Proton Iriz EV – Indigenous electric car with 300 km run

Kuala Lumpur: Proton Iriz EV prototype earlier gave a glimpse in South Korea last October and now we finally have the car in Malaysia. The car is currently being showcased at the 2015 International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM). The first pictures of the car were released on the internet with initial specs of the Malaysian-developed electric vehicle.

The exterior of the Iriz EV looks somehow familiar to the Iriz, but the beneath the bonnet the car is completely differently. The powertrain of Iriz EV is based on a permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor that puts out the equivalent of 116 kW (155 hp) and 360 Nm of torque. This powerful motor is electrified by LG-developed 39.6 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery. This pure power allows the car to hit a century mark on the speedometer in just nine seconds with a top speed of 150 km/h.

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The car features a 50 kW fast charging and a 6.6 kW normal charging system. Apart from the charging mechanisms the spec sheet also mentions a 7.23 ratio for the single-speed transmission. According to the carmaker the battery of Iriz EV can be charged from 40% to full in just 15 minutes with a fast charger whereas it takes four hours with a public charger and seven hours with a standard three-pin plug.

Earlier it was being speculated that the Iriz EV can easily compete Nissan Leaf in terms of covered distance, as the car claimed to cover 240 Km compared to Nissan's 200. But now the company's is proffering an even better range on the ground, the NEDC cycle-based operational range of around 300 km is mentioned. The car is a piece of art with impressive figures, considering that the car weighs in at 1,380 kg which is 195 kg heavier than the standard Iriz 1.6 Premium CVT (1,185 kg).

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It was speculated that the underfloor-mounted battery will compromise the interior space, but the company has judiciously maintained the interior space, even the car retains its spare tyre under the boot floor. The interiors of the car are truly refined with a small gear knob and a digital instrument display showing the speed, charge status, the power used/regenerative braking applied and even the battery temperature.

Last year in October 2014, Madani Sahari, CEO of Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI) revealed that one of the two proposed Malaysian-developed electric vehicles could be sold for under RM100k when it hits the market. Well, if goes according to the plan, the Iriz EV could be officially announced the end of 2016 or by early 2017.