Malaysia has kicked off small-scale electric vehicle battery cell production based on domestically developed technology, according to a report by Nikkei Asia. The plant is operated by Gigafactory Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NanoMalaysia Berhad — a company controlled by the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
A 1,500-square-metre cell line in Sepang
The facility sits in Suria Industrial Park in Sepang, Selangor state, and covers 1,500 square metres of production floor. It manufactures a graphite-enhanced lithium-ion cell chemistry that NanoMalaysia developed in-house at a cost of about MYR 20 million (US$5 million) as part of a national push to strengthen Malaysia's EV supply chain.
Batteries for EVs and stationary storage
Gigafactory Malaysia will supply cells for both electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems, targeting a segment where battery costs still account for up to 40% of BEV pricing. NanoMalaysia also owns Electrick Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary focused on wireless charging technology, allowing it to bundle cells with charging infrastructure over time.
NanoMalaysia CEO Rezal Khairi Ahmad told Nikkei Asia the site marks a regional first: "We are on the verge of bringing online Malaysia's first local battery technology production facility. This project is likely the first of its kind in the ASEAN region. No other country in the region is producing batteries based on home-grown technologies."
Fits an ASEAN battery scramble
The launch lands as governments across the region push into battery-cell manufacturing. In Europe, Tesla is scaling its 4680 cell line at Giga Berlin to 18 GWh, and North America is watching Peak Energy's sodium-ion grid factory in Sacramento. Malaysia's edge — cheaper power, local nickel and rare-earth availability, and a well-established EV ecosystem — could position Gigafactory Malaysia as a beachhead for regional cell supply if it can scale beyond the initial 1,500-square-metre pilot.
Reporting based on coverage from Nikkei Asia, Just Auto and Yahoo Finance.