With backing from China-based Geely, first battery models expected to debut in 2025The battery base of an electric vehicle is displayed on a screen during the launch of the Proton EV brand e.MAS — for “Electrifying Malaysia” — in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. (Photo: Bloomberg)Proton, the Malaysian carmaker backed by the Chinese automaker Geely, has unveiled the country’s first homemade electric vehicle brand. Proton announced the e.MAS brand — for “Electrifying Malaysia” — on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, with the first cars expected to roll off the production line by the end of 2025. Geely’s fully owned Zeekr EV brand will also be introduced in Malaysia later this year, according to reports from China. Proton has already appointed 17 dealers for its e.MAS brand, and expects to have a total of 20 by the end of the year.
