Subang Jaya, 13 April 2026 – PROTON has officially marked a major milestone in its sustainability journey, becoming the first passenger vehicle manufacturer in Malaysia to achieve the ISO 50001: 2018 certification for Energy Management Systems (EnMS). This landmark achievement reinforces PROTON’s commitment to advancing energy efficiency and supporting Malaysia’s transition towards a low-carbon future.

The certification is strategically aligned with the Malaysian government’s push for more robust energy management practices under the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Act 2024 (EECA 2024). Furthermore, it supports broader national initiatives including the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and the net-zero ambitions of PROTON’s parent company, DRB-HICOM.

Recognition of certification is a big step forward for sustainability

Awarded by the British Standards Institution (BSI), a global business standards company, PROTON’s ISO 50001: 2018 certification reflects its investment in having a structured framework to monitor, control and continuously improve energy performance across operations. At PROTON, this framework is implemented across its manufacturing operations, including the PROTON Tanjung Malim plant in Perak, which has an annual production capacity of up to 250,000 vehicles. At this scale, energy consumption is linked to production output, making efficiency at the per-vehicle level a critical focus area where even incremental improvements in energy usage per unit can deliver significant impact across total production volume.

Under this system, PROTON is targeting a 2% annual improvement in energy efficiency, in line with production growth and long-term manufacturing sustainability goals. This has been driven by a structured multi-phase energy roadmap implemented at its Tanjung Malim plant, covering key initiatives such as large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment, energy digitalisation and real-time monitoring, LED lighting upgrades, fan and chiller system optimisation, compressor efficiency improvements, as well as Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) implementation in the future to manage peak demand.

The roadmap also includes continuous shopfloor-level efficiency programmes across production areas including Stamping, Body, Painting, Trim & Final (TF), and Assembly.

A national foundation for sustainable manufacturing

Beyond operational gains, this milestone underscores PROTON’s role as a national automotive leader supporting Malaysia’s transition towards a low-carbon future. As the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) develops into a regional hub for advanced manufacturing, PROTON is setting the direction for how sustainability can be embedded into industrial growth.

The certification builds on earlier initiatives such as the 2021 installation of Malaysia’s largest parking lot bi-facial solar panel facility at PROTON Tanjung Malim, reflecting a consistent shift towards cleaner energy and more responsible operations. Up to December 2025, the solar energy array has reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 48,453 tonnes, equivalent to removing 10,500 ICE powered vehicles from Malaysian roads for an entire year. Together, these efforts align with Malaysia’s broader agenda to strengthen energy efficiency and develop high-value, sustainable industries.

“As the automotive industry evolves, efficiency and sustainability will be key to long-term competitiveness. For PROTON, this means strengthening our capabilities today to ensure our operations remain future-ready, adaptable, and aligned with the direction of global automotive manufacturing. As the first passenger vehicle manufacturer in Malaysia to achieve ISO 50001: 2018, we are also setting clearer benchmarks for energy performance, not just within our operations, but across the broader automotive ecosystem we are building in Tanjung Malim,” said Dato Ir. Abdul Rashid Musa, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, PROTON.

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