Latin America's notoriously tough New Car Assessment Program (Latin NCAP) has crowned the BYD Dolphin as the region's safest Chinese battery electric vehicle, by virtue of it getting 5 stars in its crash test. In fact, it's the first Chinese-made BEV to get 5 stars in Latin NCAP's history. Prior 5 Star-rated cars include the Chevrolet Tracker and Ford Ranger. Latin NCAP is famously fastidious; with familiar models like the Toyota Raize nabbing only 1 star. The Brazil-market Dolphin comes with se

Sanjay

Dec 27, 2024

No car says "I have arrived" quite like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Spanning seven generations since its inception, the S-Class has consistently set the benchmark for luxury sedans that all others must measure up to. In Malaysia, the locally assembled (CKD) Mercedes-Benz S580e plug-in hybrid is the sole flagship sedan model. However, recent trends show recon units entering the market – primarily the S500L—are priced starting from RM 790k—a hefty RM 80k more than the official S580e. Why is this th

Arvind

Dec 27, 2024

Pro-Net, a subsidiary of Proton, has announced that its first battery electric vehicle (BEV), the e.MAS 7, has racked up over 2,500 bookings within two weeks of its launch, marking the strongest start of any BEV ever sold in Malaysia. “The enthusiasm Malaysians have shown for the Proton e.MAS 7 highlights their readiness to embrace sustainable mobility,” said Zhang Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of PRO-NET. “Combining innovative features with exceptional value, the Proton e.MAS 7 is designed to

Arvind

Dec 27, 2024

Bangchan General Assembly, the contract manufacturer for the financially troubled Hozon Auto, the parent company of Neta, will be cutting 400 jobs at its vehicle assembly plant in Min Buri district. An earlier report by Thailand’s The Nation first broke the news that 400 jobs will be cut, split between the national sales company Neta Auto Thailand and contract manufacturer Bangchan General Assembly. However, a separate report by the Thai Enquirer clarified that none of Neta Auto Thailand’s emplo

Hans

Dec 26, 2024

The bloodbath in Thailand’s car industry continues in November, with total sales down by 31.3% to 42,309 units, according to data from the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), as reported by the Bangkok Post. Pick-up trucks and battery EVs (BEVs) were the most impacted, down 35.6% and 36.5% year-on-year respectively. Sales of pick-up trucks, which make up nearly a third of all new cars sold in Thailand, totaled just 11,481 units. BEVs, which have a 13% market share in Thailand – one of the highe

Hans

Dec 26, 2024