PUTRAJAYA: Proton Holdings Bhd may accelerate the introduction of electric vehicles suitable for Malaysian consumers as early as 2025 compared to 2027 as initially projected.

Deputy chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said Proton is currently in the process of identifying suitable models of electric vehicles that are more affordable and practical.

"We may have a model that is affordable but not practical, so we are identifying together with Geely to speed up the project and this is also on the recommendation of the government, especially the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to ensure that Proton accelerates the electric vehicle project.

"We will inform the media of the latest information," he told the media after the launch of the Proton Rahmah 2023 campaign here today.

The Proton Rahmah 2023 campaign which started today until May 31 was launched by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

The campaign encourages Proton owners to send their vehicles to certified service centres for a free 40-point safety check, and service package worth RM150 -- targeted at owners of Proton Persona, Proton Iriz, Proton Exora, Proton Saga, as well as previous models including Proton Inspira, Proton Waja and Proton Wira..

Commenting on the campaign, Roslan said Proton expects 55,000 to 57,000 vehicles or eligible customers to get the service package during the campaign period.

"I hope all Proton customers who own the abovementioned models use this opportunity to get service cost savings because the normal service cost price is RM202 but in conjunction with this campaign we are giving a discounted price of RM150," he said.

-- BERNAMA