Proton eMas 7 SUV – co-developed with Geely Galaxy E5; first Malaysian branded electric vehicle to go on sale in late 2024
Proton has unveiled its first and most anticipated electric vehicle (EV) model called the eMas 7 (stylized as e.MAS 7) which will be sold under the eMas brand, was announced in June this year. and is managed by Proton New Energy Technology (Pro Network) – this part also handles intelligently here.
As we had guessed earlier, the eMas 7 is related to the Geely Galaxy E5 that made it Launched in China in May this year – presale Built on the Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture (GEA), the E5 was designed from the ground up to be a global model for both left- and right-hand drive markets.
At today’s event, Proton announced that the eMas 7 is not a simple rebranding of the E5 and that the model was actually jointly developed by the two car companies. They added that 230 Proton engineers and designers were involved in the development of the car from the beginning, with a total of 700,000 man-hours and 10 million kilometres of vehicle testing, in addition to 30,000 kilometres of adaptive durability testing and up to 100,000 kilometres of reliability testing.
Based on Global Smart New Energy Architecture (GEA) with Cell to Body Technology
The GEA platform is an evolution of Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) and is said to be the “world’s first four-in-one AI intelligent architecture” that combines “hardware, system, ecology and artificial intelligence.” While EVs fall within the GEA’s scope of use, the platform can also accommodate internal combustion engines for range-extended applications, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and even methanol.
For the all-electric E5 and eMas 7, the GEA platform allows the battery to be fully integrated into the body shell (cell-to-body, or CTB), acting as a structural member. This allows for torsional rigidity of up to 31,000 Nm per degree.
Proton did not mention GEA in its release, instead stating that the eMas 7 is the first model to feature Global Modular Architecture (GMA) Platformessentially the same thing but branded differently. GMA was mentioned at the launch of the eMas brand two months ago, with models from the GMA 01 to the GMA 06 planned to be either EVs or PHEVs – the eMas 7 is the GMA 01.
Front-wheel drive only, EV range up to 530 km CLTC; WLTP approx. 420 km
Proton hasn’t provided full local specifications for the eMas 7 at the moment, so we’ll have to look to the E5 it’s based on, which is currently on sale in China, for more information. For starters, all variants of the five-door electric SUV are powered by a front-mounted electric motor rated at 218 PS (215 hp or 160 kW) and 320 Nm of torque. This allows the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 km/h.
The electric motor draws power from a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack using Aegis “short tongue” cellsAccording to Geely, the new battery can reach 3,500 cycles, equivalent to charging and driving for one million kilometers with minimal impact on the battery’s operating range, thus providing some peace of mind for long-term car owners.
When it was announced in June this year, Geely even claimed that the new ‘short blade’ Aegis battery had passed rigorous testing to demonstrate impressive safety performance. The tests included simultaneously piercing eight needles (seven more than standard), each measuring five millimeters in diameter, and leaving them in that state for an hour without any failures. Additionally, a 5.8 mm (5.8×42 mm) infantry rifle bullet penetration test was conducted without any thermal ignition incidents.
The Aegis battery comes in two capacities, starting with a 49.52 kWh option that offers up to 440 km of range, followed by a 60.22 kWh option for up to 530 km of range. Keep in mind that these figures are based on the extremely generous CLTC standard, so we can expect a 20% reduction in real-world range for more “realistic” ranges of 350 and 420 km, respectively. With DC fast charging, the E5/eMas 7 takes 20 minutes to fully charge from 30-80% charge.
What design changes were made? Equipment?
Proton is still keeping the eMas 7 under wraps, but the E5’s cues are immediately apparent, and they take inspiration from the E8 sedan. Notable cues include the slim headlights, while the recesses on either side of the closed grille feature air curtains and are highlighted by a C-shaped light strip. Other interesting bits include the pop-out door handles and full-width taillights.
The eMas 7 is visually distinguished from the E5 by a new eMas logo on the nose, which is not illuminated and looks like a tweaked version of the Harimaubut without the complete enclosed circle. Elsewhere, the Proton lettering sits below the taillights and the ‘e.MAS 7’ badge features a blue ‘e’.
The interior is something we weren’t allowed to explore, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the eMas 7’s cabin was identical to the E5’s. In its home market, the E5 comes with a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, a 50W wireless charging pad, 256-color ambient lighting, power-adjustable front seats, and a host of advanced driver assistance systems, including autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
Malaysia will have a specific Proton eMas app with the car’s infotainment system, similar to the Hello smart app managed by Pro-Net, so we can expect deep integration of charging network access in a single app while still being accessible through the infotainment system. The said infotainment system is called Flyme Auto and is depicted on a 15.4-inch touchscreen with a 2.5K resolution and powered by a chip built on a seven-nanometer architecture.
How does the eMas 7 position itself in the Malaysian electric vehicle market?
The Malaysian electric vehicle market is currently very vibrant with many new entrants, so where does the eMas 7 fit into this market? In terms of dimensions, the eMas 7 is 4,615 mm long, 1,901 mm wide, 1,670 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2,750 mm.
To put that into perspective, the current Honda CR-V is longer at 4,691mm but narrower at 1,866mm. It makes sense for the company to use the ‘7’ because like the X70 and S70, which compete in the C-segment (the latter is debatable), the eMas 7 is aimed at electric C-segment SUV buyers. When it comes to the X70, it is smaller than the eMas 7 at 4,519mm long and 1,831mm wide.
Putting some real-world EVs into perspective, the eMas 7 is larger than the BYD Atto 3, smart #1, GAC Aion Y, BMW iX1, Chery Omoda E5. A car that closely resembles the Proton EV is the Neta X, while the Tesla Model Y is generally larger.
Of course, size could move down the list of considerations for buyers if the price is attractive, but that’s not where we’re at right now. In China, where the E5 is sold, the EV retails for between 123,000 and 157,000 yuan (about RM77,000 to RM99,000).
However, the eMas 7 will be a completely imported (CBU) EV, meaning its price cannot fall below the minimum price ceiling of RM100,000 that the government has set for CBU EVs until the end of next year. Locally assembling (CKD) the eMas 7 in Malaysia will allow its price to fall below the said price ceiling, but it has not revealed when or if this will happen.
Most of the similarly sized models mentioned, with the exception of the BMW and Tesla, are priced in the RM100,000 to RM170,000 range. With a larger body and if priced competitively, the eMas 7 will appeal to those looking to convert or add another EV to their fleet.
When can I buy?
Not anytime soon, to be honest. As we were told at the brand launch in June, Proton’s first EV won’t go on sale until December this year. Today’s event was all about confirming the EV’s name and getting our hands on it, and as we’ve said above, there’s no confirmation of the official powertrain specs, pricing, or even the final design without camouflage. When it does go on sale, however, the eMas 7 will be available to order at 29 dealerships nationwide initially – eMas and Proton will share store space.
So there you have it. Proton has met the government’s requirements. target introduce at least one EV by 2025 with the eMas 7. Are you impressed? Will you rush to order one when it becomes available? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
PHOTO GALLERY: Proton eMas 7
PHOTO GALLERY: Proton eMas 7 presentation slides
PHOTO GALLERY: Geely Galaxy E5
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Car.
