Looks great, doesn’t it? These are renders of Perodua’s first EV by Theophilus Chin, based on what we saw (Theo was also there) at the Malaysia Autoshow 2025, which is ongoing at MAEPS Serdang. Called Aspirations, this MAS showcar is actually a final prototype of the production EV that will be launched at the end of the year, cut into half to show both the car’s exterior and cabin/innards.
It’s the third and final episode of Perodua’s first EV journey at motor shows, and like all good last chapters, there’s a twist involved. The eMO-II was presented in five-door ‘hot hatch’ form late last year at KLIMS 2024, but the EV has morphed into a crossover of sorts – we’re not talking about a traditional SUV but a taller bodied car with a sloping roofiline and some coupe flavour. Think Toyota C-HR. In fact, the latest eMO kind of resembles the C-HR+ EV that surfaced in March.
Theo took note of all the lines and features of the exterior and replicated them on a base car, which you’ll never be able to guess its identity. Base? One of the best in what he does, Theo has been working on renders way before you can prompt a car design – everything is done manually with good detailing. Check out his steps in the video below, which also shows the base image.
Cues from the final prototype include flush front door handles and rear handles ‘hidden’ next to the windows (like the C-HR and Honda HR-V), full-width LED bars at both ends and 18-inch wheels, the biggest ever to appear on a Perodua. The wheelarch gap seems a little exaggerated on the Vantablack-style-skinned showcar, but you get the idea.
No dimensions yet, but to our eyes the eMO is bigger than the Myvi and will easily dwarf over the upcoming Proton eMas 5 and TQ Wuling Bingo, EVs that will play in the sub-RM100k bracket that Perodua is targeting (the Bingo is CKD, which allows RRPs below RM100k, and Proton will eventually assemble the eMas 5 in Tanjung Malim). This is ‘very very close’ to the production car, Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad 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, there’s a separate dark room where you can sit in the interior, but we were barred from taking pictures of that display. You can try it out at MAEPS.
Specs wise, we know that the EV battery is a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit from CATL, with a target real-world 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 would be around 165 km/h. If achieved, all these figures should better those of the eMas 5 and Bingo.
Being an EV, there are many Perodua firsts in the car, but what’s really interesting about Rawang’s first non-ICE product is that they thought of the EV things carbuyers worry about, and have devised solutions to counter them.
Battery health, and replacement costs, is something that the general public fear. To nullify this, Perodua takes ownership of the batteries. The EV will launch with what P2 calls Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS), the first EV battery leasing scheme in Malaysia. This 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 (and fewer years of warranty left) 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. Opt out of BaaS 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. With GFV in black and white, you don’t have to worry about the carmaker dropping prices drastically or engaging in a price war, although that’s unlikely with market leader Perodua.
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 own IP) before the year ends. Join us on a walk-around tour of Perodua’s final prototype of the its first EV and tell us what you think.
If you need some context, here’s a walk-around video of the upcoming Proton eMas 5. The MAS 2025 showcar has a camouflaged exterior and no access to its cabin, but apart from badging, the LHD example should be identical to the Geely Star Wish we detailed in March in Bangkok.
GALLERY: Perodua eMO final prototype at MAS 2025
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The tyre are is so disappointing. Why the gap so huge?
The gaps are as large as HRV EV.
These 2are at the same segment.
Likely due to it being a half sawed display car.
Will support this car. At least not low quality cina made car
Im not a fan of China but to say their cars are low quality you have got your sources or stereotype wrong.
For the 1st time
P2 can rebadging
to Toyota and Daihatsu
don’t worry, in the end you won’t even buy.
Even with the muka tak siap prototype shown at MAS 2025 looks way better than that geh looking ah kua emas 5…
Me personally, im very skeptical. If you have been driving Perodua’s Newer car models, you will know that UMW and Perodua are known for their cost-cuttings on Perodua’s cars. Even the ADVANCE variants are missing a lot of features we don’t get, yet people still need to pay RM40,000 TO RM 70,000+ to get these cars. If UMW and Perodua CAN’T even make their ICE cars cool and outstanding , and still want customers to pay more for their outdated, underpowered, noisy and less fuel-efficient ICE cars, imagine their EVs.
Between cost cutting and car need towing after 2 months, obviously people will choose to settle with cost cutting.
Can you specify what feature they missed compared to other similarly priced cars?
So you want this car at 10k? U go make one then?
How much a car are U driving?
its rendered. nothing is confirmed. they give an ugly car with beautiful price then people buy anyway. not same can be said with proton.
Just allow the import of BYD Seagull, RM 45k, then the public will have more options.
as much as cool that seagull is, im sure most will turn away with the driving range. BUT i am all in on providing as much choices for public.
FYI, the latest BYD model is E7. It’s launching in China with an estimated 100,000 yuan. Source: chinacarnews.
Design dah lawa, design macam Toyota Chr electric version, belakang punya design oklah ,variant dh keluar ke?
A Toyota C-HR EV rebadge by Perodua you say?
Take my money you fool of a Sales Advisor!
What are you waiting for ?!
Where on the dotted line do I sign my soul away?
My B40 salary not enough for bank loan and battery monthly subscription you say?
Take my left kidney lah!
Still not enough?
Take one of my legs!
Take an arm too!
BaaS…so much BS. Unless the price is less than 60k…no thanks. 80k with BaaS, that’s basically overpriced.
More useless rendering fanart
most useless comment. this is just for people to get an idea for the time being as the current one is in vantablack.
It definitely looks like a Toyota C-HR EV rebadge to me as Perodua already did it with their new Alza MPV (rebadging the Toyota Veloz MPV). If that is the case and Perodua price it at RM80k (batteries included) or RM60k (battery subscription RM200 per month or cheaper about the same price as a Coway water filter top end model) this EV will sell like durian flavoured nasi lemak crazy and eventually can be exported to ASEAN and beyond. Well done Perodua!
Horrible rear lights design. Such a lazy design. Why still keeping the old rear lights design like the Proton Gen 2?
such funny comments from multiple sites including here. cars selling 100k with battery that will degrade in 8 years, oh no resale value. perodua tries a different approach after listening to whines of resale value and provide battery as subscription to protect the resale value, oh now i have to pay loan + another subscription amount. so much noise where in the end, they don’t even buy the cars.