News

The Middle East conflict has triggered a shortage of helium—a byproduct of natural gas—raising concerns among global automakers over potential disruptions to semiconductor manufacturing and higher vehicle production costs.

Two upcoming projects aim to push the country’s EV industry forward – but without changes to the law, experts fear they could perpetuate local harms.

Volatile global oil prices triggered by Middle East tensions have reignited discussions in Indonesia over electrifying its transport sector. President Prabowo Subianto said on March 19 that the country would move toward solar-powered electric mobility.

V-Green, the charging infrastructure arm of Vingroup, announced on March 18 that it will invest $400 million this year to deploy 99 renewable-powered fast-charging stations along highways across Vietnam, aiming to meet long-distance travel demand.

Vietnamese EV maker VinFast, listed in the United States, reported widening annual losses despite a sharp increase in vehicle deliveries. The company said it aims to sell up to 300,000 electric vehicles this year.

Rising oil prices could strengthen the appeal of electric vehicles (EVs) in Southeast Asia, particularly as expanding renewable energy capacity continues to push electricity costs lower, economists at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said.

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%.