Geely EX2 spotted at Proton Malaysia plant, hinting at export plans
Paul Tan, 7 Oct '26
Several Geely EX2 units have been photographed leaving Proton's Tanjong Malim facility in Malaysia.
The photographs, which were shared on social media, show the vehicles carrying Geely EX2 badging rather than Proton eMas 5 badging.
Proton currently exports several Geely-badged vehicles, including the S70 (Emgrand), X50 (Coolray) and X90 (Okavango). These models are built at Proton's existing factory, which has body stamping and painting facilities.
The eMas 5, meanwhile, is assembled at a dedicated EV plant which, based on previous information, did not have these facilities.
Although its electric motor is now assembled in Tanjong Malim, its total local content is still likely to be below the 40% threshold required for preferential ASEAN tariffs, meaning that it would be subject to tariffs applicable to imported vehicles.
The EX2 units could indicate one of two possibilities. Proton may have added a paint shop to its EV plant, raising the vehicle's local content sufficiently to meet the threshold for exports to ASEAN markets. Indonesia can be ruled out as a destination because the EX2 is locally assembled there under the CKD system.
Alternatively, the vehicles could be destined for markets where the local-content threshold is less significant. This raises the question of why Geely would not import the vehicles directly from China. Apart from the different badging, the EX2 units appear to be identical to the eMas 5 Premium.
This means they do not feature the latest model's new wheels and rear wiper and, presumably, the larger 47.14 kWh battery, which provides 20 km of additional range, taking the claimed range to 345 km on the WLTP cycle. This would rule out markets such as Europe and Australia, both of which are set to receive the updated model.
Although Proton building EX2 units is a new development, this is not the first time the eMas 5 has been exported. The model is currently sold with Proton badging in Singapore and Nepal, but it remains fully imported from China, with the vehicles being routed through Malaysia.
