Proton develops its own domestic electric vehicle for Malaysia – 16 engineers are sent to China for R&D training
Proton has announced that it will supply its own branded electric vehicles (EVs) to Malaysia, although no specific schedule has been given at the moment.
This was revealed in today’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) document exchange between the automaker’s subsidiary NEV, Proton New Energy Technology (Pro-Net) and Gentari at the ongoing 2022 International Ecological and Technological Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM).
If you’re not familiar with the term ‘NEV’, it stands for new energy vehicle and is commonly used in China for electric vehicles, including those with mild hybrid powertrains, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric – the last of which is also commonly referred to as an EV (electric vehicle) or BEV (battery-electric vehicle).
Details are scarce, but Proton says Subsidiary Pro-Net will work closely with smart to make sure EV products coming soon matches the usage profile of electric vehicle buyers in Malaysia. In addition, the company will also invest to develop its knowledge base in the NEV sector by dispatching engineers trained in all aspects of the field.
“Today’s document exchange with Gentari partially addresses Proton’s entry into the NEV market and opens the door to a partnership with Petronas’ clean energy subsidiary to contribute to the construction of the company’s charging infrastructure. Malaysia. However, Proton must equally take care of other areas of the business if we want a comprehensive business solution,” said Roslan Abdullah, Proton’s Deputy CEO.
“For example, as a national auto brand, Proton should lead the growth of Malaysia’s EV ecosystem by investing in the knowledge and expertise to address potential blind spots. in areas where we have little experience. So we will send 16 engineers to China for six months for training in R&D, vehicle performance, homologation and testing with the ultimate aim of developing and selling a homegrown NEV. garden. “
He added: “This is an important step in supporting the government’s efforts to move Malaysia towards a knowledge-based economy and becoming a regional focal point for NEVs.
Proton has been involved in the NEV field in the past, as during IGEM in 2015, the automaker demonstrated Iriz EV. That car has a 39.6 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery that powers a front electric motor that makes 158 PS (155 hp or 116 kW) and 360 Nm of torque.
This setup allows for a 0-100 km/h time of under nine seconds and a top speed of 150 km/h, with a fully charged battery pack capable of going up to 300 km on NEDC cycles. The EV supports AC charging up to 6.6 kW and fast charging up to 50 kW, with a 40-100% charge state in just 15 minutes with the latter.
There are also Saga EV . green propulsion conceptthe Exora REEVthe Preve REEV and Persona Elegance REEV.
Meanwhile, last November, the automaker previewed a 1.5 liter TGDi mild hybrid engine at its Center of Excellence (COE). At the time, the company didn’t mention whether it would offer any of its own-brand electric cars, but today’s announcement is a clear indication that one or more will be coming to the market. we. Only when this happens will we have to wait to find out.
GALLERY: Proton Prototype Iriz EV
GALLERY: Proton Preve REEV
GALLERY: Proton Saga EV Green Propulsion Concept
GALLERY: Proton preview 1.5L TGDi with BSG light hybrid technology
