[UPDATE 02/08/2024 23:25] Proton showed off its EV for the first time. The new EV is officially called the Proton e.MAS7.
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Proton e.MAS is set to make a big announcement this coming Friday, 2 August based on the teaser that the EV division has published on its Facebook page. The teaser includes a vehicle silhouette, which seems to indicate that Proton is finally ready to show the public what its first-ever production EV looks like ahead of its rollout at the end of this year.
Are the first Proton e.MAS EV a rebadge of Geely Galaxy E5?
Interestingly enough, the outline of the silhouette looked fairly familiar. We figured that we might be able to bring the silhouette into light, so we tweaked the image’s brightness, contrast, highlights, and shadows.
We then had the above outcome – a vehicle that looked like a Geely Galaxy E5. Just compare the edited teaser with the official render from Geely below:
The Galaxy E5 has been rumoured for quite some time as the candidate for Proton’s first-ever EV. After all, the right-hand drive (RHD) version of the EV was said to be developed at the same time as the left-hand drive (LHD) instead of being an afterthought.
On a related note, the new EV might be called the Proton e.MAS7. This is based on several trademark filings with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) that took place in June.
Geely Galaxy E5 quick specs
While the Galaxy E5 is available in 5 variants, they can be essentially divided into two main groups: the 440 and 530.
With a CLTC-rated range of up to 440km, the Galaxy E5 440 is powered by the new LFP-based Aegis Short Blade battery with a capacity of 49.52kWh. On the other hand, the Galaxy E5 530 offers a CLTC-rated range of up to 530km and runs on an Aegis Short Blade battery too but with a much higher capacity of 60.22kWh.
Regardless of the variant, all Galaxy E5 is equipped with the same 160kW (215hp) motor that also produces 320Nm of torque. Geely said that the EV can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 180km/h.
Standard features include 6 airbags, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15.4-inch infotainment display, and a 540-degree camera system. Certain variants also come with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) suite that has features such as Level 2 autonomous Intelligent Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assistance, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, and Active Emergency Brake with Pedestrian Recognition.
Physically, the Galaxy E5 is 4,615mm long, 1,901mm wide, and 1,670mm tall. It also has a 2,750mm wheelbase but the specs sheet on Geely’s website did not include the amount of boot space the EV has.
How much is the Proton e.MAS EV will cost?
Over in China, the Galaxy E5 440 models are priced from CNY123,000 (~RM78,315) to CNY133,000 (~RM84,649) while the price for the Galaxy E5 530 variants ranges from CNY137,000 (~RM87,253) to CNY157,000 (~RM99,924).
If the new Proton e.MAS EV proved to be based on the Galaxy E5, we don’t expect it to be priced in Malaysia that low though. We expect it to cost between RM110,000 to RM160,000 which is the general price range for mainstream electric crossover SUVs and MPVs in our market at the moment.
This is a very competitive space which is currently being occupied by the BYD Atto 3, Chery Omoda E5, GAC Aion Y Plus, and Neta X. If it is priced low enough, the Galaxy E5 may also have some effect on electric hatchbacks such as BYD Dolphin and MG4.
That being said, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Stay tuned for more details on the new Proton e.MAS EV this coming Friday.
