Honda e:N1 CKD under consideration – local assembly “the way forward,” says Honda Malaysia
Following the launch of Honda Malaysia’s first electric vehicle (EV), attention is now shifting to the possibility of Honda e:N1 CKD production. The company has indicated that local assembly is under consideration, though no timeline has been confirmed. The Honda e:N1, priced at an introductory RM149,900, currently arrives fully imported (CBU) from China.
At the press conference during the Honda e:N1 launch, Honda Malaysia President and COO Ir. Sarly Adle Sarkum said that CKD is “the way forward”, especially as the government targets a 15% EV share of Malaysia’s total industry volume (TIV) by 2030 under the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (LCMB).
“Based on last year’s TIV of around 800,000 units, that means roughly 120,000 EVs per year,” said Ir. Sarly. “So yes, CKD is the way forward. But it depends on timing and how long incentives last.”
At present, the import and excise duty exemptions for CBU EVs end on 31 December 2025, while CKD EVs are exempted until 31 December 2027. Beyond that, there’s no confirmation of what incentive structure will apply.
While the Honda e:N1 could be localised in future, Ir. Sarly noted that CKD preparation requires time, perhaps longer than for internal combustion vehicles. Developing a new model takes two to three years; CKD projects typically add another two years for vendor tooling and localisation.
“Even if a project starts in 2026 or 2027, you need at least five years to recover the investment. So we hope the EV policies will extend beyond 2027 to give manufacturers a longer runway,” he added.
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