Proton’s upcoming electric vehicle (EV) plant in Tanjong Malim is coming along nicely, with the carmaker announcing the facility is on track to begin production this September. The company noted that the building is currently 90.4% complete and equipment installation is at 83.5% for an overall progress of 86.9%. This comes just six months after it broke ground back in February this year.
As revealed previously, the plant will produce multiple models based on the Global Modular Architecture (GMA) platform, with the eMas 7 set to be the first to roll off the line in mid-September. Next comes the eMas 5, which has yet to be launched but has been previewed on more than one occasion.
According to Proton, its EV plant in Tanjong Malim was designed with scalability in mind to allow it to adapt to future models and production volumes. Initially, the plant will have a planned capacity of 20,000 units annually, with the figure ramping up to 45,000 over time based on local and overseas demand.
Differing from internal combustion engine car production, the new facility will feature specialised areas for battery assembly, high-voltage safety and electrical testing, with layouts tailored to accommodate flat EV underbodies and electric drive units.
“For key areas, each line could add several stations, with their tester lines being modular and capable of accommodating platform variations or multi-model production. In the logistics area, the plant is capable of future expansion, with its logistics flow and storage systems optimized to support both local and export markets,” the company said in its release.
“Infrastructure such as utility systems, material handling paths, and digital traceability tools like manufacturing execution system (MES) and warehouse management system (WMS) are already in place to support future scaleup without significant redesign,” it continued, adding that a machine try out (MTO) test has already been completed to ensure equipment readiness before calibration, validation and full-scale production.
Proton also pointed out that it is currently focused on hiring critical operational and technical personnel for the plant. To-date, it has added 30 non-executives with Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) and diploma qualifications, with the goal of fully training these key personnels before the full-scale production begins.
This will eventually lead to 200 new roles in EV industrialisation and technical services. The company is also collaborating with Polytechnic Sultan Azlan Shah (PSAS) for syllabus input and hands-on training to build its talent pipeline.
Aiding Proton on its path to local EV production is long-term partner Geely, which provided technical guidance on production systems, helped with equipment selection and deployed experts to assist with installation and trial runs. The Chinese automaker also facilitated overseas training for staff and ensured the plant aligned with global EV manufacturing standards.
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