Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during a speech in an engagement session with Perodua staff today, revealed that the second national carmaker will be unveiling its first-ever electric vehicle (EV) by the end of November 2025, Bernama reports.
Speaking to the media in attendance, Anwar gave his firm support for the national EV, stating, “I will give instructions to the Cabinet that the launch of this new Perodua EV be made a major national agenda.”
The Prime Minister elaborated, stating that the EV’s development would strengthen the national automotive industry, reflecting Malaysia’s commitment to green technology while simultaneously creating job opportunities and social impact by offering affordable models. He highlighted that the launch proves the capabilities of the nation’s R&D expertise and workforce.
“The EV launch demonstrates that the automotive company not only has excellent R&D expertise, but is also very disciplined in terms of management and good governance,” Anwar added.
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Aside from showing his support for its upcoming local launch, the Prime Minister also announced his plans to take Perodua’s EV to the global stage, jokingly said that he would act as “chief marketing officer” for Perodua and promote the EV at the upcoming G20 Summit in South Africa. This international push will also include official visits to Ethiopia and Kenya.
The Prime Minister hinted at a significant potential export market, noting that Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has indicated that the country would provide easier access for Malaysian-made products, including Perodua’s EV. This was conveyed during their meeting at the 47th ASEAN Summit in October. While the domestic market remains the priority, the global outreach reveals a clear objective to break into overseas markets.
Currently still yet to be officially christened, Perodua’s first EV is targeted to be launched with a sticker price of around RM80,000. This pricing positions it as the second EV model in Malaysia priced under the RM100,000 mark, following the launch of the Proton eMAS 5 (stylised as e.MAS 5).
The model is reportedly a clean-sheet design, developed by Perodua from the ground up without the assistance of its long-term technical partner, Daihatsu. Crucially, the second national carmaker holds the intellectual property rights (IPR) to its EV architecture.
Final specifications are not yet disclosed, but Perodua quotes an approximate driving range of 400 km on the NEDC cycle, and support for 60 kW DC fast charging and a top speed of 165 km/h. The EV model will also utilise hot press-formed steel in its construction, marking the first for Perodua, alongside advanced ADAS 2.0++ features, which will contribute to a targeted 5-star ANCAP rating.
At the launch of Perdodua’s new P-Circle mobile app in October, Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad confirmed that pilot production of the EV model has already started, with plans to eventually scale up to a targeted 2,500 units per month. He also stated that upon launch, the EV will only be available at specific authorised Perodua showrooms.
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