Japan Rebadging A Malaysian EV? How Daihatsu Could Use Perodua’s QV-E Platform

What if the next Daihatsu you see on the road isn't actually Japanese, but engineered right here in Malaysia?  That scenario is closer to reality than you think. Following bilateral trade meetings between Malaysia's MITI and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), official talks opened regarding a joint "Daihatsu-Perodua EV partnership."  

With Perodua having already poured RM800 million into building its modular QV-E EV architecture independently, Japan's small-car specialist is now eyeing homegrown Malaysian tech to power its own sub-compact electric lineup.

Why Perodua Built Its Own EV Architecture

Perodua's shift into independent platform design stemmed from necessity. When the Malaysian government outlined national electrification goals, Daihatsu did not have an existing compact battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform suitable for Perodua to adopt. Outside of niche models like the lease-only Ativa Hybrid (based on the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid), Daihatsu's global lineup remained focused on internal combustion engines and light hybrids.

Instead of waiting for top-down platform sharing, Perodua invested roughly RM800 million and over 266,000 man-hours to develop its own modular EV architecture. Sourcing expertise from global automotive specialist Magna Steyr as a technical consultant, Perodua engineered a scalable platform capable of supporting A- and B-segment hatchbacks, sedans, and SUVs.

This effort culminated in the Perodua QV-E, a 204 PS (150 kW) B-segment sportback crossover equipped with a 52.5 kWh LFP battery pack.

Two Potential Scenarios For The Daihatsu-Perodua EV Partnership

As highlighted by Paul Tan’s Automotive News, while no public partnership had previously existed for Perodua's in-house EV development, the recent discussions between MITI Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Japan's Vice-Minister Takuo Komori point toward two fascinating possibilities for how this collaboration could play out:

1. Direct Rebadging: Fighting Chinese EV Expansion in ASEAN

Daihatsu rebadging a Perodua isn't unusual, the Daihatsu Sirion sold in Indonesia is effectively a Malaysian-built Myvi.

What makes this intriguing is Daihatsu's vulnerability in overseas markets like Indonesia, where Chinese EV brands like BYD are rapidly capturing market share. Because Daihatsu currently lacks a proprietary compact EV platform, rebadging Perodua's homegrown QV-E offers Japan an immediate weapon to respond. Furthermore, utilizing Malaysia’s high local content allows these EVs to benefit from reduced tariffs under the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement.

2. Joint Co-Development: Scaling Tech & Lowering City EV Costs

The second outcome stems from earlier comments by Perodua President and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad, who confirmed that both Daihatsu and Toyota had expressed interest in joining Perodua's EV projects.

EV development is expensive and difficult to fully amortise solely through low-margin compact cars. Securing Toyota and Daihatsu as platform clients enables Perodua to scale production and lower manufacturing costs. This move could accelerate the development of Perodua’s planned smaller A-segment EV platform, potentially giving us a true mass-market, sub-RM60k "Electric Axia" class vehicle.

“If you ask me, the learning process is really expensive, and it’s hard for us to recover 100% of the investment, unlike how we do it with ICE cars. But I feel proud of our people that we can develop a car and that it has opened their [Daihatsu and Toyota] eyes, and they’re now talking about collaboration,” Zainal said.

What Japanese Input Means For Future Perodua Models

At the end of the day, automotive partnerships boil down to one thing for everyday buyers: cost and quality. Developing electric cars independently is brutally expensive, but sharing this homegrown platform with global heavyweights like Toyota and Daihatsu gives Perodua the massive scale it needs.

By spreading R&D costs across thousands of extra export units, Perodua gets much closer to cracking the holy grail of local motoring: a ultra-accessible, sub-RM60k "Electric Axia" city runner. If Daihatsu's involvement gives us better plastics and lower price tags, sign us up.