KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Autoshow 2023 has broken the billion-ringgit threshold with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) recording RM1 billion in potential sales.
In a statement, Malaysia Automotive, Robotics & IoT Institute (MARii) said the May 4-7 event closed with the strongest-ever support from the industry with about 2,200 vehicle bookings and 6,800 sales leads and 190,000 visitors.
One of the significant takeaways from the event was the surge in interest in Electric Vehicles (EVs) which generated 41 per cent of the total bookings.
"The manufacturers provided the opportunity for visitors to book their Electric Vehicles (EVs) during the event, indicating a growing demand for environmentally friendly vehicles and an increasing awareness of the benefits of EVs," it said.
In addition to the latest cars and technology, Malaysia's national brands took centre stage with new concepts and product offerings, read the statement.
Perodua showcased its cutting-edge innovation of Perodua EM-O (Electric Motion Online). Proton also unveiled the Proton X90 as soon as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched the model at its official launch. Other notable brands including GWM, Honda, Toyota, Chery, Kia, and EONs put up a strong line-up of their latest models from both internal combustion engine and electrical variants, the statement said.
The event also showcased EV models from BMW, Mercedes Benz and Lotus while the Malaysia Bike Show held concurrently, saw launches of various two-wheeler brands, such as Modenas/Kawasaki, Aveta and other brands under Mforce.
According to MARii, a total of 3,500 test drives and 2,800 test rides were recorded which translates to about 17,000 kilometres over the four-day event.
MARii chief executive officer Azrul Reza Aziz said the large attendance and the strongest-ever autoshow ever put together was a testament to the continuous growth and excitement for things to come.
"MARii aims to repay your trust by bringing in more for our industry and consumers in future editions of the Malaysia Autoshow," he added. — Bernama