Chip has shared a video of the car in motion, which reveals what appears to be all-LED rear lighting (including the reverse lights), sequential indicators and LED DRLs below the headlamps.
Also, turn your volume up: can you hear something as the car moves? Sounds like an acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS, coincidentally one letter away from ‘beware’ in our national language!), which will be mandatory for EVs in Malaysia the minute we hit 2026. Yup, like the Proton eMas 7‘s chime, though to me that one sounds more like an airport terminal jingle than an ice-cream truck.
I can’t really tell if the first two ‘boops’ (sorry, but that’s exactly what it sounds like) are part of the low-speed pedestrian warning sound, but a few seconds later as the camo-ed Perodua draws closer to the camera, you can hear a kind of cosmic ‘bubbling’ that sounds quite futuristic. What do you think? All we know so far about the EV that could be called the ‘QV-E’ here.
The upcoming Perodua EV has been sighted once again, this time in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur by Afiq Roslan as posted to the paultan.org Automotive/Car Discussion Group on Facebook.
This sighting, as with the previous one earlier this month shows the upcoming EV model without the rear wing seen on an earlier development vehicle, and this latest sighting of the EV shows the side profile of the EV, revealing a rear side window that is much smaller than those in front.
The overall form of the EV crossover is one with a sloping roofline, with some resemblance to the C-HR+ EV that made its debut in March. The example shown at MAS 2025 wore full-width headlamp and tail lamp assemblies, along with 18-inch wheels.
Also revealed here is the interior of its rear doors, which are depicted in the images to feature a plastic housing above the main door card section, aft of the rear passenger door window. These would appear to contribute to the vehicle’s small window glass area, and the housings are located on the inside of where the rear exterior door handles are.
In terms of technical specifications, so far we know that the Perodua EV will have a CATL-sourced LFP battery that is aimed at offering a targeted, real-world range of between 400 km to 410 km. Performance targets a 0-100 km/h time of between six and seven seconds, and a top speed of around 165 km/h.
Size-wise, the Perodua EV appears to be larger than the Myvi, and will be comfortably larger than the likes of the Proton eMas 5 and TQ Wuling Bingo, both being EVs that will contend in the sub-RM100k market.
The interior of the MAS show car, presented in cutaway form, includes a full near-production dashboard with a high centre console, soft-touch dash surfaces, digital instrument panel and a rotary gear selector. Also included is a 360-degree camera, and a digital rear view mirror.
Battery health and replacement costs are of major concern at this segment of the market, and to that end Perodua is taking ownership of its first EV’s batteries with a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) scheme. This lowers the cost of the car and ensures that owners will always have a battery in the best condition, and a battery swap can be conducted in just 30 minutes, says Perodua.
The Perodua EV has been spotted again, this time in the heart of the capital by Sufian Ali and Haizal, who posted these very clear spyshots on the paultan.org Automotive/Car Discussion Facebook group. What’s changed? Besides new camo, this is the first time we’re seeing the car without the (fake) rear wing, which was likely there as a red herring or to prevent motorists behind from seeing the interior through the back window.
It’s actually got quite a very sporty profile, don’t you think? You can see front and rear haunches that are quite defined, a sloping roofline (almost a fastback!), flush front door handles and ‘hidden’ rear door handles à la Toyota C-HR. The tail reminds me of the Jaguar I-Pace with its edgy, notched design.
We’re not talking about a traditional SUV but a taller-bodied car with a sloping roofline 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 on a Perodua), although the showcar sat quite a lot higher on its wheels than the test mules.
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 Tanjong 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 eMO-II’s fantasy dashboard. 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, soft-touch dash surfaces, digital instrument panel and a rotary gear selector.
Perodua ‘Aspirations’ EV final prototype at MAS 2025 – click to enlarge
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 comes 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 CATL lithium iron phosphate (LFP) unit, with a target real-world range of 400-410 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 car buyers worry about, and have devised solutions to counter them.
Battery health and replacement costs worry the general public; to nullify this, Perodua takes ownership of the batteries. The EV will launch with what P2 calls Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS), Malaysia’s first EV battery leasing scheme. 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 EV depreciation is way beyond the levels 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.
Perodua EV final prototype interior – click to enlarge
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, as unlikely as that may be for 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.
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.
Click to enlarge
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.
Perodua EV final prototype at MAS 2025 – click to enlarge
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.
Perodua EV rendered by Theo Chin – click to enlarge
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.
Perodua EV final prototype interior – click to enlarge
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.
Perodua has filed a trademark application for QV-E name and logo with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), as sighted by local automotive news site CarPlus.
The QV-E logo sighted here wears blue accents, partially on the ‘Q’ and on the ‘E’ in its entirety, the colour typically used to signify electrification, or otherwise being “earth-friendly” in the larger automotive sphere. There isn’t official confirmation of the QV-E name at this point, though Perodua has previously also filed “Qve” with MyIPO, as sighted by Funtasticko in July last year, which lends weight to this iteration of the name.
So far, we know that Perodua’s first EV will have a targeted real-world range of between 400 km to 410 km, with a LFP battery from CATL. Performance targets are a 0-100 km/h time of between six and seven seconds, and a top speed of around 165 km/h.
As something that is aimed at a very broad section of the market, battery health and replacement costs are of concern to the general public, and to that end Perodua is taking ownership of its first EV’s batteries with a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) scheme.
This lowers the cost of the car and ensures that owners will always have a battery in the best condition, and a battery swap can be conducted in just 30 minutes, says Perodua. More about what we know so far on Perodua’s first EV, here.
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.
Click to enlarge
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.
Perodua is a company that plans everything in detail, and sticks to it. Annual sales records, a vice-like grip of its No.1 position and market share that’s now pushing 45% are testaments to the discipline and efficiency at play in Rawang. Heck, Perodua is now the No.2 carmaker in ASEAN after overtaking Honda in 2024. But an EV in 2025 wasn’t part of the plan.
It was the plan of the Madani government, and although Perodua will never say so publicly, the company was tasked to come up with an affordable EV. To make things even more ‘interesting’ the government announced the deadline publicly, which meant that P2 had to deliver in 2025, by hook or crook.
With no way out, Perodua had to start from scratch. Unlike Proton, which can cherry pick models from Geely’s range of EVs, P2’s foreign partner Daihatsu did not have a suitable donor car. They had to do it all themselves. The public was given ‘progress reports’ at motor shows, and everyone sat up and took notice of “Episode 2” of the Electric Motion Online series at KLIMS 2024.
Fast forward a few months and we now have the third and final episode. Titled ‘Aspirations’, it sees the eMO-II morph into a crossover of sorts with a ‘fastback’ roof, like a smaller version of the Toyota C-HR+ EV that surfaced in March. Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said that this final prototype is “very very close to production”.
At the press day of the Malaysia Autoshow 2025, Zainal said that Perodua did not receive any form of R&D grants or financial incentives from the government despite having to develop its first EV from the ground up.
“In terms of grants or incentives, nothing is finalised, because there is a requirement for us to prove ourselves first. We have to prove ourselves and deliver the product under the NIMP (New Industrial Master Plan) 2030. We have to deliver the product.
“At the same time, there is a requirement for local development and local content. So we are in the process of trying to fulfil the requirements given by the government. As you know, any incentives must be compensated by the local economic growth generated by the incentive received,” he added.
“The government has given us some localisation targets and we will commit to it. Quite a number of our local vendors will participate, at this moment 41 or 42. Apart from the engineering-related items, the biggest challenge for us is how to create the EV ecosystem in our local industry,” he elaborated.
The original plan was for the EV to be a ‘limited production’ car (as in small volume, not limited edition), but Perodua is now dreaming bigger. “Based on the product that we have, based on surveys, we have to change our direction – now we’re going for mass production. We’ll need a bit of time for that. As a start it’ll be 500 units a month and then we’ll ramp up production to over 2,000 units per month.
“When we go for mass production, we’ll need to make sure of the participation from local vendors – that’s very important. If Perodua goes for mass production from the beginning but local content is still very low, there won’t be much meaning to the local industry. In order for us to go for mass production and higher volume, it’s not just about Perodua, but we have to look at our vendor system to be in line with our planning,” Zainal said, tying back to the ecosystem factor.
Pre-production of the EV will start in September at a new EV-specific plant located within P2’s Sg Choh base, ahead of a launch close to the end of the year.
For more on Perodua’s first EV, including a full walk-around and details on the unprecedented Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) battery leasing programme as well as a guaranteed future value scheme to protect the EV’s RV, click here.
The Malaysia Autoshow (MAS) 2025 opens to the public from today till May 15, and if you followed our live coverage yesterday, you’d know what to expect at MAEPS Serdang. Basically, it’s dominated by Chinese brands with a sprinkling of premium marques and national makes. Proton’s Geely-based SUVs blend in well in the Chery-dominated main hall. It was like a mini Auto Shanghai.
But something unfinished in a small dark area stole the show. It’s the third and final episode of Perodua’s first EV journey at motor shows as the car will be launched in Q4 this year. It wasn’t that long ago (late last year at KLIMS) that the eMO-II wowed us all with its sharp and sporty ‘hot hatch’ body, so we’re surprised ourselves at the amount of things to see and say about this showcar.
That’s because the eMO-II 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 final prototype on display 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, like the C-HR and Honda HR-V. There are full-width LED bars at both ends, of course. Those are 18-inch wheels, the biggest ever to appear on a Perodua. The wheelarch gap seems a little exaggerated on the 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 Tg 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.
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?
The Malaysia Autoshow returns this weekend, and alongside the usual array of new model launches will be a number of “bold concepts” from Perodua. The national carmaker is teasing future-ready smart mobility as the theme of its stand, which is a heavy hint at its forthcoming electrification.
Then at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) in December, Perodua unveiled the full-scale (and very green) eMO-II show car, and while it was definitely closer to production compared to its predecessors, in terms of detailing it was still more fanciful than realistic.
Perhaps the company is showcasing a close-to-production concept called the eMO-III as a proper preview of the car that people will actually be able to buy (although this would deviate from Perodua itself calling the production model “Episode 3”)?
We’re expecting the eMO-III to carry cues from both the eMO-II (left)
and the production model (mule on right)
If so, we can expect such a car to feature some of the details seen on the test mule last weekend, including split headlights, flush pop-out front and hidden rear door handles, fast rear windscreen rake and proper taillights (we knew that thin light bar wasn’t reaching production). We may also see a more realistic interior that isn’t festooned with screens and an iPad (and with a centre touchscreen that isn’t obscured by the steering wheel).
Few technical details have been revealed just yet, but initial specs released at KLIMS include a zero-to-100 km/h sprint time of between six and seven seconds, as well as a range of between 400 to 410 km from a CATL-sourced lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Perodua says it will initially import the battery and motor but plans to eventually assemble these components in-house.
The company has also floated a possible RM80,000 starting price without the battery, which it said may be offered through a subscription. As reported previously, the car will be Perodua’s first to be developed entirely in-house, as its usual partner Daihatsu does not have a suitable EV for it to crib notes (and powertrain) from.
The final production car is set to square off against Proton’s also-upcoming entry-level EV, widely tipped to be called the eMas 5 and also set to go on sale at the end of the year. We’re anticipating that car, expected to be based on the Geely Xingyuan or Star Wish, to also make an appearance at the show, meaning that buyers may well be able to see the two competing models, probably opposite each other. Which are you more interested in? Sound off in the comments after the jump.
How do we know that this is definitively a Perodua? The trade plate number B3598A belongs to the national carmaker, having last been seen in these pages on a Daihatsu Move on test. Being that the car is still months away from its slated launch at the end of the year, the company has obviously seen fit to cover the test prototype in plenty of camouflage, including some hard disguise around the front end and the rear windscreen to obscure the eMO’s true shape.
Still, it’s pretty clear that the eMO’s design will stay faithful to the show car. Look past the rear windscreen shroud (gives the car a bit of a Citroën C4/Renault Avantime vibe, don’t you think) and you’ll see that the actual glass has a similarly fast rake to it.
Also carried over from the eMO-II are the thick C-pillars and the upswept window line, the latter helping to disguise the rear doors in concert with the hidden door handles. Further forwards, you’ll be able to spot flush door handles for the front doors, plus a wraparound windscreen design with what will surely be blacked-out A-pillars, à la Ativa.
Not much can be seen from the blurry front photo, but we can see that the car has sprouted split front headlights, with the main units visible lower down in the bumper. We can expect the production model to retain the eMO-II’s full-width light bar up top, as well as the same aggressive air intakes.
One thing that’s clear is that the production model will be significantly larger than the Myvi – the mule dwarfs the Honda City next to it, and it doesn’t look to be much lower than the Mitsubishi Triton behind it. This suggests that Perodua may position the car as an SUV instead, as hinted at by the black plastic wheel arch trims on the prototype.
Few technical details have been revealed just yet, but initial specs released at KLIMS include a zero-to-100 km/h sprint time of between six and seven seconds, as well as a range of between 400 to 410 km from a CATL-sourced lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Perodua says it will initially import the battery and motor but plans to eventually assemble these components in-house; it has also floated a possible RM80,000 starting price without the battery, which it said may be offered through a subscription.
The Perodua eMO is set to take on Proton’s forthcoming small EV, widely tipped to be called the eMas 5. That car is expected to be based on the Geely Xingyuan, which also has a maximum range of 410 km, this time on China’s ridiculously lenient CLTC cycle. Which one would you buy? Sound off in the comments after the jump.
Under the agreement, TNB Electron EV charging stations will be installed at selected Perodua outlets and solar panel infrastructure will be developed at Perodua’s premises. The two firms will also jointly explore ways to improve renewable energy integration into Perodua’s ecosystem (suppliers and dealers included) and facilitate Perodua’s Malaysia Renewable Energy Certificate (mREC) adoption towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“With EV adoption gaining momentum, the partnership will bridge the gap between infrastructure readiness and consumer confidence, ensuring a seamless shift to sustainable mobility. As part of this partnership, TNB and Perodua will collaborate on various energy-related solutions,” TNB said, adding that it is also expanding its charging network across strategic locations like shopping malls, highways, petrol stations, and commercial and residential hubs.
“The adoption of EVs is no longer a distant goal; it is happening now. TNB is committed to ensuring that EV users have access to a robust and reliable charging network. Our collaboration with Perodua will accelerate these efforts by integrating charging solutions into their extensive automotive network,” TNB president and CEO Datuk Ir Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan said.
He added that Malaysia’s largest car manufacturer is uniquely positioned to drive mass EV adoption, with the scale, expertise and market reach to make EVs more affordable for everyday consumers.
“As leading Malaysian companies, Perodua and TNB share the goal of promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility. This collaboration complements our EV journey by ensuring accessibility, affordability, and convenience for Malaysians,” said Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad.
“The EV space is where we see strong potential. The demand is growing, and we are positioning ourselves accordingly,” Jeffri said, adding that the model, previewed by the eMO-II Concept at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) 2024, has received positive feedback.
The Perodua EV is expected to be priced around RM80,000 without the battery – the battery could be instead leased, eliminating worries about degradation and resale value. No suitable Daihatsu donor car, so Perodua is self-developing the EV with local and foreign help.
Expect an LFP battery from CATL and around 400 km of range. At KLIMS 2024, a price range of RM50k to RM90k was mentioned, and Perodua believes that its EV will be the cheapest in the market, even after the current RM100k floor price for CBU imported EVs is lifted.
What’s the biggest cost in an electric vehicle? What do buyers fear going wrong the most? I bet your answer to both is ‘battery’. So, would it be better if your EV’s battery doesn’t belong to you and you bear no responsibility for it? That’s the model Perodua is looking into for its first production EV, which is due in Q4 this year.
According to Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad, the company’s EV could be priced around RM80,000 without the battery, which means that P2 will be the first to introduce battery leasing in Malaysia. It’s the best way to sell the car at that price, he said at a media gathering in KL last week, reported by Harian Metro.
“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,” he said, 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.
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.
Zainal also said that with battery leasing, the responsibility of recycling the battery at the end of its life is with the car manufacturer. It’s not talked about often, but battery recycling is an important aspect of selling EVs and it’s something that Perodua wanted to study from the Ativa Hybrid subscription project that was launched in 2022. In Malaysia, only BMW has publicised battery recycling plans.
“For this EV project, Perodua is using self-developed technology with the help of local and foreign vendors,” Zainal said. It was previously revealed that Perodua’s EV battery will be sourced from CATL, one of the top makers of EV batteries in the world.
Click to enlarge
Why is Perodua coming up with an EV and what’s the progress? Here’s a brief recap. A publicly announced deadline by the government has forced the market leader to come up with an EV from scratch. That’s because unlike Proton, P2’s foreign partner Daihatsu does not have a suitable donor car, and the R&D team in Rawang have been on an EV crash course. The process is still ongoing, but as we saw with the eMO-II Concept from KLIMS 2024, much progress has been made.
Expect an LFP battery from CATL, which will provide around 400 km of range. At KLIMS 2024, a price range of RM50k to RM90k was mentioned, and Perodua believes that its EV will be the cheapest in the market, even after the current RM100k minimum price for CBU imported EVs is lifted.
The images you see above are Theophilus Chin’s take on the production eMO-II. Basically, he stripped off the obvious showboating of the KLIMS showcar, replacing them with realistic cues. P2 says that the eMO-II has all of the essence of the company’s first EV and the production car will have a variance of just a few percent. We’ll see in Q4.
Meanwhile, what do you think of Perodua’s battery leasing idea? Based on the points above, would it erase most EV-specific concerns if the total cost is reasonable?
This year, the perennial record-breaker foresees production and sales reductions as it focuses on tooling up for new models and increasing self-reliance in future product development.
“For 2025, we foresee our production numbers declining 4.9% to 350,000 units from 368,100 units made in 2024. This reduction would see registration slowing by 3.7% to 345,000 units from 358,102 units last year,” said president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad.
Despite the lower sales projected, Perodua’s 2025 market share could be higher than last year. If the Malaysian Automotive Association’s lower 780,000-unit total industry volume forecast comes true, Sungai Choh will close the year with a record 44.2% market share, beating 2024’s 43.8%.
The carmaker may be more than doubling its capital expenditure to RM1.6 billion this year, but the bulk of it is going into gearing itself up for more self-reliant new model development from a people, production (including suppliers), and research and development standpoint, rather than increasing volume.
No prizes for guessing the model that’ll most strongly propel Perodua into its self-reliant future – with no suitable Daihatsu donor model, the carmaker is developing its first electric vehicle (EV) from scratch – all we know about the upcoming vehicle here.
