Dongfeng plans CKD with after-sales support and network expansion

In a recent media engagement session, Volt Auto, which is now the official distributor of Dongfeng in Malaysia and Singapore, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the Malaysian market. Currently, Dongfeng offers three pure electric vehicles, which are the Dongfeng Box, the recently launched Dongfeng Vigo, and the Dongfeng 007. It is expected that Dongfeng will offer models such as the Dongfeng M-Hero II, Dongfeng 008, and even the luxury MPV Dongfeng Voyah Dream, but offering new models alone is not enough for the brand, according to Volt Auto CEO, Soh Ming.

Before Volt Auto’s arrival, the Dongfeng brand, with Pekema, a subsidiary of Central Auto Distributors (CADB), distributed Dongfeng vehicles in Malaysia, and will still retain existing dealerships. However, Volt Auto will have a more prominent role in developing Dongfeng’s presence in Malaysia.

Soh Ming said that the key focus for the brand is to develop a strong after-sales network, targeting to have 70% of the network to have after-sales support, for example, seven after-sales centres for every ten showrooms. Another reason for the after-sales emphasis is also down to a planned model expansion that will include beyond pure electric vehicles, said Soh Ming.

When it comes to local assembly, Dongfeng claims that discussions are still ongoing and is set to start later this year, although no news on which local-assembly partner. The end goal is for Malaysia to be the CKD assembly hub for the region, stating that it is already part of the roadmap for this year, which aligns with the recent announcement by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and their direction for Malaysia’s EV industry. More details will be revealed soon, according to Dongfeng.