Kuala Lumpur - The Dutch firm, Detroit Electric, is planning to mass-produce the first of 40,000 electric cars in Malaysia next year, the company has announced. "We are planning to build a practical, affordable electric car", says Detroit Electric CEO Albert Lam who has teamed up with the Malaysian manufacturer Proton.

The company plans to produce around 210,000 vehicles by 2012 with 270,000 planned for 2013 for export mainly to the European, Chinese and US markets.

The Detroit Electric will be fitted with lithium-ion-polymer batteries in two different models - the e63 and the e64. The smaller of the two vehicles will have a range of 180 kilometres on one charge and the larger vehicle a range of 320 kilometres, according to the manufacturer.

Both cars are listed with a top speed of 180 km/h and acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in eight seconds. The electric motor has an output of 150 kW linked to a four-speed gearbox.

The price will be between 19,000 and 23,000 euros (25,400 and 30,774 dollars), according to Lam. (dpa)