With emissions regulations becoming stricter and stricter by the day, carmakers are turning to electrification as a stepping stone to the future. This topic was raised last week during a video interview with Proton’s chief designer Azlan Othman, who gave some insights into some of the preparations the company was making on the design side.
Asked if Proton has started looking into electrifying its vehicles as part of its future business strategy, Azlan said, “We have to – everyone’s looking into it, we can’t get left behind. But to say it is a major focus, probably not at the moment.”
He also touched on the different design considerations for an electric vehicle. “It represents a lot of challenges for us because of the constraints. A good example is the front face. A lot of people say you can block everything [off] because you don’t need a radiator or engine cooling anymore. But then what happens to the face of the vehicle? Everything you’ve worked for in creating a DNA, what about that?”
Proton is learning from its partner Geely, Azlan said – the Chinese carmaker already has a range of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full electric vehicles on sale. “In a lot of ways, for us, it’s quite a foreign area. I’m sure Guy [Burgoyne, Geely Design Shanghai vice president, who was also present during the call] has a lot more experience than Proton Design in this area, and that’s where we’re learning from them as well.”
The company has long experimented with electric vehicles, with Azlan giving the example of the Emas concept shown at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. That car, in case you didn’t remember, was a range-extended electric hatch designed in partnership with Italdesign Giugiaro, with many of its styling cues ending up on the Iriz.
“[That car] taught us a lot of things in terms of managing packaging and design,” said Azlan. “But so much has changed in 11 years, so we need to learn the latest developments with regards to electrification and hybridisation and see where we can fit that into our new designs. That’s the biggest challenge.”
While it’s unclear what kind of electrification technologies Proton is pursuing, it likely has access to Geely’s hybrid and full electric powertrains. Not only does the X50‘s sibling, the Binyue, have a plug-in hybrid variant, but the company also sells several pure electric vehicles – both through its own brand and its Geometry spin-off.
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Perhaps they can start getting our government to review the road tax policy for BEV then. As it stands right now you are incentivise to continue to pollute the planet with ICE cars.
Did i just saw an educated comment? Oh my i tip my hat for you sir.
It’s “did i just see”, not “did i just saw”….
Failed car designer now blowing hot air on EV cars.
There won’t be any incentives for EV when we still have Msians going gaga over an ICE car that was just launched last week. When such an outdated tech can wow Msians, why should our Govt care to incentivise us to move on?
Hey Azlan , even primary students can draw a concept electric car.
Started? Wait another 5 years to see something then
We are simply unimpressed with this big talking designer.
Just cut the crap,bring in the Geely right handed versions,do the grille and tiger logo change.
DRB has lots of talkers,but poor performers..thats why they spiral into near insolvency till Geely steps in.
Time to move on from talking…others like Hyundai stopped talking and sell millions of cars annually now.
In 5 years time,just sell right handed Geely cars.
It is Geely Malaysia in disguise.Proton is just juggling the paper work and distributor network.Thats a reality check for P1.
Last time Proton started to developed an EV car. Eventually, Proton revealed the Iriz EV concept in 2015. Then MAI said that Iriz EV will be on sale in 2017, but postpone until 2018, then 2019, 2020 and so on. Now in 2021, Proton just “started preparing” for electrification. This is trully a Game Over strategy by Proton.
MAI stop Proton to sell EV car in Malaysia?
Same L0rrr on Oct 14, 2014 at 1:35 pm
In 2009, they said it is coming 2012
In 2012, they said it is coming 2014
In 2014, they say it is coming 2017
In 2017???
Typical Proton Sendiri Cakap Sendiri Syok!
The EV car already produced and now can found in garage.
No need EV for now. Just fix after sales service first. Might risk electrocution if otherwise.
After sales service very good now
While Proton is preparing, other Asean countries are well ahead, our politicians are busy jumping around like frogs.
even vietnam has their own EV cars already. we don’t even make EV bicycle. We are really getting left behind with countries like africa, myanmar etc.
“[That car] taught us a lot of things in terms of managing packaging and design,” unfortunately none of the proton current offerings that mirror smart packaging and design or in lament terms small on the outside but big in the inside like Renault Triber.
Proton EV can travel from Padang Besar to JB 847KM full charge… sell for rm54k only. Mantopp
Dalam mimpi
ha? when pepur already selling you only start preparing?
adui …
World trend will become Full electric or Fuel cell car very soon. Not Gasoline Not hybrid. You can deny the trend becos of Global warming issue. All Jepunis brands will fail obviously except for Toyota. Japanese never like innovation or change wanting to stick to the past. Look at Nikon Camera or Canon Fax, they have lots of debts, No profit of sale, no wonder who using such a big camera lens or Fax in this digital world. Remember No future for Jepunis brands, they just waiting for wars to overcome current crisis just as they did war to Malaysia 100 years ago.
Malaysia is Japanese economy colony. When Japan falls, Malaysia will also do the same. Wake up you guys. Never forget your colonized history
I thought they started since Exora Hybrid, Proton Emas about 10 yrs ago that never take off. No start again? Maybe another 10 yrs wait again
Don’t ask a designer what the engineer is doing.
Correct ✅ … That’s why I reiterate his word “[That car] taught us a lot of things in terms of managing packaging and design,” unfortunately none of the proton current offerings that mirror smart packaging and design or in lament terms small on the outside but big in the inside like Renault Triber.
The designers should focus on smart packaging and design. Until now, they have failed miserably. Bezza with smaller footprint capable to offer bigger trunk size compared to Saga. I’ve no idea in which car they have embedded the EMAS smart packaging and design philosophy.
Bezza is more expensive than Saga so that bigger trunk size is not free.
Bezza is expensive as it’s using Daihatsu Platform so Perodua need to pay loyalty per car. Meanwhile Saga is using Proton’s platform (Savvy) so after mass production (plus R&D grant from government), it manage to get the ROI from the CAPEX developing the platform. This is the dilemma that Proton facing currently whether to utilize Geely’s BMA Platform which is costly per car or to upgrade iriz/persona platform like Savvy -> BLM – > VVT. Malaysia market is too small to develop a platform just to cater Malaysia .
They’re still doing feasibility study which route to be taken for sustainable growth. Personally, I prefer they upgrade proton’s Platform but injected with Geely’s expertise and technology. So that the Proton’s platform can cater for compact to small medium sized cars as Geely is certainly lacking in.
What I meant is that Proton isn’t “preparing as claimed” but they are fully ready for some time now. Azlan is designer so he would not be privy to the nitty gritty technicalities what their engineering dept has got in their hands.
Unlike most EV concepts, their IrizEV is near production ready as far as I can tell. They have the knowledge, they have the skills, they just need to retool the production line to handle EVs, not a big deal.
The bigger deal is there are no real incentives for EVs when you consider the cost per KW motive force via electric is still far higher than petrol. They can make EVs cheap to buy, sure, but there is no sustainability when electric is still more expensive than fossil fuel.
X70 side mirror block view
Our SOP is usually after those with “deep-pockets”.
Most likely just rebadged geely’s again. Malaysia is just too far behind in EV tech to start from scratch.
The keyword here is ‘economies of scale’.
Thats funny. Who in the world would want to start from scratch? Imagine the costs (time and money). If I’m a shareholder, the first plan is to “borrow” the tech. If it has no costs at all, its a win for the company. If it costs significantly lower than “scratch”, its a win win. Anyway, I doubt that all of the car companies who have EV tech really start from scratch. Probably one or two.. and not those big campanies. lol
He didn’t say it wasnt a smart idea, he was just expressing his dissapointment at the lack of innovation, which has become an all too familiar trend in this nation.
I am about to say the same thing. Mostly likely they just rebadge Geely EV.
I think it’s just the shameless nature in the way malaysian car comapanies rebadge that bothers me. The Audi etron GT probably shares a lot with the porsche taycan, but you can tell they tried. Malaysian companies on the other hand just slap a different badge and call it a day, which is just so lazy.
why is he talking “emission standards” in our country?
is this Azlan fella living in UK or EU somewhere?
Just sell the X50 PHEV already. I’ve been preparing my money since 2019. Need replacement for my ageing Prius.
“While it’s unclear what kind of electrification technologies Proton is pursuing, it likely has access to Geely’s hybrid and full electric power trains”.
So don’t expect too much from Proton Electrification Technology. Nothing too show for it.
Just wait for Geely pass on their older & slightly outdated electric car battery technology. Masih boleh pakai man….
Older & slightly outdated electric car tech still is better than far far older and much more outdated ICE car tech (see ativa).
“It represents a lot of challenges for us because of the constraints. A good example is the front face. A lot of people say you can block everything [off] because you don’t need a radiator or engine cooling anymore. But then what happens to the face of the vehicle? Everything you’ve worked for in creating a DNA, what about that?”
What a lot of electric car companies are working on — improving their battery technology especially power capacity, and it’s charging rate. Here our chief designer is working on the car front face. We need a really high technology front face for our EV.
Year in, year out…easy to cakap………..but where is the action? NATO, as usual.
Year-end comes, KPI achieved. Repeat the above for next year.
Proton just cakap cakap since 2010.. nothing wow happened. Now just wait for Geely’s cars.
P1 started EV way back before others do and hey failed faster than others. why they used the world most useless partner. UK Frazer & Nash Research. What happened to the Preve REEV prototype they showed in 2014? it was promising work and next day it was taken out after Paul Tan Reported it on their website. Geely is also not good in EV and they use others to develop for them but at least they use good partners unlike Cronies in P1 and DRB. if you want to do this and take your place in ASEAN, fix the infra and get rid of useless wannabee partners and let the real players come in. 35 years and still not a true OEM. pity.
while you are still preparing, WULING HONG GUANG MINI EV already selling over 35K units during Jan 2021.
Proton, you have proven to be a failure yet again.