News

Malaysia is shifting its electric vehicle (EV) strategy toward local manufacturing and technology development, as the government moves beyond earlier policies that relied largely on tax incentives to stimulate EV imports.

This week’s ASEAN sustainability developments are shaped by rising geopolitical risks and shifting energy strategies.

This week in ASEAN, sustainability developments range from corporate performance rankings to energy policy shifts. Thai companies gained stronger global visibility in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2026, with 13 firms achieving Top 1% CSA rankings.

With Thailand’s election results finalized, the passage of the government budget is now expected to proceed on schedule. The World Bank, however, says structural bottlenecks remain unresolved and has downgraded its growth forecast this year to 1.6%.

This week’s ASEAN sustainability roundup highlights developments in energy storage, green transport, and renewable fuels.

At the 2026 Detroit Auto Show, Electric vehicles, once framed as the inevitable future of the industry, were no longer the centerpiece. Instead, automakers emphasized hybrids, updated gasoline models and incremental efficiency improvements.

This week’s ASEAN sustainability highlights cover clean energy investment, ESG transformation in electronics, and the accelerating EV supply chain.

Vietnamese automaker Kim Long Motor (KLM) said on Tuesday it will partner with China’s BYD to develop a USD 130 million battery manufacturing plant for commercial electric vehicles (EVs).

The gas is seen in some countries as a “bridging” fuel to move away from coal use, rapid electrification, uncompetitiveness and supply concerns have suppressed its share in China’s energy mix.

As major cities such as Hanoi weigh bans on gasoline motorbikes to curb air pollution, Vietnam’s leading EV maker VinFast on Jan. 15 unveiled three new battery-swappable electric scooters.