Proton will launch a new e.MAS electric vehicle model this year. This was confirmed by the company’s Deputy CEO, Roslan Abdullah, during an Iftar session with media and industry representatives this evening.
During the speech, Roslan also said that the battery will “come together” with the EV. While he didn’t elaborate further on the statement, it is clear to everyone that the remark is a playful reference to Perodua’s plan to release its new EV with a battery leasing program.
However, Roslan stopped short of revealing the actual launch date for the new e.MAS EV. This is not the first time that we have heard of a new e.MAS EV for 2025 as this was something that has been mentioned by Proton’s CEO, Dr Li Chunrong earlier this year.
During the same speech, Roslan also said that bookings for Proton e.MAS 7 has now surpassed 5,000 units. The company’s new EV factory in Tanjung Malim is also on schedule to be completed by the end of this year which will also mark the start of local production (CKD) for e.MAS 7.
Will it be Proton e.MAS 5 or e.MAS 7 PHEV?
At the moment, the rumour mill is pointing to two possibilities. One of them is a compact hatchback that is currently being nicknamed as Proton e.MAS 5 while there is also a possibility that we may see the PHEV version of e.MAS 7.
Both of these names were not plucked out of the thin air though. Instead, it is based on the MyIPO trademark filing made by Proton last year.
The rumours are currently pointing to Geely Xingyuan as the main candidate for e.MAS 5. Featuring a rear-wheel drive setup, the Xingyuan can be obtained with up to 85kW of maximum power output depending on the variant.
This particular model can deliver up to 410km of range although this is based on the CLTC standard which is rather lenient. Hence, we are looking at around 300km of range considering the stricter WLTP standards that are commonly used in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the Geely Galaxy Starship 7 has been touted as the candidate for e.MAS 7 PHEV. Just like the e.MAS 7, Galaxy E5, and Xingyuan, the Galaxy Starship 7 EM-i was built using GEA.
The powertrain within this PHEV consisted of an 82kW (110hp) 1.5L 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with 136Nm of torque that has been paired with a 160kW (~215hp) electric motor that also produces 262Nm of torque.
The Galaxy Starship 7 also features an LFP battery pack with capacities of up to 19.09kWh which enables it to deliver CLTC-rated range of up to 120km in full EV mode. This PHEV can support DC charging speed of up to 36kW and this allows the battery to be charged from 30% to 80% in 20 minutes.
Being a PHEV, the Galaxy Starship 7 can go much further though. Specifically, it can deliver a total range of up to 1,420km once you consider its 51L fuel tank and a combined fuel consumption rate of 3.75L/100km.
At the moment, there is still no vehicle that has been strongly linked to the e.MAS 3 moniker. That being said, we would not be surprised if this e.MAS model become the direct competitor to Perodua’s new EV which has been nicknamed Perodua Ace.
