Chinese EV brand Neta is launching in Malaysia – Neta V budget EV with 384 km range, 101 km/h top speed

Malaysia will soon welcome another Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brand called Neta. A brand under Hozon Auto, Neta currently offers three models in its home market, which are the Neta S, Neta U-II (the successor to the Neta U) and the Neta V.

Of the three, only the Neta V crossover is depicted on Neta Auto Malaysia’s website and social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). The EV was first introduced in 2020 and rides on the same HPC platform used by the Neta U-II. In Thailand, the Neta V features a 38.5-kWh lithium-ion battery that powers a front-mounted electric motor rated at 95 PS (94 hp or 70 kW) and 150 Nm of torque.

Offering a range of 384 km following the NEDC standard (the WLTP figure is typically around 20% lower), the model is better suited for city driving with a top speed of 101 km/h and a 0-50 km/h time of 3.9 seconds.

For charging, the Neta V can accept a max AC input (Type 2) of 6.6 kW, with a full charge taking eight hours. There’s also DC fast charging at a peak of 100 kW that gets the battery from a 30-80% state of charge in just 30 minutes, while a vehicle-to-load (V2L) system outputs up to 3.3 kW to power external accessories.

If you’re curious about the size, the Neta V measures 4,070 mm long, 1,690 mm wide, 1,540 mm tall and has a wheelbase spanning 2,420 mm. For some context, the current Toyota Yaris sold in Malaysia is 4,140 mm long, 1,730 mm wide, 1,475 mm tall and its wheelbase spans 2,550 mm.

Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloys, automatic headlamps (halogen projectors), LED DRLs, LED taillights, keyless entry and start, 12-inch digital instrument panel, an electronic parking brake, a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen with reverse camera and six speakers, synthetic leather upholstery, four-way electric front seats and two airbags.

No driver assistance systems like autonomous emergency braking are offered in Thailand, although there is auto brake hold, hill start assist, hill descent control, a tyre pressure monitor and passive cruise control on top of the usual passive safety systems. In China, there is the Neta Pilot available, which adds some advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). At 549,000 baht (about RM71k), the Neta V is pretty affordable in Thailand and is actually 10,000 baht (about RM1.3k) less than the base variant of the facelifted Yaris in Thailand.

Slotting in above the Neta V is the Neta U-II, which is another crossover that is larger at 4,549 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, 1,628 mm tall and having a wheelbase of 2,770 mm. This comes with two electric motor outputs, with lesser versions offering 163 PS (161 hp or 120 kW) and 210 Nm, while the more powerful option serves up 231 PS (228 hp or 170 kW) and 310 Nm – following specifications in China.

Battery capacities range between 54.32 and 81.57 kWh, providing ranges of between 401 and 610 km following the CLTC standard. ADAS like adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and lane keeping assist are available for the Neta U-II, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 system-on-chip (SoC) powering enabling these functions.

Last but not least, there’s the Neta S, which is the first to be built on the company’s Shanhai platform. Launched at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, the Neta S is a sedan with front butterfly doors and a sleek body that measures 4,980 mm long, 1,980 mm wide, 1,450 mm tall and with a wheelbase that spans 2,980 mm.

Battery capacities for the Neta S range from 43.51 to 91 kWh, with the range being between 310 km to 715 km. Under specific conditions, the Neta S is even touted to offer up to 1,160 km on a full charge – these figures are again following the CLTC standard.

As for powertrains, the Neta S can be optioned with either a rear-mounted electric motor that is rated at 231 PS (228 hp or 170 kW) and 310 Nm, or an all-wheel drive setup that adds a second electric motor at the back with the same outputs. Given this is the brand’s flagship model, it gets plenty of sensors to enable high-level near-autonomous driving capabilities.

In terms of pricing, the Neta U-II retails for between 135,800 and 165,800 yuan (RM87,746 and RM107,130) in China. The Neta S is costlier and starts from a limited-time introductory price of 179,800 yuan (RM116,454) and going all the way up to 341,800 yuan (RM220,869). While pricing for the Neta V in Thailand is already mentioned above, in China, the model sells for between 83,800 and 96,900 yuan (RM54,152 and RM62,617).

For now, there’s still no word on when Neta EVs will go on sale here, but Neta Auto Malaysia is telling us to “stay tuned” as the brand will be “coming soon.” Looking forward to it?

GALLERY: Neta V at Bangkok International Motor Show 2023

GALLERY: Neta S at Bangkok International Motor Show 2023

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.