This is the Perodua eMO EV concept, the headlining act of the Malaysia Autoshow (MAS) 2025 that opens to the press today at MAEPS Serdang. This is the ‘third episode’ of the Electric Motion Online, after P2 wheeled out the eMO-II concept at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) late last year.
This is the final rehearsal before the the production car – Perodua’s first electric vehicle – debuts in Q4 2025. It comes a week after the first spyshots of the camouflaged EV surfaced online. Those images, which show a wide-stanced hatchback with big wheels, is a refreshing sight in the EV arena, a big contrast with the cutesy jellybean shaped EVs from China such as the Geely Star Wish a.k.a. upcoming Proton eMas 5, and the TQ Wuling Bingo.
The eMO-II from KLIMS, a five-door hatchback, has morphed into a jacked-up SUV crossover type of car that reminds us of the Toyota C-HR. Perodua says that it set out to create a car with a ‘sporty silhouette with strong side character’ and ‘higher ground clearance to give crossover looks and a sporty image’. Those are 18-inch wheels, the biggest ever to appear on a Perodua.
The showcar at MAS 2025 is finished in a super dark Vantablack-style skin, but visible cues include flush front door handles and rear handles ‘hidden’ next to the windows, Honda HR-V-style. There are full-width LED bars at both ends of the car, of course.
There are no dimensions yet, but Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad calls it a ‘small B’. To our eyes the eMO is bigger than the Myvi and will easily dwarf over the upcoming eMas 5 and Bingo, EVs that will play in the sub-RM100k bracket that Perodua is targeting (the Bingo is CKD and will be priced below RM100k, and Proton will eventually assemble its junior EV in Tg Malim). This is ‘very very close’ to the production car, Zainal said.
Also very close to reality is the EV’s interior, unlike the fantasy dashboard of eMO-II. The showcar here is in cutaway form to reveal the EV’s mechanicals and interior. The latter includes a full near-production dashboard with a high centre console dividing the front seats, soft touch dash surface, digital instrument panel and a rotary gear selector.
There’s a 360-degree camera, but what’s surprising is a digital rear view mirror, as seen in some high-end Toyotas. More good news in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and physical air con switches (single-zone auto), which we much prefer over in-system touchscreen controls. By the way, we were barred from taking pictures of the interior, but you can sit in it, in person, at MAEPS.
In February, Zainal floated a possible RM80,000 starting price for the company’s EV, but without the battery, and he has now confirmed that P2’s EV will offer Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) battery leasing – a first in Malaysia.
Said battery is a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit sourced from CATL, with a target range of between 400 to 410 km. The performance target is a 0-100 km/h time of between six and seven seconds and top speed of around 165 km/h.
“The battery will be leased to buyers. The ‘rental’ fee is the minimum, and based on surveys by Perodua, many are in favour of this method,” Zainal said then, adding that the EV battery leasing scheme lowers the cost of the car and ensures that owners will always have a battery in the best condition. Swapping batteries is something that can be done in just 30 minutes, P2 says.
Another major concern that the general public has about EVs – and P2 prospects surely aren’t the type that ‘can afford’ or are willing to lose a big chunk of the car’s purchase price – is resale value. It’s plain to see that depreciation for EVs are way beyond the level we’ve seen with ICE cars – the risk of a degraded battery that will be very costly to replace is factored in the poor RV. Battery leasing erases this issue.
There will also be the option of purchasing the car with the battery outright. Buy the battery and you’ll get a standard warranty of eight years, Zainal says. Speaking of resale values, the P2 chief said that Rawang is looking at a ‘guaranteed future value’ scheme where the EV’s RV is protected.
Pre-production will start in September and Perodua is on track to fulfil its promise to launch this self-developed EV (Daihatsu has no suitable donor car, this platform is P2’s IP) in Q4 2025. Production will start at a rate of 500 units a month in a new BEV plant in Sg Choh. This will be the first time P2 will use hot press-formed steel in a car.
So, based on what has been revealed so far, what do you think of the Perodua eMO as an EV below RM100k?
GALLERY: Perodua eMO final prototype at MAS 2025
GALLERY: Perodua eMO-II Concept at KLIMS 2024
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Masih lagi prototype ke?..china already how many version came out
The petrol version should be the all-new Ativa.
Looking a lot like mini CHR which isn’t bad at all.
Definitely need to be reviewed compete against Toyota CHR and HRV
Fully agreed.
Inspired by CHR gen1 minus lowered ground clearance
I actually have no issue with battery leasing, you get to enjoy the most optimum battery condition. Any issues send it back to the SC (assuming that Perodua runs its SCs optimally and with sufficient inventory). I actually wish more EV companies did this.
And with regards to resale, how would it hurt it when you can just tell the new owner to sign up for the lease (again taking at face value what P2 means by “minimum” – we’ll see soon) and guarantee a battery @ 100%, instead of one that potentially has been run into the ground? It’d suck even more to buy with the seller’s presumed price for including the battery, only for it to malfunction (go ask 2nd hand hybrid owners about how much this sucks).
Mechanics and techs in SCs know how healthy your battery is and what their worth would be. The previous owner may have intentionally/unintentionally just screwed you over into buying a busted one.
I like it, my affordable Jaguh is arriving
Sub7s to 100km/h, 国民跑车 165km/h Catl powered
But run cheaper than Sub7s turbo SUV.
Is it painted with the world darkest Black?
Like Musou Black or Vanta Black?
Perodua is absolutely bonkers defying the odds with battery leasing program and indigenously developed product. We can hope that this madness pays off.
Who knows, perhaps it may follow the Myvi footsteps with exports to Indonesia? Could Perodua return to Singapore with this?
I might add that pictures can be deceiving but the side profile has me concerned for rear headroom and the floor quite high up with the seat base quite low down.
Some Design Cues of Toyota and None of Daihatsu Design Looks like this. Historically, Perodua was on the same Level of Daihatsu.
But this EV it’s kind of Larger than your typical Perodua or Daihatsu.
Then again, the Designs while it has some cues from Toyota more original from Perodua themself like Bezza than other Daihatsu Models .
And then again, Since Toyota’s Reputation being “Laggard” on EVs and they approach BYD for help, and Perodua want to make their own. I think this is well 95% Perodua, 5% was the battery since it was made and supplied by CATL (Lol, same Supplier that Supplies Proton eMAS EVs or Geely EVs).
If want to sell without battery then it should be RM 40k and below. A large chunk of the cost is the battery so a “kosong” car should be cheaper than an equivalent Myvi or Axia. One benefit I see is that if battery tech improves can swap with a new battery with better spec like solid state, bigger capacity.
An idea for P2, have a kosong variant like the SLATE truck in the US. No need big touch screen like Tesla and China BEV. More physical buttons please.
It is like buying a printer, RM300 printer but RM70 per catridge refill forever for 4 colours.
selling at ev without battery is like a car with no engine..
I think analogy it is like buying a toy RC car that does not come with the AA batteries.
“..guaranteed resale value..”
With that kind of business model, they should worry about first sale value, not resale value.
“Batteries Not Included” looks just like my toy Hotwheels Toyota C-HR. Wait … did you say it looks like a (4 door) Toyota C-HR? Where do I sign? Take my money! Take my left kidney, an arm and a leg too!!
Let’s see how many “prefer battery lease method” actual walk the talk.
What if your battery leasing business bleed money and you cease operation? Can we strap 20 amaron batteries to run our emos?
Is it me or i do see the resemblance of Toyota Yaris Cross, but nonetheless, hope Perodua can sell it cheaper than e-mas 5, with battery is is not included in the initial car price, it should be far cheaper right?
Yaris Cross is similar to the delayed Perodua D66B. This eMO is based on CH-R gen1 KEK
No wonder at all with rear end design!
Please do not dismiss the rear wiper
most of the EV cars have very strong body, to protect the battery from being damage in collision, battery EV fire is no joke. Perodua car never had a super strong body, I wonder how this one will be.
Suspect there bought the CATL battery plus skateboard floorpan and heavily revised the body shell of C-HR gen-1 to fit on it?
Wondering if it shares the eTNGA platform that CHR is using or a totally new platform that Perodua designed by themselves..
If everything is built in house, really kudos to Perodua for taking a step forward.. it might not be up there comparing with those from China, but it is a step forward compare to it’s Abang who is still rebadging from China..
Perodua could be the EV R&D center for budget segment that Toyota and Daihatsu can leverage on ..
Bravo Perodua for the guts to try out new business model. Just wonder how this will work for resale market. Or how much Perodua will charge for the rental and what is the exchange policy. But it’s good to see a local company dare to try out innovative model. Kudos!