Proton fields 14 cars at Malaysia's Merdeka parade, including full CKD e.MAS range

KUALA LUMPUR: Proton and its EV arm PRO-NET took part in Malaysia's 69th National Day Parade yesterday with a 14-vehicle convoy, the biggest showing the company has put together for the event so far.

The contingent rolled under the Kluster Pemacu Pembangunan Negara banner, or the Key Driver of National Development Cluster if you prefer it in English.

Also Read: New EPMB facility to produce chassis components for Proton vehicles

Eight models were named in the line-up: the Saga, X50, the 2026 S70, the X70, the X90, and the three electrified cars, the e.MAS 5, e.MAS 7 and e.MAS 7 PHEV.

Since the convoy was 14 cars strong, some of those models clearly turned up in multiples. Everything wore a "Memacu Malaysia" wrap.

It is the third straight year Proton e.MAS has been in the parade. The first two years were used to put the e.MAS 7 and then the e.MAS 5 in front of the public for the first time.

This year there was nothing new to debut, so the PHEV joined the other two and the brand simply showed its complete xEV range in one go.

PRO-NET CEO Zhang Qiang framed it as a generational handover rather than a product push.

"For generations, PROTON has been part of many Malaysians' lives, from the first car they drove to the first car they bought for their families. Today, that journey is evolving as more Malaysians take their first step into electrified mobility with Proton e.MAS. Being part of the National Day Parade is especially meaningful, as it reflects both PROTON's journey as Malaysia's national automotive brand and the growing role of Proton e.MAS in shaping the country's next chapter of mobility.

"In just under two years, Proton e.MAS has grown from a new entrant to Malaysia's No. 1 EV brand, and this milestone reflects the growing confidence of Malaysians in electrified mobility. As the journey continues, Proton e.MAS remains committed to making EV ownership more accessible, developing local capabilities and contributing to a more sustainable mobility future for Malaysia," he added.

The No. 1 EV brand line is Proton's own claim rather than an independently audited figure, so take it as the company's framing.

The Colours of Malaysian Spirit 

The parade cars doubled as a rolling billboard for e.MAS's "Colours of Malaysian Spirit" campaign, with Malaysian-inspired colours and cultural elements worked into how the vehicles were presented.

Sitting under that is the "Anak e.MAS Malaysia" story, which is basically Proton arguing that the Saga's role as the default first car is now being handed to the e.MAS 5.

There is something to that, at least on price. The e.MAS 5 starts at RM59,800 for the Prime and RM72,800 for the Premium, which puts a new EV within reach of buyers who would previously have been shopping used.

Whether that is enough against BYD, and the rest of the Chinese brands fighting over the same Malaysian buyers is a separate argument, and one the parade was never going to settle.

Proton e.MAS says it has recorded 31,504 cumulative xEV registrations as of 31 July 2026, and reckons that makes it the fastest Malaysian brand to hit that mark.

Supporting it are 60 dealerships, 46 service centres, 10 Body and Paint facilities and more than 4,700 charging points nationwide.

The more meaningful line for buyers is the assembly one. With the e.MAS 7 PHEV now locally assembled, all three e.MAS models are built in Malaysia.

That matters for pricing stability and parts supply more than any parade appearance does. The PHEV currently lists from RM109,800, or RM105,800 with the launch rebate, while the e.MAS 7 EV opens at RM99,800.

Colour hunt

The campaign continues online with the Malaysia Colour Hunt, running on Proton e.MAS social media until 16 September.

There are 69 winners, each getting an RM69 Touch 'n Go eWallet reload PIN. Details are on the Proton e.MAS website and its Facebook, Xiaohongshu, TikTok and Instagram channels.

Also Read: PRO-NET to open e.MAS branded EV charging stations, joins hands with DC Handal, JomCharge and chargEV