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Perodua To Produce EV By October, Launch By Year-end -- CEO

SERDANG, May 8 (Bernama) -- Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) aims to finalise production of its first electric vehicle (EV) car by October, with plans to bring it to market by the end of this year.

Its president and chief executive officer, Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad, said the car would initially be over 30 per cent locally assembled at its new factory in Rawang, Selangor, with a price below RM80,000.

"But after a few months of production, with the localisation of critical components, we hope to increase the local assembly content to over 60 per cent," he told a press conference after unveiling the EV prototype — presented in a half-cut form — at the Malaysian Autoshow 2025 here today.

Zainal Abidin said the EV, with an expected monthly production of 500 units, would be targeted at the younger buyers and small families, enabling them to enjoy an affordable electric ride.

He also stressed that the model's long-term value was a key priority, particularly regarding battery quality and resale price.

"If people buy an EV but are not confident in the battery quality, the car's value will drop after eight years.

"So, we are ensuring that even after eight or nine years, the car will still retain its value — because we control the battery quality. You can always get a new battery from us," he said.

-- BERNAMA