Proton has announced that its engine assembly plant in Tanjung Malim, opened in 2022, has expanded to produce dedicated hybrid engines (DHE) and transmissions (DHT) for hybrids and plug-in hybrids, as well as electric drive units (EDU) for EVs. The site, hitherto only producing engines for its pure petrol cars, was only recently retooled for the company’s latest 1.5 litre i-GT four-cylinder mills, replacing the GEP3 three-pot.
The national carmaker says that the components built at this facility will support both its current and future Proton models, as well as products for selected Geely programmes overseas. It additionally claims it is the only OEM in Malaysia assembling this wide a range of powertrains, “creating local expertise and introducing new technologies to Malaysia’s automotive ecosystem.”
Having invested over RM121 million since its launch to expand production capabilities, Proton says the factory currently has a design capacity of 240,000 engines annually; however, given that it’s already targeting to sell 200,000 vehicles this year, some headroom will be required. It adds that it plans to expand capacity still further to 400,000 units by 2028 to support future Proton products and export demand, “while continuing to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a regional automotive manufacturing and technology hub.”
Localisation is a big talking point when it comes to Malaysian manufacturing, and to that end, Proton states that it has built a supplier network for the plant with 16 vendors, half of which are local. The powertrains built there will be used in Geely products sold in Vietnam, South Africa and as far away as Mexico.
With DHE, DHT and EDU production in full swing, the first recipient of these components will surely be the locally-assembled eMas 5 and eMas 7 EVs, with production of the eMas 7 PHEV set to kick off relatively soon. We have reached out to Proton to ask whether this is the case.
Of course, no discussion of Proton hybrids would be complete without the mention of AMA02, the second model to be built on the company’s Advanced Modular Architecture (AMA) after the Saga. The car, which is expected to be a Perodua Ativa-rivalling compact A-segment SUV and widely tipped to be called the Saga Cross, will be launched at the end of the year.
Company presentations hint that the car will utilise a version of the eMas 7 PHEV’s naturally-aspirated engine and single-speed DHT, albeit shorn of its big battery. Sold in China as the i-HEV in the Preface sedan, it was shown at the recent Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) bearing the name FutureMotion HEV. Expect the electric motor to produce 163 PS (120 kW) in the AMA02.
“The engine assembly plant is a strategic investment that reflects Proton’s long-term commitment to developing Malaysia’s automotive industry,” said deputy CEO Abdul Rashid Musa. “The fact that we are assembling products for internal combustion, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles demonstrates our readiness to support the industry’s evolving needs while ensuring Malaysia remains competitive in a rapidly changing mobility landscape.”
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