Gotion Bets on Johor for Its Next ASEAN EV Battery Play

A little over a year after Chinese battery heavyweight Gotion High-Tech Co Ltd first signalled its intention to establish a battery pack assembly operation in Malaysia, those early discussions have now progressed into concrete negotiations that could significantly deepen the company’s footprint in the country.

Johor MB Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has confirmed that the Johor state government is in the final stages of discussions with Gotion on the establishment of an advanced lithium battery manufacturing facility in the state. The talks followed a recent working visit and strategic meeting between a Johor delegation and Gotion’s top management in Shanghai.

According to Onn Hafiz, the proposed facility would position Johor as a regional hub for electric vehicle (EV) battery production and battery energy storage systems (BESS), in line with the state’s long-term green energy transition and sustainable economic development ambitions.

He added that the investment is expected to deliver direct benefits to Johorians through job creation, higher incomes and stronger economic competitiveness. 

Gotion is expected to serve as the lead original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and technology provider, with activities spanning battery pack manufacturing, module integration and higher-value segments across the battery technology and energy management value chain.

The ecosystem developed through the investment, he noted, would also create opportunities for local industries to collaborate with a global player, while enhancing their technological capabilities and overall competitiveness.

Gotion already operates battery assembly facilities in Indonesia and Thailand, making Johor a potentially strategic addition to its Southeast Asian manufacturing network as regional electrification accelerates.

Now whether this latest Johor proposal can eventually evolve beyond manufacturing into deeper technology development will be a key test of how far Malaysia can move up the battery value chain as ASEAN’s electrification momentum gathers pace.