TNB E-Van

In the 1990s, Malaysia’s national utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) experimented with its first battery-electric vehicle by converting the Subaru Domingo into an electric van.

Known simply as the E-Van, the project never progressed beyond the prototype stage, but it became an important early step toward TNB’s later involvement in vehicle electrification.

The E-Van was derived from standard Subaru Domingos already used in TNB’s fleet. Their rear-mounted 1.2-liter three-cylinder engines were removed and replaced with an electric motor, while a bank of lead-acid batteries was installed centrally within the vehicle. In total, only three examples were completed.

The conversion hardware was reportedly supplied by the Finnish energy company IVO. Contemporary sources credited the E-Van with a driving range of up to 200 kilometers, a top speed of 100 km/h, and a full recharge time of around six hours using a conventional three-pin household outlet. Unusually for an early EV, the electric drivetrain was retained with a five-speed manual gearbox.

Visually and functionally, changes to the interior were minimal. Aside from the absence of the combustion engine, the most obvious difference was an additional gauge mounted in the center of the dashboard, displaying remaining range and motor power output.