Perodua is back with another electric vehicle study, but there’s a difference in the emo-1, as the vehicle is called. Where the original visualisation was offered as a 1:6 scale clay model, this one is presented in full-size form, with supposedly running mechanicals. The emo-1, which is on display at the Malaysia Autoshow 2024, is an electric hatchback underpinned by a 2021 D51A Myvi serving as a donor vehicle. The conversion project is powered by a three-phased permanent magnet synchronous motor offering 68 PS (50 kW rated; 120 kW peak) and 220 Nm of twist (quoted as 315 Nm on the large info panel at the display), and this is good enough to get the electric Myvi to 100 km/h in around seven to nine seconds.

The motor is juiced by a NMC lithium-ion battery with an energy capacity of 55.7 kWh (listed as 57.6 kWh on the info panel), which the automaker says will offer 350 km of travel (400 km quoted on the display panel spec sheet) on a single charge. As for charging, it takes over five hours to get the unit to full via 11 kW AC charging, while charging at 50 kW DC takes just over an hour.

 

The specs on the prototype are different from that ventured for the EV study from last year, when 95 PS and 121 Nm was quoted from its electric motor, and performance figures included a 0-100 km/h time of 10 seconds and a 160 km/h top speed (there’s no mention of the latter with this one, but 150 km/h was intimated during the presentation). The actual battery is also slightly up in terms of capacity from the 50 kWh stated previously. According to the company, the project to develop the emo-1 – which tips the scales at more than 1,400 kg – started back in Sept 2022, but actual construction only began nine months ago, with the final build completed with the assistance of an Australian partner.

The conversion is very much a precursor for further development, with the company saying that an updated concept will be shown at the end of this year, which means it’s likely to be at KLIMS. Meanwhile, production is slated to take place sometime next year, and there’s even a price point ventured for its first EV offering – the automaker says that it will be below RM100k, but above RM50k. It added that there will be a new mechanism to ensure better resale value for Perodua EVs too.