In a couple of months, the BYD Atto 3 won't be the only choice for Malaysians looking to add a seemingly affordable electric SUV to their garage as the upcoming 2024 Chery Omoda E5 will be arriving here soon.

Planned for launch in March 2024, Chery Malaysia is counting down the days towards its first EV model in the country and the public can even catch a glimpse of it this weekend on 7 January. The Chinese carmaker will organise Chery Eco Run 2024 at Dataran Wawasan Putrajaya.

Collaborating with Jom Run, Malaysia’s largest running organization that boasts over 2 million members, Chery Eco Run 2024 is expected to attract over 3,000 participants. Themed “A New Journey to a New Green Life”, the run will see the Chery Omoda E5 being used as a lead car.

The upcoming rival to the BYD Atto 3 was previewed to the Malaysian media in late November. Unlike the Indonesian unit which will be locally assembled (CKD) over there, the Malaysian-spec Omoda E5 will be fully imported (CBU) from China.

Also read: Previewed in Malaysia, Indonesia set to CKD Chery Omoda E5 EV in early 2024

The Omoda E5 will be the third Chery model launched in Malaysia following its turbocharged internal combustion engine (ICE) twin, the Omoda 5 and the Tiggo 8 Pro. Both SUVs are locally assembled (CKD) at the Inokom plant in Kulim.

The fully electric Omoda E5 is powered by a front-mounted electric motor that makes 204 PS/340 Nm. This is juiced up by a 61-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery with a claimed maximum range of 430 km.

Like many modern EVs, the Omoda E5 is equipped with an ADAS suite with 16 functions including blind-spot monitoring and automatic emergency braking (AEB) with cyclists and pedestrian detection.

Also read: Launching in Q1 2024, Chery Omoda E5 EV previewed in Malaysia; 430 km range, 204 PS/340 Nm