Proton today handed over three Saga Electric Vehicles and five Range Extender Electric Vehicles to the government to be test driven.
The vehicles were received by Prime Minister Najib Razak in a ceremony also witnessed by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who initiated the national car.
Others who took delivery of the vehicles at the PM’s Department were Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Peter Chin, Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanazlah, Deputy Minister of International trade and Industry Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri.
Proton chairman Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh delivered the vehicles for the first phase of fleet testing that is to assess the potential of green technology in developing electric and hybrid cars.
Proton, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, will get feedback covering the technology, design and performance of the vehicles.
Proton will provide charging stations at the PM’s Department and the four ministries. The Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water said in a statement that a charging system for home use would be supplied to motorists to be identified from the PM’s Department and the four ministries.
Dr Mahathir told reporters later that the national car company took three years to develop the vehicles.
“We hope that Proton will one day produce trucks and buses using this system which reduces the use of petrol by relying on batteries to power the engine,” he said.
– Bernama
CJMY
C. Khor
