BYD inks MOU with Grab to accelerate EV adoption for e-hailing in Malaysia - Auto News | Carlist.my

Chinese automaker BYD is teaming up with our homegrown (but Singapore-headquartered) Grab to drive the adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) among e-hailing drivers in Malaysia.

Through this collaborative initiative, Grab driver-partners will gain access to BYD's zero-fuel-cost, low-maintenance BEVs at preferential rates. The initiative was formalised last week with a Memorandum of Understanding signed between BYD Sime Motors, the official distributor of BYD vehicles in Malaysia, and Grab Malaysia.

The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong. In accordance of the partnership, Grab Malaysia aims to integrate BEV ride services into its platform, allowing driver-partners to enjoy special vehicle pricing and attractive leasing options, making EV ownership or rental more feasible.

Jeffrey Gan, Managing Director of Southeast Asia at Sime Motors, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, stating, "We are excited to partner with Grab Malaysia to make EV adoption more accessible. As the official distributor of BYD cars in Malaysia, we are committed to providing exclusive car pricing and specialised training sessions to equip driver-partners with the knowledge and tools to transition seamlessly to EVs.”

Beyond vehicle access, Grab’s partnership will extend to charging service providers such as Yinson GreenTech (ChargEV) and Power-Up Tech (P.UP), which offers on-demand mobile charging services to help ensure that drivers have convenient charging solutions to support their daily operations.

Interestingly, this newest collaboration in Malaysia is part of a broader Southeast Asian initiative following a regional agreement between Grab and BYD in December 2024, under which Grab aims to introduce up to 500,000 BYD electric vehicles to its driver network across Southeast Asia.

Driver-partners in Malaysia will have the option to rent EVs from Grab’s fleet partners or explore financing solutions under Grab’s car ownership programs. Meanwhile, in countries like Singapore and Thailand, Grab has already introduced an "Eco-Friendly Ride" option, allowing users to prioritise ‘green’ vehicle rides at no extra cost.

That said, neither Grab nor BYD has not detailed the specific models —such as the Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal, M6, Sealion 7, or perhaps even the Denza D9—will be available under this new BEV e-hailing fleet in Malaysia. Surely more information on this will be forthcoming soon, and we’ll keep you posted.