While everyone’s all frazzled up over Teslas, what Malaysians should have been paying attention to Perodua instead! Rolling out a shiny new prototype of their very own electric vehicle (EV), here’s what you need to know about the Perodua eMO-II EV.
At first glance
The eMO-II (pronounced as M-O-2) is Perodua’s latest EV concept, the first to-scale prototype of its kind. It was first revealed at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) 2024.
Sporting a bright lime green colour, the car’s design draws inspiration from our local songket, seamlessly integrating LEDs to enhance its modern 21st-century aesthetic.
The hatchback EV is made to seat 5 persons, including the driver.
The nitty gritty
But looks can only get you so far, what can this EV really do?
For starters, the EV delivers around 400km of range. It also operates on a 50kWh capacity LFP battery sourced from Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), a China-based battery manufacturer.
For this EV, charging takes eight hours for a full charge on standard AC charging, whilst DC (direct current) charging from 30% to 80% only requires thirty minutes.
Perodua has also claimed that the EV will have a 0 – 100km/h acceleration time of under 7 seconds, talk about speed!
The prototype, along with subsequent versions including the production Perodua EV, relies on imported components for the motor, inverter, and battery, highlighting the underdeveloped state of Malaysia’s EV ecosystem.
A message from the CEO
However, Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad had something to say about the matter, stating that Perodua had been working with multiple local corporations to grant ‘greater mobility’ to its customers.
“Greater mobility means that we take into consideration all aspects of EV ownership to ensure that our customers find the car to be efficient, friendly and easy to use, complete with supporting infrastructure by Malaysia’s best.”
“We understand that electrification goes beyond more than just a new way to drive but it represents our effort in fighting climate change by reducing our carbon footprint. We support this mission and will do our best to make this a reality,” he affirmed.
What’s the damage?
Perodua has maintained its image of affordability with its announcement of the estimated price range for the Perodua eMO-II EV.
The EV’s predicted cost sits firmly between the range of RM50,000 to RM90,000. To compare, a direct local rival EV, the Proton e.MAS 7, is estimated to have a starting price of RM120,000.
But that’s not the only monetary concern for interested car buyers. What happens when the time for resale comes around? It can be noticed that EV resale values are often poorer than their conventional ICE (internal combustion engine) counterparts.
Perodua’s CEO has commented on this fact, stating that the company is looking into the EV’s resale value, targeting to maintain its second-hand value. Whether or not this promise will hold true, we’ll just have to wait and see.
When can I drive it?
The eMO-II is merely the second stage of Perodua’s EV development journey. The third stage will introduce production cars, which are projected to debut in 2025, and the company’s first-ever EV.
Potential buyers of Perodua’s first produced EV might be wary of the lack of charging stations in Malaysia. But the company has assured that they will continue to make further announcements regarding a charging system.
Further emphasising that their plans include EV charging stations located every 40km to 50km, Perodua also mentioned that the decision of whether these chargers would be permanent or mobile is still up in the air.
So, is this your next dream car? Or a flop of Musk-ian levels?
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Feature Image Credit: paultan.org
