Proton will be rolling out a new variant of the Proton e.MAS 7 electric SUV in Singapore later this year. The electric motor on the special e.MAS 7 variant has been detuned to 100kW (134hp) to meet the Category A classification for the country’s Certificate of Entitlement (COE) requirement.
As a comparison, the e.MAS 7 usually comes with a 160kW (215hp) regardless of whether you choose the Prime or Premium variant. However, Proton e.MAS’s partner in Singapore, Vincar Group, did not reveal whether there are changes to the EV’s torque and range figures.
The company also didn’t mention whether there are any other changes made to the Cat e.MAS 7. According to the presentation slide at Proton e.MAS booth in the ongoing Singapore Motor Show 2026, the Cat A e.MAS 7 with 100kW motor will be launched within Q1 2026.
Interestingly enough, there is also a third car in the presentation slide. If we have to guess, it is probably the upcoming Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV.
What’s the justification to detune the e.MAS 7 to Cat A classification?
Anyone who wants to register a new vehicle in Singapore is required to obtain a COE, which is valid for 10 years. Under the current COE regulations, EVs with a power output of up to 110kW are classified as Cat A, while those that are fitted with a more powerful motor fall under Cat B.
This is how much the COE costs at the moment for each category:
- COE Cat A – Jan 2026: SGD102,009 (~RM322,934)
- COE Cat B – Jan 2026: SGD119,100 (~RM377,043)
That’s a massive difference of SGD17,901 (~RM56,671). With that, the pricing for e.MAS 7 Cat A should be much lower than the original Cat B version.
Proton e.MAS 5 is on its way to Singapore
Meanwhile, Vincar Group has also announced that the Proton e.MAS 5 will be launched in Singapore in the second half of 2026. The company did not reveal further details regarding the EV’s imminent release over there, although Singapore Motor Show’s visitors are able to preview the compact electric hatchback at Proton e.MAS booth.
Over here in Malaysia, the first batch of deliveries for Proton e.MAS 5 took place a few weeks ago. According to Pro-Net, over 14,600 bookings have been recorded for the EV by the time 2025 drew to a close.
