Honda

Malaysia’s International Trade and Industry Ministry is ready to grant generous incentives to car manufacturers from both national and non-national assemblers to encourage the production of hybrid and cost-effective models for the Asean market, according to The Star newspaper.

Honda Motor has announced that it will provide its core hybrid car technologies to a number of Chinese automakers, eyeing to boost sales in the world's largest car market, a report said Sunday. The move is sure to raise anxiety and criticism in Japan as many companies are very uneasy about investing in China or even promoting Chinese to senior management positions in their Chinese subsidiaries due to fears of theft and copying of the key proprietary technologies.

Japan's big three auto manufactures are collaborating with the energy sector to smooth the way for the domestic launch of fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs) in the countries four largest metropolitan areas by 2015.