A NORTH-EAST electric vehicle firm has unveiled plans to start making products in Malaysia.

Sevcon, in Gateshead, aims to expand after its Chinese venture secured a £1.4m order.

Bosses say the deal is for motor controllers, which will be used in electric on-road vehicles, aimed for the Chinese and wider Asian markets.

They added it will create five engineering roles at its Gateshead base.

The firm already employs about 50 technical staff in the Team Valley.

Earlier this year, Sevcon announced it was partnering a Chinese automotive supplier to form the Sevcon (Hubei) New Energy Technology Company, to take advantage of Asia’s leading position in the electrified vehicle market.

Matt Boyle, Sevcon’s president and chief executive, said the firm will invest in process and testing equipment at a Malaysian company contracted to make the controllers, with prototypes expected in January.

He added: “This is a good first step in China and we are very pleased with the progress being made there.

“We are working with a manufacturer who supplies motors to a number of on-road vehicle manufacturers.

“It is testament to the management of the joint venture that this project was secured less than six months after the venture started trading in China.”

Sevcon also designs and makes controllers for Renault's two-seater Twizy quadricycle, as well as motorcycles, trucks, buses, fork-lifts and mining vehicles.