Perodua Ativa Hybrid Programme Launched - But Only with 300 Subscribers That Will Be Part of Perodua's First Hybrid Vehicle

Today, the 26th of September 2022 is quite a memorable day. A national car is going hybrid. Peroduais starting on its first-of-its-kind electric vehicle 'real time' study which also incorporates a long-term mobility as a service market study involving 300 subscribers of its limited Ativa Hybrid model. From this we will see the Ativa Hybrid compact SUV on Malaysian roads and Perodua's study on how Malaysian consumers take to the subscription method of car 'ownership'.

According to Perodua, this study is divided into two parts, the first is to understand group driving behaviour (and other running costs) of a hybrid vehicle in urban or populated locations in Malaysia, namely in the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru, and the second is toT to understand consumer’s acceptance of a 5-year “subscription” service, which Perodua is offering to corporate clients under its “EZ MOBi” arm.

The Perodua Ativa Hybrid uses a “series hybrid” system whereby the electric motor sets the vehicles’ wheels in motion while the engine acts as a generator to charge the motor. This model uses a 1.2L engine (WA-VEX) to power the generator. Based on this technology, the Perodua Ativa Hybrid’s Series System is capable of reaching distances of 31.3 kilometres per litre (based on Malaysian Driving Cycle test).

This sort of hybrid isn't where the internal combustion engine is assisted by the electric motor to add power when needed. This is a more linear way of delivering power to the wheels where the electric motor is the one pushing the car forward and the internal combustion engine is used to ensure that the batteries in the car has enough charge to allow the electric motor to power the car forwards (or backwards). In terms of whether this system is really environmentally 'clean', it would depend on how much the engine turns on in traffic packed areas but it could actually be the same as those motor assisted hybrids we usually have seen in Malaysia to date.

The Perodua Ativa platform is a good chassis to start with a hybrid vehicle simply due to the fact that it is a larger Perodua model and you do need some space in the floorpan or boot space to fill up with batteries. It makes perfect sense for Perodua to use this as its first foray into electrification.

“The Perodua Ativa Hybrid would be the best vehicle for us to gain unique insights on Malaysian behaviour as a controlled group , as this data will be used to anticipate our customers’ needs when using an electric vehicle,” Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said.

He added that this pilot programme by Perodua will also allow the compact car company to see the acceptance level of customers on a long-term subscription programme as an alternative to the traditional buying and selling of cars.

“While we believe that vehicle ownership will still be our bread and butter; there is a possibility that a vehicle subscription business model may be acceptable for more users in the near future.

“This is what we mean by ‘subscription’ – a service where all other obligations of owning a vehicle – such as following a service schedule, paying vehicle insurance and paying road tax – will be managed entirely buy us; all the customer has to do is pay a subscription fee toenjoy the package,” Dato’ Sri Zainal said.

He explained that Perodua does have an existing subscription service managed under its EZ MOBi arm but at the moment the subscription service is only for companies and not individuals. Perodua’s EZ MOBi service was first introduced in January 2021.

It is also interesting to see that Perodua is thinking of going into the subscription method of car ownership. In an age where there are ride sharing services, car sharing services and an era where young Malaysians seem to think of cars as only a means of transport and not something to covet, and a time where most do not have time to even think about anything else except work or family due to time constraints, subscription services make sense as everything is covered by it, including the time when they need to sell or change their vehicles, where they would just have to throw the keys back to the dealership that sold it to them and not worry about how much they could get for their old car.

The Perodua Ativa Hybrid Subscription Event was attended by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Secretary General, Dato’ Sri Lokman Hakim Ali, Perodua Chairman, Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin and Daihatsu Chairman, Mr Sunao Matsubayashi.