1%. This volume was nearly four times higher than the second-best performing brand, MG. These results were bolstered by the recent launch of BYD’s Thai manufacturing facility in July 2024, which has an annual production capacity of 150,000 units and serves as a hub for ASEAN exports.

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Human Error Behind Majority of Road Accidents in Malaysia, Says Works Minister

The vast majority of road accidents in Malaysia are the result of human behaviour rather than faulty infrastructure, according to Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who cited recent data from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS).

According to Malay Mail, Nanta revealed that over 80 per cent of traffic incidents stem from driver-related factors, such as recklessness and distraction, while only 12 to 13 per cent are attributed to road conditions, including surface damage or inclement weather. Out of more than 500,000 recorded accident cases, 12,000 resulted in serious injuries, while 6,000 ended in fatalities, with motorcyclists accounting for approximately 4,000 of those deaths.

Nanta raised concerns over a prevailing public narrative that often attributes accidents to infrastructure shortcomings. He emphasised that although damaged roads exist throughout the country’s extensive federal road network, spanning over 20,000 kilometres, such issues are seldom the root cause of major crashes.

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JPJ Issues Nearly 1,500 Summonses to Singaporean Vehicles Without Activated VEP Tags

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has issued a total of 1,489 summonses to Singapore-registered vehicles for failing to install and activate their Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) RFID tags, following intensified enforcement efforts at the Malaysia-Singapore border.

The summonses, which amounted to RM445,800 in total fines, were issued between 1 July and the end of the recent enforcement operation. Checks were conducted at strategic locations outside the two main land entry points—Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB)—as well as surrounding areas within the Johor Bahru district. A total of 14,379 Singaporean vehicles were inspected.

According to JPJ Enforcement Senior Director Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan, the operation is no longer in its awareness-raising phase and full enforcement is now underway. He stated that on the night of the operation alone, 15 summonses were issued to vehicles that had entered Malaysia without having the mandatory VEP RFID tags installed and activated.

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Porsche to Unveil Hybrid 992.2 911 Turbo S Later This Year

Porsche is preparing to expand its 992.2-generation 911 lineup with the introduction of the new Turbo S variant, which is expected to debut later this year. The announcement was made by Porsche CEO Oliver Blume during the company’s half-year earnings briefing, marking a significant step in the brand’s transition towards electrified performance models.

The forthcoming Turbo S will adopt a hybrid powertrain, a move that aligns with earlier confirmations by former Chief Financial Officer Lutz Meschke in late 2024. The electrified setup signals Porsche’s intent to blend traditional performance with next-generation technology across its iconic 911 range. A standard Turbo model without the “S” badge is also anticipated to follow.

The hybrid system in the new 911 Turbo S will be powered by battery cells developed by V4Drive GmbH, a company Porsche acquired from the Varta AG Group earlier this year. V4Drive, which has since been rebranded as V4Smart, also supplies the cylindrical batteries used in the 911 GTS’s T-Hybrid system. These 1.9-kilowatt-hour battery packs are currently manufactured at facilities in Ellwangen and Nördlingen, with Porsche planning to expand the workforce to 375 employees across both locations to support growing production demands for hybrid 911 models.

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Toyota Turns to Chinese Suppliers in Thailand to Cut Costs for Upcoming Electrified Model

Toyota Motor is reshaping its supply strategy in Southeast Asia, turning to Chinese component manufacturers in Thailand as part of a broader cost-reduction initiative for its upcoming electrified vehicle set for launch in 2028. This strategic realignment, which involves substantial procurement from Chinese firms, marks a notable shift in Toyota’s traditional sourcing model and signals a broader transformation of the automotive landscape in the region.

Thailand, Toyota’s largest production hub in Southeast Asia, is at the centre of this shift. The Japanese automaker has begun to diversify its supplier base by incorporating parts from Chinese companies, a move that includes a partnership between Summit Group and China’s Wuhu Yuefei to establish a new components factory. This collaboration marks the first formal entry of a Chinese parts manufacturer into the Southeast Asian supply chain of a Japanese automotive firm.

The decision reflects growing pressure on Japanese carmakers in the Thai market, where their dominance is waning. Japanese brands now account for 71% of the market share, a drop that coincides with the steady rise of Chinese automakers, whose share has climbed to 16%. The increasing presence of Chinese manufacturers has not only altered market dynamics but also brought more competitive pricing and production advantages.

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Suzuki Introduces the Fronx Hybrid to Malaysian Roads

  • 18/11/2025
  • English, Local News
  • Timothy Prakash

Yangwang U7 Gains New Galaxy Blue Finish and More Power

  • 18/11/2025
  • English, Global News
  • Timothy Prakash

CATL Pushes Ahead with Mass Production of Its Latest LFP Batteries

  • 18/11/2025
  • English, Global News
  • Timothy Prakash

Bentley Unleashes Its Most Focused Continental GT Yet – 666PS, 800Nm of Torque

  • 17/11/2025
  • English, Global News
  • Timothy Prakash

Leapmotor B10 Now Open for Bookings Ahead of 2025 Launch

  • 17/11/2025
  • English, Local News
  • Timothy Prakash

MG Prepares to Debut Semi-Solid-State Battery MG4 Anxin Edition in Guangzhou

  • 17/11/2025
  • English, Global News
  • Timothy Prakash

Review: Honda Super One Prototype – Super Fun!

  • 16/11/2025
  • English, Reviews
  • Keshy Dhillon

BYD Unveils 2026 Seal 06 DM-i with New Ocean Series Design

  • 16/11/2025
  • English, Global News
  • Timothy Prakash

Ford Malaysia Introduces the New Ranger Raptor Sport 3.0, Marking Three Years of the Raptor Line-Up

  • 15/11/2025
  • English, Local News
  • Timothy Prakash

smart #5 Officially Launched – Priced from RM199,800, 636hp, 0-100km/h in 3.8 Seconds

  • 14/11/2025
  • English, Local News
  • Timothy Prakash
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Archive

All-New Toyota Hilux Makes Its Global Debut in Thailand — Now Offered with ICE and BEV Options

Great Wall Motor Unveils Ora 5 Compact Electric SUV in China

MG Malaysia Revises MGS5 EV Pricing to Boost Accessibility and Value

BYD Shark in Malaysia – What To Expect!

Loke: Physical Driving Licences Soon Come with a Fee, Digital Version Stays Free

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