Perodua’s first electric vehicle is being positioned as a national flagship model, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pledging to place its launch on the country’s strategic agenda as Malaysia pushes deeper into affordable electrification.
In an engagement with Perodua staff, Anwar said the fully Malaysian-developed EV, slated to debut at the end of November 2025, will be priced at around RM80,000 to keep it within reach of young buyers and small families.
The model named QV-E is intended to be affordable, practical and capable of stimulating domestic demand while supporting broader economic growth, he said today after witnessing the rollout of the 5.5 millionth Perodua car, a Bezza.
According to Bernama, Anwar described the project as proof that Malaysian engineers and workers are capable of delivering competitive EV technology.
He said Perodua’s in-house development, disciplined management and strong governance justified full backing from the Madani government, adding that the EV is in line with national priorities on green mobility and industrial upgrading.
The EV model is reported to be a design created from the ground up and developed independently by Perodua, which holds the intellectual property rights to its EV architecture.
Early specifications indicate an estimated driving range of about 400km on the NEDC cycle (340km on WLTP), a 0-100kph time of 6s to 7s, support for 60kW DC fast charging and a top speed of 165kph. It sources its LFP battery from China’s battery giant CATL.
Hot press-formed steel and advanced driver assistance systems are expected to help the QV-E target a five-star safety rating.
Initial production is taking place at Perodua’s new facility in Rawang, with pilot units already underway and output planned to scale up to around 2,500 units a month.
Early localisation is projected at more than 30%, with volumes and local content to rise over time. The EV will first be sold through selected authorised outlets.
Anwar signalled plans to champion the car internationally, saying he was ready to act as “chief marketing officer” for Perodua by promoting the EV at platforms such as the G20 Summit and during official visits to Africa and South America. He noted interest from Brazil in easing access for Malaysian-made products, including the EV.
Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the company, which has produced 5.5 million vehicles and invested RM13.4 billion since 1993, views the EV as a key step in its next growth phase.
To round off 2025, Perodua is also on track to introduce the long-delayed D66B compact SUV, tipped to carry the Nexis/Traz name in December. The petrol-engined vehicle was postponed for over a year following Daihatsu’s procedural-irregularities scandal.
Positioned to challenge the Proton X50 in the B-segment, the D66B will reportedly come in three trims: X, SE and range-topping AV. Built on the DNGA-B platform and twinned with the Toyota Yaris Cross, it is expected to launch with a 1.5-litre 2NR-VE naturally aspirated engine (78 kW, 138Nm) paired with a D-CVT. A hybrid AV was initially planned for debut but is now said to be scheduled for a later introduction.
Styling will differ from the Yaris Cross with a unique grille plus revised front and rear bumpers.
