Jaecoo’s first EV is estimated to cost around RM 110,000 when it launches later this year.
It was only a short while ago that the petrol-powered Jaecoo J5 made its Malaysian debut, but now its all-electric twin has officially broken cover over here too. Making its first public appearance at the Oh My Meow! Expo 2026 (of all places), the bigger piece of news is that this EV is set to arrive as a locally assembled (CKD) model before the end of the year.
Diving straight into the specs, it should come as no surprise that this all-electric counterpart swaps the J5’s 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine for a front-mounted electric motor producing 211 PS and 288 Nm of torque. Those figures are identical to the versions already on sale in Thailand and Indonesia, enabling the electric SUV to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 7.7 seconds before topping out at 175 km/h.
Interestingly though, where Malaysia differs from its ASEAN neighbours is in the battery department. Instead of the smaller 50.6 kWh pack found in Thailand or the locally assembled 60.9 kWh Gotion battery used in Indonesia, Malaysian models will receive the 58.9 kWh CATL lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery also found in European and Australian markets.
The result is a WLTP-rated driving range of 402 km. Charging is equally respectable too, with support for up to 130 kW DC fast charging allowing a 30-80% top-up in just 28 minutes. An 11 kW AC onboard charger comes as standard, while vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality also allows owners to power external electrical appliances directly from the car.
Visually meanwhile, the J5 EV gains a unique closed-off front fascia featuring a slimmer grille design, a perforated body-coloured panel, an active grille shutter and discreet BEV badging. The 18-inch alloy wheels also adopt a more aerodynamic two-tone design, while the powered charging port is neatly integrated into the driver’s side front fender.
Incidentally, beneath the skin, the J5 EV retains the same MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension layout as the petrol-powered model, although it has been retuned to better cope with the additional 275 kg of weight brought about by the EV conversion.
Moving inside, blue stitching and piping distinguish the cabin from its petrol-powered sibling, while the TÜV-certified anti-bacterial, scratch-resistant and low-VOC faux leather upholstery remains. Jaecoo has also retained its pet-friendly credentials with both Pet Mode, which keeps the air conditioning running while pets remain safely inside the locked vehicle, and a dedicated Camping Mode.
Equipment levels on this EV appear largely unchanged from the regular ICE J5. Standard kit includes an 8.88-inch seven-segment digital instrument display, a 13.2-inch portrait infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power-adjustable ventilated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a panoramic glass roof, a 50 W wireless charger, a powered tailgate and a 360º surround view camera with transparent chassis view.
Likewise on the safety front, the J5 EV is expected to mirror its petrol-powered sibling with six airbags and a comprehensive ADAS suite that includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane centring assist, blind spot monitoring with collision prevention, rear cross traffic alert with automatic braking, evasive steering assist, curve speed reduction and a door opening warning.
Official pricing has yet to be announced, though the J5 EV is expected to land somewhere around the RM 110,000 mark as previously teased. That would place it right in the firing line of rivals such as the BYD Atto 2 and Leapmotor B10 in what is becoming an increasingly crowded small electric SUV segment.
And finally, for those wondering what happened to the Jaecoo J6, it is actually already here in Malaysia—and as an EV too. It is just wearing a slightly different badge that reads “iCAUR 03.”
