Proton Holdings, Malaysia’s first national car company, announced that it has a distribution agreement with Sri Lanka’s David Pieris Holdings (Private) Limited (DPHL) to distribute its vehicles in the South-Asian island nation, starting with the company’s e.MAS electrified vehicle brand later this year.

Proton noted that DPHL, established in 1970, is one of Sri Lanka’s largest diversified automotive conglomerates, with business interests comprising automotive, financial services, logistics, and leisure services. Proton distribution will be carried out by the David Pieris Automobiles (Private) Limited (DPAL) subsidiary, and will benefit from the group’s combined resources and experience in Sri Lanka’s automotive sector.

Proton launched the e.MAS brand in 2024, with the launch of the e.MAS 7 battery electric vehicle (BEV) based on the Geely Galaxy E5 model, with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version launched earlier this year. Its best-selling model is the e.MAS 5 BEV, based on the Geely Geome Xingyuan.

The brand is available in four markets outside Malaysia, including Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, and Nepal. Including Malaysia, global sales of e.MAS-brand vehicles amounted to almost 22,000 units in the first seven months of 2026.

Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony in Sri Lanka, Proton International Corporation’s CEO, Edmund Lim Meng Thong, said: “Proton is pleased to have signed a distributorship agreement with David Pieris Holdings, as we believe they are the right partner to grow our presence in Sri Lanka. With their extensive resources and years of automotive experience, our ultimate ambition is for Proton to become the leading new energy vehicle (NEV) brand in the country.”