KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua aims to produce the cheapest electric vehicle (EV) in Malaysia and its eMO-II prototype, unveiled today, points in that direction.
It's an evolution of the previous prototype as Perodua seeks to refine and learn from journey in making an EV from the ground up.
The Perodua EV is expected to launch in 2025, priced at between RM50,000 and RM90,000. Production volume would be set at 500 units per month.
The latest prototype has more refined styling where it incorporates 21st century aesthetics with Malaysian uniqueness, said Perodua.
The car’s design is based on the Malaysia "songket" that has been seamlessly integrated with LED lights that complements its design.
“Please keep in mind that this is still a prototype model and there are plenty of other features and improvements that we will add to our finished product, which we will introduce in the near future,” Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2024.
The EV project was fully developed in-house by Perodua Research and Development team in 2023.
Describing it as a "steep learning curve for our team", the Perodua CEO said the company has hired numerous consultants to understand the inner workings of an EV to develop the latest eMO-II (pronounced as M-O-2).
He said it is also working with several Malaysian companies to ensure “greater mobility” for all its customers.
“Greater mobility means that we take into consideration all aspects of EV ownership to ensure that our customers find the car to be efficient, friendly and easy to use, complete with supporting infrastructure," Zainal said, adding that it would also look into making more EV chargers available as well as propping up its resale value.
He also said the eMO-II would use lithium-ion battery with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. The battery, electric motor and inverter would be sourced from overseas, he added.
In addition to the eMO-II, Perodua also featured its Ativa Fuze concept, a modified version of the Ativa that was fitted with bigger infotainment screen and dual screens for the back seats.
With EVs in its product range soon, Perodua said would ensure it balances the production of EVs without undermining the sales of its highly profitable combustion-engine models.
Proton, the other national carmaker, will be launching its e.MAS 7 EV later this month. It is tentatively priced from RM120,000 and will be available in two variants.
KLIMS 2024 is opened to the public from Dec 5-11.
Ativa Fuze concept
