PROTON Breaks Ground On RM82 Million EV Production Plant In Tanjung Malim
PROTON has officially commenced construction of its dedicated electric vehicle (EV) production facility in Tanjung Malim, marking a significant step towards its goal of becoming a key player in the Malaysian and regional EV market. The RM82 million plant is slated for completion by the end of 2025.
The new facility, located within PROTONs high-tech Tanjung Malim complex and the wider Automotive High Tech Valley (AHTV), will initially have an annual capacity of 20,000 units. PROTON plans to produce multiple NEV (New Energy Vehicle) models based on the Global Modular Architecture (GMA) platform, starting with the Proton e.MAS 7, which was launched last year in Completely Built-Up (CBU) form.
The setting up of this facility aligns with the Malaysian government’s EV industrialisation plan and local adoption, based on the policies outlined in the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP), National Automotive Policy (NAP 2020), Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (LCMB), and New Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR). The plant is scheduled to be operational just before the full consolidation of PROTON’s manufacturing operations in Tanjung Malim.
The new EV plant will incorporate “smart manufacturing technologies” for optimised efficiency, quality, and reduced environmental impact. This includes automation through robotics, cloud-based plant management, industrial internet-of-things (IoT), and other technologies synonymous with IR 4.0.
Despite the high level of automation, PROTON anticipates the creation of over 200 specialised jobs in EV industrialisation and technical services for the local community. The plant is also expected to positively impact the AHTV vendor community as it ramps up operations to supply value-added components. Here too, demand for employment is expected.
Looking ahead, PROTON has plans for a 2nd phase of expansion, to increase production capacity to 45,000 units per annum. This expansion will be determined by sales demand in both Malaysian and overseas markets.
“PROTON began making its transition to become an OEM offering ICE and NEV models when we established PRO-NET to sell electric vehicles from smart in 2023, before launching the Proton e.MAS 7 last year in 2024. Over this period, we have accumulated a lot of experience in all areas regarding these vehicles and the needs of their customers, so today we take another step to realising our dream of manufacturing and developing EV models in Malaysia,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of PROTON. “The vehicles produced here at this new plant will serve our domestic customers and export market while becoming a catalyst to driving the growth of the EV market.” 
“Once completed, this new factory will focus on producing the Proton e.MAS 7 as well as future NEV offerings as PROTON expands its model range. Ultimately, we hope our success will establish a modern and capable automotive ecosystem to encourage more OEMs to consider Malaysia and AHTV as a regional base for EVs,” Dr. Li added.
This new EV production plant reinforces PROTON’s commitment to electric mobility and its role in helping to support the growth of AHTV as an automotive hub. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by the Menteri Besar of Perak, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, along with representatives from state government and executive council, and key PROTON figures, including board member Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, CEO Dr. Li Chunrong, and Deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah.
