Hot off the launch of the 2026 Perodua QV-E and the burning question on everyone’s mind is the same – what is Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) and is it any good?
Before we dive in, here’s a brief recap on the Perodua QV-E.
The Perodua QV-E, pronounced Qui-Vee (silent e), is Perodua’s first-ever electric vehicle (EV), and is proudly Malaysian homegrown; the QV-E is not a rebadged Toyota or Daihatsu model. In fact, Perodua has gotten Magna Steyr on-board as a consultant when designing the QV-E.
For the Malaysian market, Perodua is only offering one variant of the QV-E, priced at RM 80,000 (on-the-road, without insurance, battery not included).
What is Battery-as-a-Service (Baas)?
As the name suggests, battery-as-a-service (BaaS) means that the owner pays a fixed amount to lease the high-voltage (HV) battery from Perodua.
BaaS is not a new concept, as many manufacturers globally do offer battery leasing with their respective EV models. For example, Nio offers battery leasing in Europe and China, while VinFast offers battery subscription with their models sold in Indonesia.
Read Also: 2026 Perodua QV-E launched in Malaysia: First homegrown EV is priced at RM 80,000, BaaS RM 300 more
How is it better?
Perodua says that BaaS effectively quashes concerns surrounding EV ownership, as Perodua is the one that owns the high-voltage (HV) battery; not the vehicle owner.
And as such, the battery performance is guaranteed by Perodua throughout the leasing period.
By taking the battery out of the equation, Perodua can effectively maintain the residual/second hand value of the QV-E, as their surveys indicated that potential EV buyers are concerns about the low resale value of EVs, as the high cost of a replacement HV battery could be a dealbreaker for some.
How long is the lease?
The lease is set at 9 years / 108 months, regardless of the loan for the “car body”. For example, if you paid RM 80k cash for the QV-E, you would still need to pay a monthly lease for the battery.
How much is the battery lease?
The battery lease is RM 275/month. With the 8% SST in place, buyers are effectively paying RM 297/month for leasing the battery. Payment must be done on or before the 5th day of each month, depending on the customer’s payment method.
Up front, customers would need to pay an equivalent of 3 months or RM 825 (exclusive of 8% SST) upon signing up for the Battery Lease Agreement. The payment would utilised to set off your final 3 months of rental, pay any due and outstanding rentals upon early termination, and/or set off any gap before the first vehicle financing instalment under integrated payment method. Any excess after utilisation will be refunded to the customer.
What happens after the lease period?
After the 9-year / 108-month lease is up, owners can continue driving the QV-E like normal – no payments are necessary any more.
That being said, should the battery’s state-of-health (SoH) drop below 70%, the owner can then reach out to Perodua for a new battery pack, thus restarting the 9-year lease.
Who can I sell my Perodua QV-E to?
According to Perodua, owners are recommended to sell their QV-E back to, or via Perodua, via their Pre-Owned Vehicle (POV) channel.
The battery belongs to Perodua, and cannot be transferred or sold separately.
What about second-hand QV-E buyers?
In the case of second-hand QV-E buyers, they would need to sign a new Battery Agreement Lease with Perodua, which effectively ensures that the HV battery remains in tip-top condition for the next 9 years.
What happens after the battery’s EOL
Perodua will be fully responsible for the disposal of the battery pack, as at the end of the day, they own the battery pack.
Considering that Perodua owns the battery pack, said battery pack includes a “Battery Passport”, essentially a tracker that Perodua can use to keep track of the location of the battery pack. It is designed to handle end-of-life management, as Perodua would be notified if the battery pack has been detached from the vehicle or sat abandoned at a particular spot for a long time.
Perodua can then send a battery rescue team to recover the high-voltage battery.
Can I replace or return the battery at any given time?
The short answer is “No”, as the battery leasing programme only allows the HV battery to be replaced in situations where the battery’s SoH has dipped below the 70% mark.
If the battery is replaced due to customer fault or negligence and/or for any reasons other than a battery manufacturing defect, the Battery Lease Agreement will be terminated, and the customer will be required to enter into a new agreement with Perodua.
What about warranty claims?
Perodua guarantees that the HV battery will maintain a minimum of 70% SoH throughout the Battery Agreement Lease term.
Should the HV battery be replaced due to a battery manufacturer defect or fault, the original lease term shall remain unchanged.
What happens if my QV-E gets into a total loss accident?
In the case of accidents damage, malfunction, theft, fire, submersion in water, or any incident involving the HV battery or vehicle itself, owners should contact Perodua immediately.
If a total loss occurs, the Battery Lease Agreement will be terminated and the HV battery must remain in the QV-E until Perodua recovers it.
Can I do e-hailing with my Perodua QV-E?
Per the Battery Lease Agreement, owners of the Perodua QV-E are not allowed to do ride-hailing, delivery, commercial, or unlawful purposes.
Any non-compliance could result in:
- Battery Performance Guarantee may be cancelled
- Perodua may disable the Vehicle start function or HV battery operation
- Perodua may claim recovery for the cost of the affected battery
- Lease agreement may be terminated