Malaysian national carmaker Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional (Proton) has unveiled its first battery electric vehicle (BEV), the e.MAS7 SUV, to compete in the emerging zero emission vehicles segment.
The e.MAS7 was understood to be based on a model supplied by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group which has a 49.9% stake in the Malaysian automaker, although Proton executives claimed the model was designed specifically for Malaysia.
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The move into BEVs is in line with the Malaysian government’s policy of ensuring the country’s local auto industry can compete with rising imports, with global automakers ramping up BEV investments in neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.
Local data showed BEV sales in Malaysia rose 142% to 10,660 units in the first half of 2024, after a fourfold jump to 10,159 units in 2023.
Proton formally launched the new e.MAS brand in June, which it plans to use for all future BEVs to be launched in collaboration with Geely. The automaker said e.Mas was an acronym for Electrifying Malaysia, while emas also means gold in Malay.
Malaysia’s largest vehicle producer, second national carmaker Perodua, plans to launch its first BEV in 2025 with a targeted price of MYR100,000 (US$22,000).
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