Proton wants to know what your ideal electric car looks like, and it is handing you an AI tool to draw it. The carmaker's EV arm has opened Proton e.MAS Impianku, a nationwide contest that asks Malaysians to design their own Proton e.MAS and turn the best ideas into 3D-printed models.
Running from 19 October to 30 November 2026, the campaign (the name means My Dream e.MAS) is run by Proton New Energy Technology Sdn Bhd (PRO-NET), the wholly owned PROTON subsidiary behind the e.MAS line. It leans on generative AI so anyone can shape the designs, features and technologies they would want in a future EV, with no design software or drawing skill needed.
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How Proton e.MAS Impianku works
Entry is built around a prompt rather than a paintbrush. There are four steps:
- Go to the campaign microsite at protonemasimpianku.com and pick the Open Category under the submission form.
- Copy the recommended AI prompt from the How to Join section.
- Use any generative AI platform to customise the prompt and create your dream e.MAS.
- Upload the design to the microsite and complete the form.
The contest is open to anyone aged 18 and above living in Malaysia. Submissions close on 30 November 2026 at 11:59pm, and all entries must be original AI-generated work. Every eligible design goes into a public digital gallery, where Malaysians can browse and vote for their favourites from 5 to 13 December 2026. The 20 most-voted designs are shortlisted for final judging.
What you can win
Winners are revealed at a PRO-NET event in January 2027, where eight designs are recognised:
- Three Grand Prize winners each receive a roughly 10-inch 3D-printed model of their design.
- Five Elite Prize winners each receive a miniature 3D-printed collectible.
Proton is clear that the entries are conceptual and do not represent confirmed future production models, so this is a creativity exercise rather than a preview of the next showroom car.
A separate track for students
There is a parallel e.MAS Impianku University Students Edition over the same 19 October to 30 November window, open to students aged 18 and above at recognised Malaysian higher-education institutions. Unlike the public contest, student entries are judged entirely by a panel with no public vote. The top three take home cash prizes of RM1,000, RM600 and RM400, and 12 Creative Merit Award winners receive Proton e.MAS merchandise.
Why Proton is crowdsourcing EV ideas
The contest doubles as market research. "Each creation offers us valuable insight into the designs, technologies, and experiences Malaysians value," said Zhang Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of PRO-NET. Gathering that feedback through a public campaign is a low-cost way to read what local buyers want next.
It also lands while the brand has momentum. Proton says the e.MAS 5 is its best-selling EV model and the e.MAS 7 PHEV its best-selling plug-in hybrid so far in 2026, based on year-to-date September sales, and the marque has been taking the e.MAS range on the road around the country. National-brand cars are also riding a wider wave, with Perodua and Proton behind most of Malaysia's record September for new-car registrations.
If you have ever had an opinion about what a Malaysian EV should look like, this is a free, low-effort way to put it on record, with a small chance to hold your idea as a printed model. Full rules and the entry form are on the e.MAS Impianku microsite.
