This cute little hatchback you see here went viral on social media a few weeks ago. It is called the Geely Panda Mini, and being a Geely product these days many will start to wonder if it will eventually make it to Proton showrooms in Malaysia as a Proton-badged product. They even started to give it a name – Proton X10, a name using the smallest possible number, befitting of what could be the smallest Proton ever.
The Geely Panda Mini is a four-seater with just two doors and a tiny footprint. Breaking out the measuring tape, it measures 3,065 mm long, 1,522 mm wide, 1,600 mm tall and has a wheelbase spanning 2,015 mm. That is really small – a Perodua Axia is larger than that.
Mini EVs seem to be a China thing so far. The Geely Panda Mini has many competitors including the Chery QQ Ice Cream, the Pocco Duoduo and Meimei, the Jiayuan Komi and various mini EVs from Wuling.
They all have relatively small batteries and low powered motors coupled with low top speeds. We’re talking about ranges of between 150-200km and below, motor power of 40-50 horsepower and below, and top speeds of about 100 km/h and below.
When you think about using one of these products, using it to go to the pasar or nearby shops comes to mind. But sometimes we wonder if the maths work out, to invest in a totally separate vehicle for just short distance travel purposes, where we end up trading additional monetary expenditure for some savings in fuel consumption and perhaps more ease of parking.
The relatively small battery and thus the short range also needs a dense charging network, something that is still lacking in Malaysia.
Somehow it works in China, which is a very mature market for EVs, but it’s a relatively untested concept elsewhere. Nevertheless, some Chinese companies are trying to export these small EVs. Wuling sells them in Indonesia and found out they manage to sell about 700 units a month based on our quick search.
We have even seen one of Wuling’s mini EVs in Malaysia back in April 2022, but more than a year has passed since then and there has been no news of any distributor taking up the brand here, or seen it being sold by any grey importers.
If sold cheap enough, would you buy a mini EV such as this as your first and primary mode of transport? Do you think this would work for students or young adults just starting to work? Or are they better off buying a Perodua Axia? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Until charging infra is fully developed,just get a pre-owned or new Axia or Myvi.At 40-50hp,it is slightly faster than a sick horse.
Come here sure tapau Myvi & Ativa, and it doesn’t have questionable safety test ratings. Stay safe & be safe in a Proton. Think Safety First
Please stay in your cave and let us move on into the future. Everyone can charge at home. The more EV users, the more the charging infra will be available. Simple logic. Are you homeless or from lousy genetics with low intelligence? This is not rocket science
Go buy small genset and put behind ur boot if ur battery juice is not enough,simple and easy
I like this.. easy solution.. or build generator at its shaft. Charging-moving-charging.. cycle keep repeating..
Shaft to tyre acted as prime mover. To controller charger to batt back to motor..
Not everyone lives in a terrace house numb nut
Geely Rahmah?
Charge at home with solar panel…drive short distant to send kids to school and go pasar to buy groceries… dont need those charging station when 90% of times charge at home. .. this micro EV some dont comes with fast charge too.. so might as well charge at home.
Most sensible minded kids might not want to be caught dead riding in this
Sounds like a spoiled kid, raised by spoiled parent. Driving this would be fun on a busy school route. You could probably park two of these on a normal parking spot. Less traffic congestion, easy maneuverability. Don’t even need to go to charging station, the battery is so small just charge at home.
Third work kids. Kids in the UK and EU don’t really car about parents’ cars. By ten, they use public transport to go to school. Malaysian kids are spoiled silly.
This so clickbait from majalah hiburan with question as title … like Siti Nurhalisa kena tampar? Awie terjatuh?
This kind of EV, use 3 pin charge should be enough…
Looks less spacious than a small Proton Savvy.
That thing doesn’t look safe on Malaysian road
Any car is safer than a kapcai. Should we ban kapcai? Lol. Yoir intelligence is next level low
Noooooo
Bring back the savvy name.
that would be a grat addition to the proton range
Noooooo
Bring back the savvy name.
that would be a great addition to the proton range
Proton Winnie nama baik jugak
or proton Comel chun jugak
won’t work in Malaysia. Here we misunderstood electric cars and only buy one that can drive from JB to Sabah. any lesser range will be ignored. That’s our standard distance so we can drive home from office without having to rechange.
Proton Juara 2.0 ??
Nope..
Proton has been the dumping grounds for Chinese cars
Wow hope this car will come. Perfect car for city drive and for doing shopping. Easy to park and most importantly affordable. This may help many poor people to upgrade from dangerous motorbikes to car even. Simple enough to charge at home cheaply. Well done China. They make everything for every budget and needs. Please come
Come where why electik free is it you thing battery cheap is it. Talk kok Don’t know anything about car I say Toyota hybrid is way to go
So you are saying that using EV is costlier than petrol or diesel?? hahaha. Talk cok la you. You clearly have not driven an EV. Go stay in jungle la sohai. Battery comes with the car and you change it every 20 years. By that time it will be super cheap. Why should anyone worry. Fixing ice cars contantly like changing black oil/GB oil, change gasket, repair alternator etc all will cost more. You really sohai. No wonder you so poor and still live in a jungle. hahahaha
No
What about Honda N series, N-Box?
Proton please launch more proper mainstream cars before thinking these novelty items.
Don’t talk labis what wrong with this car stupeed sohai no brain talk
if price x10 more cheap then axia,better take x10..
Very suitable for proton. Just like the previous old model Juara
If the mini EV is sold at the price of a motorcycle, I guess many will buy ;)
Just install solar panel on top of the roof for charge battery.
Yes, ‘cos Saga and Axia now highly priced. We also need to look at fuel efficiency ie. Carbon footprint. Mini Panda would be a headway on this sector for new graduates starting work esp. ladies
One man’s meat is another man’s poison. So, this EV will not please everyone especially the young people who likes loud sounds by the exhaust pipes. For old farts like me, it’s all about cost and quietness. Besides, I don’t travel very far to visit my sister @ 130 km away and I have a 100W PV cell to fix on the roof to charge the battery. Max 100kph is just 10kph below our speed limit. Looking forward to somebody who can bring this to Malaysia.
This car will be a success if;
1. The price is reasonable
2. Convenience charging
3. Reliable with no problems.
If me i’ll buy Axia or Myvi if they r cheaper.
How long the battery will last with four big full size adult..
I would go for Axia
The this car has to be banned from entering the highway to avoid traffic jam with its top speed of 100kmh on and short range. A dedicated city car
Harga axia laku mcm goreng pisang.
How much will this car cost?
Yes, definitely i would like to get one if availablw esp petrol driven. The Axia has taken avantage of no competitor and raises price beyond reach of most first time buyer
isn’t the Cherry QQ looks better than this (alike SmartForTwo)