Kuala Lumpur: 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, announced this at a press conference following the unveiling of the EV prototype at the Malaysian Autoshow 2025.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the EV car will initially be over 30 percent locally assembled at Perodua’s new factory in Rawang, Selangor, with a price below RM80,000. Zainal Abidin expressed hopes of increasing the local assembly content to over 60 percent after a few months of production through the localisation of critical components.

Zainal Abidin stated that the EV, expected to have a monthly production of 500 units, will target younger buyers and small families, making affordable electric rides accessible to them. He highlighted that maintaining the model’s long-term value is a significant priority, specifically focusing on 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,” he explained. “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.”