Automotive parts manufacturer EP Manufacturing has secured the exclusive right to assemble and distribute the Lingbox electric vehicle, through a five-year deal that allows EPMB the option of using its own brand name for the EV in the Malaysian and Indonesia markets.
On December 27, wholly-owned subsidiary of EPMB, EP 4Wheeler signed an exclusive distributor agreement with Hubei Dongfeng Power Auto Trade and Xiamen Tsingyan Hylong Motor Technology for the assembly and sale of right-hand-drive Lingbox, and EPMB has been granted the right to distribute these vehicles under the Lingbox or Qingyan Hailong brands.
The agreement takes effect of January 1, 2023 and will expire on December 31, 2027, and it shall be automatically renewed for another five years, subject to terms and conditions. This venture is also a step towards EPMB’s goal of trading carbon credits, according to the company.
Known as the Lingbao Box in its native China, the Lingbox is a four-door electric hatchback that measures 3,584 mm long, 1,475 mm wide and 1,666 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,455 mm, and is offered in China with a choice of either a 41 hp or 48 hp electric motor. According to Car News China, the 19.2 kWh LFP battery in the Lingbox offered a claimed 220 km of range, with fast charging enabling a 20-80% charge in 1.2 hours. Meanwhile, a home wallbox charger will charge the Lingbox in 11 hours.
The Lingbox is one model from the Lingbao brand, that is owned by the Jiangsu Jemmell New Energy Vehicle Company. When the Lingbox is commercialised for the Malaysian market, car produced from this venture are expected to be priced below RM100,000, thus becoming of of the most affordable EVs in the country, according to EPMB.
“This deal with Hubei Dongfeng and Xiamen Tsingyan further cements EPMB’s presence in the EV business, in addition to the partnership with the Saean Group to mass-produce A-segment cars and the deal to manufacture Blueshark-branded electric bikes for the Southeast Asian market,” said EPMB acting CEO Lim Sim Yee.
Prior to this, EPMB had signed a memorandum of understanding with California-based Saean Group for the joint development and manufacture of four-wheeled electric vehicles with the aim of producing a five-door, four-seater A-segment model.
Earlier this year in June, EPMB signed an agreement for the sale and distribution of Blueshark electric scooters in Malaysia.
EPMB was subsequently granted a manufacturing license by the ministry of international trade and industry (MITI) for said sale and distribution of electric scooters, which enables EP Blueshark to import electric bike components in semi-knocked down (SKD) and/or completed knocked down (CKD) forms in order to be assembled and manufactured in Malaysia, for distribution into the local and ASEAN markets.
Initial production volume for the Blueshark R1 electric scooter will be 50,000 units per year, with possible increases in production capacity should that be required by heightened demand in the future.