SAIC GM Wuling Automobile Company (SGMW), a Chinese automaker jointly owned by SAIC Motor, General Motors China and Guangxi Automobile Group, confirmed that it is scheduled to begin operations at a new assembly facility in Malaysia in December, in partnership with local contract assembler and distributor Tan Chong Motor Group.

The plant, located in Kuala Lumpur, will be operated by TQ Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, a Tan Chong subsidiary purposely established to lead the company’s partnership with SGMW. It is scheduled to begin assembling the Bingo (sold as the Bingguo in Indonesia) small battery electric vehicle (BEV) for the local market by the end of the year, from imported completely knocked down (CKD) kits. It will be sold locally under the newly established TQ Wuling brand as the TQ Bingo.

SGMW deputy general manager, Dehong Han, confirmed that the company’s first Malaysian locally-made vehicle will be ready by the end of the year, or by January at the latest. The TQ Bingo will be positioned as a stylish and practical city car aimed at younger drivers, with prices starting below MYR100,000 (US$ 23,750).