Government in Malaysia planning to become regional hub for electric vehicles
Presence rare earth refinery could lead to Malaysia being epicentre of energy efficient vehicles in Southeast Asia
The Malaysian government is planning to turn the country into a regional manufacturing hub for energy efficient vehicles (EEV) and the presence of rare earth refinery Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) is predicted to boost their efforts.
Lanthanum is a chemical element used for the production of hybrid and electric vehicle batteries and is the second largest element produced at LAMP.
The Government via the newly-announced National Automotive Policy 2014 (NAP 2014) has earmarked fresh automotive investment under the EEV programme that is intended to elevate Malaysia’s automotive industry to an EEV hub for Southeast Asia.
Reports have suggested that the presence of LAMP in Malaysia is already attracting customers to consider Malaysia and Southeast Asia as their location for expansion.
Currently, the LAMP plant in Gebeng, Kuantan produces over 700 tonnes of rare earth oxide equivalent, catering to 54 companies globally with its main customers in the Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
