Geely eyes EV foothold in Southeast Asia with $10bn Malaysia hub

Chinese automaker doubles down on Proton partnership, readies first deliveries

Proton is due to start selling Geely's Smart brand EV in Malaysia by the end of the year. (Photo courtesy of Proton)

FUMIKA SATO, TOMOKO WAKASUGI and KENYA AKAMA, Nikkei staff writers

November 8, 2023 07:45 JST

SINGAPORE/SHANGHAI/BANGKOK -- Chinese automaker Geely has teamed up with Malaysian partner Proton Holdings to stage a comeback in Southeast Asia's electric vehicle market, fueled by a $10 billion investment in Malaysia.

One of the biggest attractions at last month's Malaysia International Motor Expo in Kuala Lumpur was an electric vehicle from Smart Automobile, a joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz Group.