Detroit Electric in talks to partner with Malaysia Proton on electric car

Netherlands-based firm Detroit Electric said it has begun talks with Malaysia's state-owned car manufacturer Proton to produce electric cars for the Southeast Asian market. CEO Albert Lam also said Detroit Electric was keen to establish a plant in Malaysia to manufacture batteries for the electric car at a cost of about $30 million. He said the company planned to roll out 30,000 electric cars by 2010. Lam showcased a Proton Persona, a Savvy, and a Lotus Elise sports car, converted to run on electric power. The electric Persona was driven by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi at the recent Merdeka Day [Malaysia National Day] parade. Proton said it is keen to develop electric cars, to reduce carbon emissions and avoid rising fuel costs. Detroit Electric was an icon of the United States auto industry in the early 1900s, producing the first electric cars. It went bankrupt in 1939 and was revived by Lam and other shareholders in 2007.

- Pardon me for being skeptical, but a resurrected bankrupt American company that hasn't been making cars for like 100 years, and a struggling Malaysian car maker fresh from failed partnership talks with Volkswagen and GM? And Detroit Electric has only recently ditched a partnership with another electric car upstart wannabe, Zap. Noble intentions for a handful of companies trying to make a difference for the environment and the world, or are they just jumping onto the green bandwagon like so many others? As for Proton, I wonder whatever they are doing, talking up hybrid cars one day, and electric cars the next?

I have my doubts, but I remain curious to see if they can pull through on the execution. If they are able to execute, it would be great, but if they don't, I wouldn't be too surprised. The Tesla Roadster was the one that kicked off this whole recent electric car phenomenon, but even for them it has been a difficult journey. The automotive industry is a land of giants, and it is pretty hard for small auto-makers to gain a toehold in the market. In order to carve out a niche, small makers have to offer something truly compelling and ground-breaking. Let's see if they have something to offer in this department.

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