Prime Highlights: 

Proton e.MAS 7 emerged as Malaysia’s most popular EV in January 2025, with 421 units registered, accounting for 1 in 4 EVs on the road. 

1,691 EVs were registered in January 2025, a 20.5% increase from the previous year, despite a 23.2% decline in overall vehicle registrations. 

Key Background: 

The Proton e.MAS 7 has been named Malaysia’s most popular electric vehicle (EV) for January 2025, according to the latest vehicle registration data from the Road Transport Department (JPJ). A significant 1 in 4 EVs registered last month was the e.MAS 7, surpassing key competitors such as BYD models. 

EVs have seen continued growth despite an overall decline in vehicle registrations across the nation. January 2025 saw a total of 1,691 EVs registered, marking a 20.5 percent increase compared to the 1,403 units recorded in January 2024. This upward trend comes in stark contrast to the broader market, which experienced a 23.2 percent drop in total vehicle registrations, from 70,186 in January 2024 to 53,930 in January 2025. The decrease was primarily due to a 23.7 percent decline in petrol vehicle registrations and a 44.3 percent reduction in green diesel vehicles. Petrol hybrids saw a modest 7 percent increase, with 2,249 units registered in January 2025. 

The Proton e.MAS 7, Proton’s first EV, took the top spot in the EV segment, with 421 units registered last month. It was followed by the BYD Sealion 7 (151 units), BYD M6 (136 units), and BYD Atto 3 (104 units). The BMW i5 secured the fifth spot with 103 units registered. Other notable entries in the top 30 EV list include the Leapmotor C10 at #13 and the Zeekr X at #17. 

In terms of overall EV brand performance, BYD led with 505 registrations, while Proton claimed second place with 421. BMW maintained its position as the leading premium EV brand, with 230 registrations, and Zeekr, a new entrant, emerged in the top five with 101 registrations. Proton’s e.MAS 7 is seen as a strong contender in the market, thanks to its affordable pricing (under RM120,000) and impressive space and performance for a C-segment SUV. Overall, Proton’s e.MAS 7 proved its popularity by outpacing other well-established models such as the Toyota Yaris, GWM Haval H6, and Mazda CX-5.