Proton Holdings Bhd announced it is targeting global sales of 200,000 units in 2026, a 27% increase on last year’s volumes, as Malaysia’s first national carmaker continues to strengthen its electrified vehicle programme and to expand its presence in overseas markets.

The company’s global sales increased by 3.3% to 157,976 units in 2025, the highest level in 15 years, helped by its strategic partnership with China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. The company’s best-selling model remains the in-house Saga sedan, with 74,013 deliveries last year, but models based on Geely platforms account for an increasing proportion of its sales. Exports rose by 26% to 6,000 units last year, while overseas sales, including models assembled overseas, amounted to 8,200 units.

Proton sold 28,057 Geely-based X50 compact SUVs last year, followed by the Geely-based X70 model. The company launched the battery-powered e.MAS 7 model just over a year ago, followed by the smaller e.Mas 5 in October, both based on the Geely’s Global Modular Architecture (GMA) platform. Total BEV sales amounted to 8,890 units last year.

Proton confirmed it plans to launch a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the e.Mas 7 in February this year, which it hopes will become the country’s best-selling PHEV model.

Proton’s CEO, Li Chunrong, confirmed that his company’s new model development roadmap will be based on three key platforms, Global Modular Architecture (GMA), Advanced Modular Architecture (AMA) and the X-series platform.

Dr Li pointed out that “under this roadmap, Proton also remains committed to developing four technology pathways aimed at creating leading technologies by 2035, focusing on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).”