Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (center) attended the launch event of Proton's new electric vehicle. (Photo: Proton)
As the electric vehicle (EV) trend continues to gain momentum, Malaysia's first homegrown automaker, Proton, launched its first EV, the e.MAS7, on Dec. 16.
The base model is priced at under RM 110,000, making it highly competitive compared to existing players such as China’s BYD and the United States’ Tesla.
Proton launches EV in collaboration with China’s Geely
Founded in 1983 by then-Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, Proton has traditionally focused on gasoline-powered vehicles. Despite the Chinese automaker Geely purchasing a stake in Proton in 2017, the brand largely maintained its traditional offerings until 2023 when it began distributing electric vehicles (EVs) produced by a Geely and Mercedes-Benz joint venture.
This year, Proton launched its own electric vehicle brand, e.MAS. The e.MAS7 series offers two battery options:
- Prime version: Equipped with a 49.52 kWh battery, delivering a range of 345 km.
- Premium version: Features a larger 60.22 kWh battery, extending the range to 410 km.
Both variants support DC fast charging, allowing the battery to go from 10% to 80% in just 30 minutes. In terms of design, the e.MAS7 closely resembles Geely's Galaxy E5, showcasing the strong technical collaboration between Proton and Geely.
e.MAS7 to be Malaysia’s ASEAN official car
The Prime version is priced at RM 109,800, while the Premium version is priced at RM 123,800. These prices are quite competitive, especially when compared to BYD's entry-level Dolphin, which costs RM 99,900, and are notably lower than Tesla’s higher-priced models.
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The e.MAS7 is competitively priced, with Proton offering special discounts on the launch day. (Photo: Proton)
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attended the launch event and announced that the e.MAS7 will serve as the official vehicle for Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2025.
" In the near future, I am also happy to see that this car will be built in Malaysia in Tanjung Malim, hence uplifting Malaysian vendors through the transfer of new technologies and skills associated with EV," he said.
Carbon emissions from transportation ranks second in Malaysia, trailing only the power generation and heating sectors. To combat this, the government is encouraging citizens to replace their gasoline-powered vehicles. As of September, EV sales accounted for over 5% of total vehicle sales in Malaysia, marking a significant increase from last year. The country aims to raise this figure to 20% by the end of 2030.
Source: Nikkei Asia, Reuters, Bloomberg, MIDA, The Sun
