KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (NNN-BERNAMA) – Malaysian national carmaker, Proton, signed a general distributorship agreement with smart Automobile Co., Ltd., to sell electric vehicles (EVs) and provide services in Malaysia and Thailand.
At a ceremony, witnessed by officials from various government agencies yesterday, both sides paved the way for the introduction of new energy vehicles, the national carmaker said, in a statement.
The first smart model to be sold by Proton, during the first phase of the collaboration, will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2023, the statement said.
Proton CEO Li Chunrong said, the agreement marked a big step for the carmaker’s entry into the new energy vehicle market.
The first phase of business is focused on retailing, but it provides Proton with valuable knowledge and experience on, not only how to service and charge EVs, but also how to transform the way Proton interacts with their customers, said Li.
“The move into this market segment will also help drive Proton’s move towards being more environmentally friendly, in all facets of our operations, as we work to help Malaysia achieve its carbon neutrality target by 2050,” he said.
Proton works closely with Chinese automaker, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Their collaboration brought the popular X70 and X50 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) into the Malaysian market.
