Originally published July 25 2005
Malaysian carmaker looks to produce hybrid car by 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Proton, Malaysia's biggest carmaker, has announced it intends to develop a gasoline-electric hybrid car in the next five years, and the International Herald Tribune says the move may come just before a possible government move to end tax rebates for local manufacturers.
Proton Holdings, Malaysia's biggest carmaker, plans to develop a car in the next five years that runs on gasoline-electric engines, Mahathir bin Mohamad, the former prime minister who is also the carmaker's adviser, said Tuesday.
For five years, the maker of Wira compact cars had been working on a so-called hybrid vehicle, he said.
Hybrid cars are powered by conventional gasoline engines and battery packs.
Mahathir did not say if the company, based in Shah Alam, outside Malaysia's capital, would buy technology from Toyota Motor or Honda Motor.
"Proton is working hard, doing research, but the allocation is very, very minimal and the number of engineers we can allocate for research is also very limited."
Proton, set up by Mahathir in 1985 to lead Malaysia's push to industrialize, is trying to develop new models to compete with Toyota, Honda and other overseas assemblers ahead of a possible government move to end tax rebates for local manufacturers.
The company needs new technology after Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors, which provided its engine and chassis platforms for Proton cars, sold their stakes in Proton last year.
The Toyota Prius, the world's first and best-selling hybrid car, can go as far as 90 kilometers, or 55 miles, on a gallon of gasoline, more than double the capability of gasoline-powered vehicles of comparable size.
Mahathir did not say where Proton would get its hybrid technology.
Mahathir also said he was not aware that the board of Proton might censure the company's chief executive, Mahaleel Ariff, for criticizing the Malaysian government's automotive policy.
Toyota Motor has denied a report that it would double production of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles in response to increasing sales in North America.
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