Having said last year it would enter the electric vehicle (EV) market when the time is right, Proton has now offered a date as to when that will happen, as Bernama reports. According to deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah, the national automaker is planning to produce and launch its own EV by 2027.
He said that while the company’s EV roadmap started 10 years ago, it was not pursued due to market demand and technologies. He added that at present, the company has been discussing with potential partners on how to embark on the venture, saying Proton could not just jump into producing EVs without understanding how to sell and market the vehicles.
“We are studying the contributing factors for the industry in terms of ways to push the delivery of EVs, and as for consumers, we want to know the factors that would enable them to own an EV. We want to ensure we are adopting the right technology at the right price because technology is always innovating,” he said during a panel discussion at the Invest Malaysia Series 2: The Road to EV event held earlier today.
“In two years, there may be competitors that come up with new technology for EVs and with a better price, so this (the five-year period) gives us time to have a thorough study on both the technology and local market to find what is most acceptable, easy to maintain and affordable for consumers and us,” he added.
In the meantime, he said the company will continue to strengthen its EV capabilities and gain experience from its collaboration with smart Automobile. Proton has been appointed as smart’s distributor in Malaysia and Thailand, and is set to introduce the smart #1 in the country sometime in the fourth quarter of 2023 (Q4 2023).
The 2027 timeframe mirrors that intimated by Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) in a research article earlier this year, in which it was ventured that the national carmaker would take minor steps into the hybrid segment and dive straight into full EVs by 2027.
In September, Proton established a new company called Proton New Energy Technology (Pro-Net) to handle sales and distributorship for smart vehicles as well as its own new energy vehicle (NEV) offerings in the future. It is through this channel that the automaker’s future EV – and possibly, mild hybrids – will make their way into the market.
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They can produce EV? Hope the batteries don’t get kong so easily like their current combustion engine cars.
You would have to blame Samsung, LG, BYD, CATL or any of the battery makers if that happens.
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!
In 2017, the Iriz EV Game Over
In 2022, they say it is coming 2027
In 2027???
LOL!! well said Roti ha ha ha
Copy paste: “Funny that you two are talking to yourself”
@Copy Paste (john dupe)
Roti john on Dec 15, 2019 at 8:01 am
Kunta and me are 2 different game changing person larr, it’s so clear that our writing style is different
Well nobody said you are Kunta but then you just admitted it yourself. Pwned!
2017 is still under bumi… They’re under chinese now, different story
This shows how little you know about EVs
Because u know so much
That shows you know nothing about Proton.
Neither do you
Campro is pretty reliable. Just because of OCH issue in exora you generalize the entire company and their product in the past, in the future and in the afterlife?
30 yrs pampered spoilt brat with unfair car tax anti competition tactics memang patut kasi lingkup gulung tikar.
Are you talking about P2?
No need to wait that long. Just rebadge any Geely model.
Geely doesn’t have full EV RHD yet bub. How to rebadge air?
Hey gary enjoying your retirement heh. :d
An assumption that I believe can be gained from this is that Proton will not re-enter UK and EU markets within the next 5 years.
It makes sense to go full electric for UK and EU btw, as Campro cannot fulfil EURO6.
Customers are more open to new EV-brands too while they are more sceptical about new brands with IC-engines.
Last time, Proton unveiled the Iriz EV. I was proud and happy to see what we Malaysians achieved. I am a patriot and I would like to buy barang buatan Malaysia.
Until now……the car is still not for sale. Now Proton wants to do research on the market? I thought they did it years ago
Market research of 5 years ago is no longer applicable so it needs to be restudied again. Back when Iriz EV came out, there were nearly zero public charging stations but now there are fare more today and will be even more come 2027.
A news of this caliber is not a news as Proton is forever known as cakap tak serupa bikin.
Even MPV model supposedly from Geely has yet to come to fruition with “news” related to it published as early as 2018.
Then why are you here commenting? Nothing to do ah?
Do you know how many car manufacturers have delayed their launches or de-specified their models as a result of the pandemic and the chip shortage? Or are you merely brainless?
Hahahahaha…. 2027. By the end of 2022, the number of EV models in Malaysia will be in the 30s, from China and from Europe. By 2023, this will be even larger, and cutting across all price ranges. By 2024, even bigger….
Proton still not in the market in 2024…. LOL
can provide an extinguisher as part of the freebies? please?
First time weh we are playing catch up with Vietnam EVs.
Send engineer to China and makan angin. Then rebadge one Geli model. Beres
Sure.. if you don’t mind driving an LHD car on our RHD road. Oh but you’ll need a super long stick to get the parking ticket tho.
Paired with punch cvt3 no jerk.
As long as other EV car brands selling price above RM150K they can relax take sweet time goyang kaki easily rebadge Geli sell below RM150K price.
Really sohai punya company.
You mean this protected species?
https://paultan.org/2022/05/24/dfsk-ec35-ev-van-launched-in-malaysia-two-or-five-seat-options-200-km-city-range-rm130k-or-via-leasing/
please be wise in using the words “their own EV” .