These startups fuel the tight race in SEA’s auto space

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Hello reader,

Gone are the days where you had to visit a car dealership to check out the latest models or the best secondhand units. No more hearing the grand pitch from car salespersons on why their deals are miles ahead of the competition, right?

Well, think again. As it happens, people still like to touch, feel, and more importantly test vehicles before making a purchase. Carro and Carsome know this all too well.

The Southeast Asian used-car giants have now integrated their online and offline services, allowing users to go online and schedule an offline vehicle check at their recently opened physical stores.

This is only one among the many twists and turns currently coming to light in Southeast Asia’s automobile market. Today’s featured piece revs up the engines to take all the gearheads (and more) on a joyride through this wacky world.

From the emergence of electric vehicles to the red ocean of the auto ecommerce space, the premium story explores the shifting dynamics in all the little pockets of the auto landscape in the region.

Today we look at:

• The moving parts of SEA’s automobile market
• Singapore-based Carro invests in Malaysian digital content firm Driven Communications
• Other newsy highlights such as Grab planning its largest layoffs and Alibaba’s CEO stepping down

— Shravanth

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For the gearheads

Image credit: Timmy Loen

The transition to the EV economy is not only accelerating but also now appears to be inevitable, with governments rolling out incentives to encourage its adoption. For instance, Indonesia provides subsidies for those who purchase battery-based EVs, while Singapore is implementing tax incentives for electric car owners.

Covering the entire automotive spectrum

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