SINGAPORE — Malaysia’s national carmaker Proton is re-entering the republic after 11 years with the local launch of its first electric SUV next week.
The mid-sized e.Mas 7, already a hit in Malaysia, will headline the comeback and be delivered to the first eight Singapore customers through distributor Vincar Group at its new Leng Kee Road showroom, The Straits Times reported.
Proton withdrew from Singapore in 2014 after its subsidiary sold the final four cars, but it is now returning with a new generation of electric vehicles developed with Chinese partner Geely.
The e.Mas 7 will lead Proton’s EV push, followed by the smaller e.Mas 5 which is expected to arrive in Singapore by 2026.
Chief executive officer Li Chunrong said Singapore’s market is a key testing ground for Proton’s overseas expansion strategy.
“Singapore is a developed market and if we can get good performance in Singapore, I believe we can go to more countries,” Li told Singapore media yesterday.
Proton’s first EV comes after Geely bought a 49.9 per cent stake in 2017, while Malaysian conglomerate DRB-Hicom continues to hold the remaining 50.1 per cent.
Li, Proton’s 11th chief executive and third foreign leader since its founding in 1983, steered the company back to profitability in 2019 after years of losses.
He said Proton aims to become one of the top three full-electric SUV brands, while noting that competition from Chinese rival BYD will be tough.
The e.Mas 7 has been Malaysia’s top-selling EV since its December 2024 launch, with nearly 5,000 units delivered by July 2025, including exports to Nepal and Trinidad and Tobago.
Singapore will be the model’s third overseas market, with Mauritius scheduled to follow later in the year, and owners in Singapore will also get access to Proton’s cross-border emergency services in Malaysia.
Although Proton opened its first EV assembly plant in Tanjung Malim earlier this month, Singapore cars will continue to be produced at Geely’s China plant, with hybrids considered for future exports depending on local policies.
