At the launch of the Proton e.MAS EV sub-brand, the national carmaker announced that it is setting up its own electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem to maximise the adoption of its EVs. This ecosystem is said to consist of the Proton e.MAS dealership network, which as of yesterday consists of 17 of them, its aftersales service, a charging infrastructure, the use of digital technologies such as internet-of-things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as a Proton EV community by engaging with its customers to instil brand loyalty and advocacy.
Now, let’s look at Proton’s e.MAS dealership network first. As of the e.MAS brand launch held yesterday, Proton has appointed its first 17 e.MAS dealerships. These dealerships are located throughout Malaysia, including in Sabah, and consist of existing Proton dealerships as well as new ones.
On top of the 17 dealerships, Proton has also received over 50 applications to become dealers of Proton e.MAS. The carmaker aims to finalise over 20 e.MAS outlets by the end of 2024.
Proton is adopting various network models for its e.MAS dealerships. This includes the proton e.MAS Centre which will be its 3S centres, and the Proton e.MAS Space which are essentially 1S centres located in places such as shopping malls. The dealerships will offer a series of services, including sales, service, charging facilities, and so on.
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When it comes to its charging facilities, Proton currently houses a total of 15 chargers throughout its outlets in Malaysia, including in East Malaysia. Operated by its various charge point operator (CPO) partners, which include the likes of Gentari, ChargeSini, JomCharge, and chargEV, the 15 chargers consist of 14 DC chargers and 1 AC charger.
PRO-NET, Proton’s subsidiary in charge of the sales and distribution of Smart vehicles as well as the future e.MAS models, also house a total of 22 chargers throughout Smart outlets across Malaysia. These 22 chargers include 9 DC chargers and 13 AC chargers.
Proton e.MAS will also create a super app to enhance its customers’ ownership experience. The app will come with Proton e.MAS’ brand and product information, online-booking functionality for its products, and will allow customers to set up test drives and service appointments, as well as control certain features of the car.
Like the Hello Smart app, the Proton e.MAS super app will also feature an integrated EV charging map. This map will come with route planning with charging stop recommendations, as well as range estimation based on the EV battery’s state-of-charge (SoC). Customers can also initiate charging at a charging station and even pay for the charging service right from the app.
To give its customers peace of mind, Proton has set up its high voltage (HV) battery management service. This service includes the HV battery service network which consists of 1 battery repair centre located in the Klang Vallery area, Smart dealerships, as well as upcoming Proton e.MAS dealerships. There will also be a HV battery management system. Utilising the M241 battery management system, Proton e.MAS will be able to monitor the battery status of its customers’ EV batteries in real-time and provide efficient care for the EV battery’s health.
Proton’s new EV sub-brand will also invest heavily in Malaysia by setting up its local EV research and development (R&D) tropicalisation and will create a local supply chain for its EVs. An EV and next-generation vehicles (NxGV) hub will also be situated within the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV).
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