Although the Proton e.MAS 7 is selling very well in Malaysia – even topping the monthly sales charts in the EV segment – the automaker is not just looking at the domestic market for its first production EV.
Its international sales division has been actively seeking overseas markets, with the model having been launched in Nepal recently. The EV is imported by Proton’s distributor Jagdamba Motors Pvt Ltd which has appointed 3 dealers to sell it and plans to have 12 dealers by the end of this year.
Drawing more EV buyers
Jagdamba Motors also has plans to help build the country’s charging infrastructure and establish a robust service centre network nationwide. This will help to ease customer hesitation towards switching to EVs, an issue which Proton has been addressing for the past 3 years.
Nevertheless, with the government’s Green Mobility Vision policies encouraging EV adoption, EV sales in Nepal have grown from 6% of total industry volume in 2021 to 73% in 2024. This provides good opportunities for Proton which has been in the market since the end of 2020.
Tour of Nepal
Prior to the official launch, Proton and its business partner ran an e.MAS 7 Tour, an approach which was very successful in Malaysia to familiarise the Nepalese community with the new EV model. During the tour, the e.MAS 7 featured a Nepalese-themed wrap that showed national symbols and Himalayan scenery.
The tour made 18 stops around Nepal, creating much awareness that was supported by social media which saw an increase to over 27,000 on the company’s social media pages.
For the Nepal market, both versions of the e.MAS 7 – the Prime and Premium – will be offered with a choice of 6 colours. It is priced from 5,999,000 to 6,799,000 Nepalese rupees, which is equivalent to RM192,800 to RM218,500.
EV to be sold in more markets
The entry of the e.MAS 7 into the Nepal market signifies the beginning of a broader international strategy as it plans to introduce its first EV to other global markets. A small number of units has already been sent to Singapore and Trinidad & Tobago for evaluation purposes, with launches imminent sometime this year.
“Nepal is just the beginning. Plans are already in motion to introduce the Proton e.MAS 7 to other international markets to support the brand’s global growth ambitions. This expansion strengthens Proton’s position as a forward-looking automotive leader while building new customer relationships worldwide. Going forward, we will be bringing our EV model to Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius as well as Singapore,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.