A new brand, Forthing has emerged on the Malaysian automotive landscape, with exhibits at the ongoing Global Automotive and Technology Expo (GATE) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur.
Forthing is part of the Dongfeng Motor Group, and the brand has shown two models, the Friday SUV and the V9 MPV, which the company plans to introduce to the Malaysian market. The Friday is said to be offered as both a battery-electric and as a range-extender electric vehicle, the former offering a claimed 400 km of range on the WLTP test cycle, according to the Forthing website.
paultan.org has learnt that Forthing aims to have its brand launch in December this year, and its presence in the Malaysian market will be through local distributor, Wide Premium.
Powertrain for the Friday range extender EV is a 120 kW (163 PS) and 240 Nm electric motor drawing from a 31.94 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, supplemented by a 1.5 litre inline-four cylinder petrol engine rated at 75 kW (102 PS) and 130 Nm. For the BEV version of the Friday, powertrain is a single 204 PS/340 Nm e-motor, fed by a 64.4 kWh LFP battery.
In a nutshell, a range extender EV powertrain operates more like a BEV than a plug-in hybrid powertrain, as only the electric motor sends propulsion to the wheels, whereas the internal combustion engine runs to charge the drive battery as the vehicle is being driven. Effectively, the engine in an REEV configuration operates purely as a generator, and it does not drive the vehicle.
As such, while the BEV version of the Friday has a claimed range of 400 km WLTP, the REEV version with a fully charged 31.94 kWh battery and a filled 43 litre fuel tank will enabled a combined range of over 1,000 km. As it is the ICE that charges the drive battery, topping up for long distance trips is easier as refuelling will be quicker than recharging a BEV’s battery for the same range.
The Friday measures 4,600 mm long, 1,860 mm wide and 1,680 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,715 mm, and front and rear wheel track widths of 1,590 mm and 1595 mm, respectively. Claimed kerb weight for both the Friday REEV and EV variants is an identical 1,820 kg.
Rolling stock for the Friday EV is a set of 19-inch alloy wheels, shod in tyres measuring 235/55R19 on the vehicle photographed here. Suspension is by MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link setup at the rear (torsion beam rear suspension on the REEV), while disc brakes feature front and rear; power steering is through electric assistance.
The Forthing Friday has been revealed to be offered in two variants – Luxury and Exclusive for the REEV, and Standard and Extended for the EV. Standard safety equipment includes front airbags (Exclusive gains side airbags, front and rear head airbags and side curtain airbags), ABS, EBD, traction control, stability control, hill descent control, hill hold control, and vehicle sound for pedestrians.
Also on are front and rear seat belt reminders, child safety door locks, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, reversing camera, rear parking sensors and auto hold. The Exclusive adds a 360-degree camera setup and front parking sensors.
Exterior equipment on the Friday includes heated, power-folding exterior mirrors, with the Exclusive and Extended variants adding a panoramic roof and an electrically unlocking tailgate.
Inside, standard kit on the Friday REEV includes a leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel, and a six-way manual driver’s seat and a four-way manual front passenger seat (10-way power-adjustable driver’s and four-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat in the Exclusive).
For both REEV and EV versions of the Friday, ADAS is reserved for the higher-spec variant of each (Exclusive REEV and Extended EV).
For the REEV, the ADAS suite is comprised of adaptive cruise control, smart cruise control, forward collision warning, AEB, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention and traffic sign recognition. Compared to the REEV, the high-spec EV adds lane change assist, blind spot monitoring, door open warning and rear cross traffic alert.
Infotainment and connectivity is identical across the REEV and EV versions of the Friday, which includes a 8.8-inch driver’s instrument display and a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen. Audio output is a six-speaker set, and mobile phone connectivity is supported by wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Also included are Bluetooth connectivity, AM, FM and digital radio, device connections include USB-A, USB-C and a 12-volt power outlet, along with a 50W wireless phone charger.
Also coming from the Forthing brand is the U-Tour V9 MPV, which is expected to reach the Malaysian market next year. Shown here in left-hand-drive form, this suggests the V9 MPV is further down the timeline compared to the Friday SUV in terms of Malaysian market readiness.
Compared to the Friday SUV, less is known about the seven-seater V9 MPV. According to information from the Forthing website, the V9 MPV measures 5,151 mm long, 1,920 mm wide and 1,820 mm tall with a wheelbase of 3,018 mm, with front and rear wheel track widths of 1,633 mm and 1,646 mm, respectively.
A plug-in hybrid powertrain is the propulsion of choice for the V9 MPV, and this is comprised of an ICE unit that outputs 140 kW (190 PS) and 280 Nm from a 1.5 litre turbocharged direct-injection engine. This is paired with an electric motor that outputs 130 kW (177 PS) and 300 Nm, drawing from either a ternary lithium battery or a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.
Suspension components for the V9 MPV is comprised of MacPherson struts in front, and a multi-link arrangement at the rear, with electric power steering assistance. Braking is by ventilated discs in front, and solid discs at the rear; rolling stock on this unit pictured is a set of 19-inch alloys on 245/45R19 tyres.
Inside, the Forthing V9 MPV can be seen to feature a full-width display ensemble, appearing to house three screens. Its steering wheel, as on the Friday SUV, is a flat-bottomed multi-function unit. As with models of this segment, the best seats of the lot are captain chairs in the second row, each with powered adjustment and touchscreen controls, and a tray table each.
Ahead of its expected official arrival in 2026, pricing for the Forthing V9 seven-seater MPV has yet to be disclosed, however sources have indicated to paultan.org that the Forthing Friday SUV could be priced in Malaysia from RM130k.
Forthing Friday REEV shown in Malaysia
Forthing U-Tour V9 MPV shown in Malaysia
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Wow, it’s the 东风星海v9!
The Nissan N7 had its platform based on the Dongfeng eπ 007 electric sedan, and it’s going Global and JDM too.
Another china made. Good.
Will this become another NIO, Faraday?
why all chinese car manufacturers must have a light bar across the rear? no other more innovative design?
they want to copycat P1 saga
Possibly the dumbest named car announced this year. Maybe even this decade. Who comes up woth the names at these Chinese companies? Asking for science, because those are some next-level drugs they’re taking and we need to research and mass produce them.
much better than cars which named using random characters such as bmw 1234i, or merc ABC123
If buyer dunno segment, its skill issue
like most chinamen cars, it’s just random copy-paste
this feels a bit low tech