According to Malaysian local media citing government sources, Malaysian automaker Proton is exploring the possibility of establishing a pure electric vehicle (EV) assembly plant in Kazakhstan. As Malaysia's first state-owned car manufacturer, Proton plans to explore opportunities to assemble its e.MAS series of electric vehicles in the Central Asian nation.
At the end of last year, Proton launched its first EV model, the e.MAS 7, in Malaysia. The model is based on the Galaxy E5 platform developed by Chinese automaker Geely and holds the distinction of being Malaysia's first domestically produced electric vehicle. Proton explained that "e.MAS" stands for "Electrification of Malaysia," and all of the company's future EVs will fall under the e.MAS brand. Earlier this year, Proton began exporting the e.MAS 7 to international markets including Trinidad and Tobago and Nepal.
Recently, Proton representatives visited Kazakhstan and held meetings with government officials, including Minister of Industry Yersayin Nagaspayev. Following the talks, the Kazakh Ministry of Industry issued a statement saying: "Proton presented its production plans for the e.MAS electric vehicle brand. The discussions focused on potential factory locations, export opportunities, and compliance with technical and environmental standards set by the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)." Proton and the Kazakh Ministry of Industry have agreed to form a joint working group to "develop a localized production strategy and promote joint investment projects."
The Kazakh Ministry of Industry revealed that over 134,000 passenger vehicles were produced in Kazakhstan in 2024, primarily from global brands such as Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, JAC, and Jetour. This year, two new automotive factories are also being built in Kazakhstan's largest cities, Almaty and Kostanay. As of the end of May 2025, total EV sales in Kazakhstan reached 9,400 units.
It is worth noting that Malaysia aims to have electric and hybrid vehicles account for 20% of new car sales in the country by 2030. In the first four months of this year, sales of pure electric vehicles in Malaysia rose by 54% year-on-year to 9,719 units, with the Proton e.MAS 7 contributing 2,537 units to the total.
