Malaysian automaker Proton Holdings Ltd., which is owned by Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd., launched its electric vehicle production plant on Thursday, marking Malaysia's first foray into electric vehicle manufacturing. The new plant is located in Tanjung Malim in the northern Malaysian state of Perak and is part of the “Automotive Hi-Tech Valley” jointly created by Geely and DRB-HiCom Group. The plant will cost 82 million ringgit and will have an annual production capacity of 20,000 vehicles. It is planned to expand to a maximum of 45,000 vehicles in the future. Although other automakers already have electric vehicle assembly lines in Malaysia, the plant is the country's first complete electric vehicle production plant. According to Proton, the plant will produce the Proton E.mas 7 model — one of the most popular electric vehicle models in Southeast Asia, with sales of more than 4,000 units in the first half of this year.

Malaysian automaker Proton Holdings Ltd., which is owned by Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd., launched its electric vehicle production plant on Thursday, marking Malaysia's first foray into electric vehicle manufacturing. The new plant is located in Tanjung Malim in the northern Malaysian state of Perak and is part of the “Automotive Hi-Tech Valley” jointly created by Geely and DRB-HiCom Group. The plant will cost 82 million ringgit and will have an annual production capacity of 20,000 vehicles. It is planned to expand to a maximum of 45,000 vehicles in the future. Although other automakers already have electric vehicle assembly lines in Malaysia, the plant is the country's first complete electric vehicle production plant. According to Proton, the plant will produce the Proton E.mas 7 model — one of the most popular electric vehicle models in Southeast Asia, with sales of more than 4,000 units in the first half of this year.