Unveiled today in Malaysia, the much-awaited Proton e.MAS7 bested Perodua to become the first local electric car (EV). The new e.MAS7 is based on the Geely Galaxy E5, which went on pre-sale in China earlier this month.
At 4,615 mm in length, the Proton e.MAS7 is a C-segment SUV that is marginally longer than the Proton X70, with a wheelbase that outstretches X70’s as well, measuring 2,750 mm. It has the innovative Aegis Short Blade Battery and cell-to-body (CTB) integration and is constructed on the Geely GEEA 3.0 Platform, or GMA 01 platform.
Proton has given media a sneak preview of the technology that comes with the Proton e.MAS7, even if they haven’t revealed all of the specifications yet. Its “Phase 1” strategy, which also includes the GMA 02 and GMA 03 platforms, incorporates the GMA 01 platform.
According to Proton, the cell-to-body (CTB) integration offers improved handling, stability, and torsional stiffness as well as better space utilisation. It is claimed that the Aegis Short Blade Battery is safer and more durable.
According to reports, the e.MAS7’s drive mechanism is an electric 12-in-1 system which reportedly has a 90.04% comprehensive efficiency, a 1.94-kWh/kg energy density, and a total weight of 82.5 kg. The battery’s capacity and charging capabilities have not yet been disclosed.
While the e.MAS7’s full specifications are still under wraps, the core components are expected to be similar to the Geely Galaxy E5. Powered by the E5’s unit, the Proton will have the same front-mounted electric motor with 218 horsepower, which will enable it to jump from zero to 100 km/h in a healthy 6.9 seconds. The Galaxy E5 comes with two different battery capacities: a 49.52 kWh and a 60.22 kWh unit which could be what we see in the new Proton. The all-electric SUVs with these batteries have CLTC-rated ranges of 440 and 530 km, respectively, figures that you can realistically drop by around 12-15% in the real world and that’s being generous.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
So Malaysia’s first home-grown (partnering with Geely of course) EV is finally here. And it actually looks the bee’s knees with some sharp, well-balanced lines. Sizewise it appears perfect for the market and decent batteries we can look forward to competitive range and charging capabilities.