Malaysia-based national automotive brand Proton has launched the company’s and the nation’s first electric vehicle (EV).

Proton said in a statement on Monday that it took its highly anticipated first step into the EV market when its new energy vehicle arm PRO-NET launched the Proton e.MAS 7.

It said the event marked a new chapter in advancing Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable mobility by driving the adoption of EVs towards reducing its carbon footprint.

Proton said the firm envisions the launch of the first Malaysian national EV as a driver towards sustainability and innovation in transportation in the country.

It noted this in turn is in line with the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) that counts the transformation of Malaysia into a net-zero emissions nation by 2050 among its main objectives.

The launch of the e.MAS brand as well as the Proton e.MAS 7 are amongst the most tangible steps being taken to achieve these aims, it added.

According to the statement, the first national EV is the fruit of labors undertaken by Proton in the development of its first EV.

The Proton e.MAS 7, underscores the company’s commitment to innovation and is a rolling showcase of its close collaboration with its partner Chinese auto maker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Proton and Geely engineers spent over 700,000 man-hours developing the latest model, which then underwent 100,000 km of testing across Malaysia’s diverse terrain and in harsh weather conditions.

“By collaborating closely with its partner, Proton has successfully developed a global product that allows us to take a major step towards a sustainable future for Malaysia’s automotive industry,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer, Proton.

“Drawing on over 40 years of experience in the local automotive industry, Proton has the expertise to develop a car from the ground up, from a robust supply chain to comprehensive aftersales support,

“We believe this will be a significant step forward, helping us transition to the next chapter thus reaffirming our commitment to innovation and growth in line with the nation’s vision for a greener, carbon-neutral future,” he added.

The all-new Proton e.MAS 7 comes with both prime and premium variants, will be available in five colors. The prices start from MYR 109,800 ($24,660).

“From being the best-selling SUV brand in Malaysia, PRO-NET aims to replicate this success with Proton e.MAS in the EV segment,

“We know this is a very competitive segment, but we are fully confident in our offering and our goal is to continue innovating and enabling Malaysians from all walks of life to make that shift to sustainable mobility,” said Zhang Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of PRO-NET.

“Moving forward, we plan to export this latest model starting with Singapore, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius and Nepal next year, helping us to solidify our position in the international market and strengthen our commitment to providing eco-friendly, accessible mobility solutions globally,” he added.

PRO-NET has to-date appointed 37 dealers nationwide and 30 of them will be fully operational by end of 2024.

Proton is majority owned by Malaysian conglomerate DRB HICOM , with the remaining 49.9 percent stake held by Geely.

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