Circulating on social media is a photo mentioning that Proton has opened no less than 30 new positions for its New Energy Vehicle (NEV) – a Chinese term for electrified vehicles (xEV,new energy vehicle, including mild-hybrids and plug-in hybrids). The job vacancy poster carries the 2022 photo, an all-electric SUV that will be sold by Proton subsidiary Proton Edar.
Positions mentioned in the post include product management, marketing, sales, information technology, and support.
No surprise there, really, as Proton has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the – jointly-owned Smart brand back in January, which will see Proton Edar as the importer, distributor, and dealer for Smart-branded electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia and Thailand.
The first model by Smart under Geely’s purview is aptly called the 2022 Smart #1. The model made its global debut a couple of days ago and will soon find its way here.
It is powered by a rear-mounted motor – making it a rear-wheel drive model – that makes 272 PS and 343 Nm. Smart hasn’t given a 0-100 km/h sprint time, but top speed appears to be capped at 180 km/h.
The 2022 Smart #1 is based on Geely’s modular SEA platform with a 66-kWh battery that allows for a WLTP range of around 420 to 440 km. It uses the CCS Combo 2 type charging connector, supporting up to 22 kW AC charging and a maximum DC charging of 150 kW.
Keyword: Proton aggressively hiring talent for Smart and xEV department