Geely recently launched its new global brand, Geometry, focusing on electric vehicles (EV) and new energy vehicles. With Proton’s strategic foreign partner entering into the EV space, one must wonder whether the Geometry A will enter the Malaysian market.
Short answer, no. Long answer, it’s complicated.
Speaking to Vice President of Communications at Geely Auto Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Mr Victor Yang during a private session with the media in Singapore, Yang explained that there are no immediate plans for Geometry vehicles to make its way to Malaysia, be it under the Geometry brand or a rebadged Proton model.
VP of Communications at Geely Auto Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Mr Victor Yang
“In the starting period, any development of a pure electric car needs to get subsidies in one way or another from a country to make it popular. Pure electric cars need support [for] facilities as well, so you need to set up charging stations, you need to make all these facilities ready for the development of pure electric cars. But I know that the interest level is growing back in Malaysia,” said Yang.
EVs require substantial amount of investment and support from the Government such as charging stations, training for handling high-voltage vehicles (assembly, maintenance, emergency rescue) along with incentives to entice buyers to make the switch to pure electric models.
Malaysia is working towards a cleaner automotive industry by providing customised subsidies to locally assembled cars that are certified as Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEV). Charging stations are also popping out across the country as manufacturers are also playing their part to building the network needed to support electrified vehicles.
“It is up to Proton and its sales company to make an evaluation on the market potential, but we haven’t made a decision to sell Geometry to Malaysia for the moment. I think this can be an appealing car for the Malaysian market,” added Yang.
