Perodua ‘QV-E’ EV parked next to BYD Atto 3 while testing shows good size, proportions; daring roofline

Here’s our best look yet of the camouflaged Perodua EV that’s been racking up development miles across the country. The EV, which is rumoured to have the name ‘QV-E’ based on a trademark filing by Perodua (could be a red herring or for something else), was previewed in final prototype form at the recent Malaysia Autoshow 2025. It will be launched by the end of this year.

These are screenshots of a video by shamiru-san posted on the Malaysian Electric Vehicle Owners Club (MyEVOC), and we see the Perodua EV parked next to a BYD Atto 3 at a charging station, with its human tester taking something out from the boot and closing the hatch once done. He wasn’t hanging around and the car went back to the grind soon after.

The mule is still wearing full camo, but we can see that this tester does not have a powered hatch, which Malaysians typically call ‘power boot’. This is just a development mule, so here’s hoping that the production car comes with the very useful feature – if the car itself is electric, the boot should be too.

Even before we saw the final prototype at MAS 2025, we noted that the camouflaged mule showed good size and proportions, with a low roof, wide stance and big wheels. You can see all of that here, along with a sloping roofline that’s very similar to the Atto 3 beside it. However, that’s with the P2 mule’s mega spoiler that’s not likely to be on the final product – without that contraption, the ‘slope’ would be even more severe. Daring!

We also see a car that’s wide and squat, with wheels located at the body’s extremes. This one sits nice and low, a big difference from the exaggerated ride height of the MAS 2025 showcar. What will we eventually get? Something in between, perhaps? Finally, check out the small rear window and the ‘hidden’ rear door handle aft of it – Toyota C-HR-style. The front door handles are flush. So far, so good, but will it be this good?

Compared to the eMO-II that wowed KLIMS 2024 with its sharp and sporty ‘hot hatch’ body, this third and final episode of Perodua’s first EV journey 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 a.k.a. Aspirations kind of resembles the C-HR+ EV that surfaced in March. The MAS 2025 showcar had full-width LED bars at both ends and 18-inch wheels, the biggest ever to appear on a Perodua (Ativa maxes out at 17s).

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 Tg Malim). This is ‘very very close’ to the production car, Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said at MAS 2025.

Also very close to reality is the EV’s interior, unlike the fantasy dashboard of eMO-II. The MAS showcar was presented 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.

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 – the video is above.

The Perodua EV will be joining the market around the same time as the Proton eMas 5, which is also undergoing road testing as we type. Proton displayed a car with a camouflaged exterior and locked cabin at MAS 2025, but apart from badging, the LHD example appeared identical to the Geely Star Wish we detailed in March in Bangkok. Based on what we know so far, which of these two EVs do you prefer?

GALLERY: Perodua EV spyshots

GALLERY: Perodua eMO final prototype at MAS 2025

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