Proton has long been the flag bearer of the nation’s domestic automotive history.
In keeping with the inevitable shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), it has now embarked on the electric journey with – what else; an imminent electrifying launch of its debut offering, scheduled to take place before the year 2024 is out.
If you are not hibernating under some coconut shell, you CANNOT, NOT be already aware of the soon-to-be-launched Proton ‘golden chariot’ – the ‘eMAS’ (sic).
It was shown to the Malaysian public during the National Day parade – still in its camouflage motif in the stylised colours of the national flag.
But first, let’s clear a few housekeeping niceties since one needs to make the distinction between Proton and Geely and now Pro-NET (Proton New Energy Technology), its EV progeny.
Pro-NET was officially launched by Proton in collaboration with Geely in 2020. The establishment of Pro-NET Sdn Bhd marked Proton’s commitment to developing EV solutions and was part of a broader strategy to enhance its capabilities in the automotive sector, particularly in the realm of sustainable mobility. This initiative aimed to provide Malaysians access to advanced electric vehicles and support the country’s transition towards greener transportation options.
Soon Pro-NET launched the Smart #1 (stylised for publicity and marketing and media purposes as smart #1) in 2023. It has since introduced a second Smart model – the smart #3.
These Smart ‘ones’ and ‘threes’ – interestingly no ‘twos’ in the lineup – are battery electric subcompact crossover SUVs. They were developed and produced by Smart Automobile, a joint-venture between Mercedes-Benz Group and Geely Holdings (Proton’s strategic equity partner). The Germans provide the design while Geely handles engineering and production.
For fans of acronyms, the smart in the Smart car name stands for “Swatch Mercedes Art”. This reflects the collaboration between the Swiss watch company Swatch and the German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, which is part of Daimler AG.
The smart car was designed to be a compact and efficient vehicle, emphasizing urban mobility and innovative design.
Geely holds equity interest in Mercedes-Benz, and both have a joint-venture company to produce Smart brand EVs. The engine is produced in China with the catalytic converter installed in Germany.
Cometh the time, cometh the hour – now is the time for Proton to come up with its own EV, the “eMAS”. It comes with subtle references to ‘e’ for electric, “emas” for gold or even Malaysia (MAS – Malaysia country abbreviation), and 7 to show the model lineup within the brand’s hierarchy.
Its full designation is ‘eMAS 7’ – the name which was first revealed to the media on Aug 2, and now we know its RM120,000 estimated price.
If you think the e.MAS 7 has China Chinese roots, you are correct. It is built based on the Geely Galaxy E5 with input from 230 Proton engineers and designers involving over 700,000 man-hours and over 10 million kilometres worth of road tests.
You know about how response in EVs from pedal to motor is instant – the e.MAS 7’s front-mounted electric motor produces 160kW (218 PS) and 320Nm of torque. Translated – it accelerates from a standing start to 100kph in just under seven seconds.
For a booking fee of RM500, valid until the eventual launch date, buyers will qualify for a Pioneer Privilege Deal comprising a rebate and gift pack worth a total of RM1,500. Also already revealed is the e.MAS App which allows the user to navigate through all aspects of booking, service scheduling, and accessing the nationwide charging network.
A warning – driving an EV can sometimes lull the driver into complacency. Indeed, the driver would soon reach a top speed of 175kph in no time. So don’t be heavy-footed when driving this e.MAS 7, much less any other EV.
We already know now the e.MAS 7 comes in the Prime and Premium variants. A 49.52kWh battery gives the base model 345km of range while 60.22 kWh allows the Premium model to last up to 410km.
Unless you install a home charger, DC charging at 80kW (Prime)/100kW (Premium) from 10 to 80 per cent State of Charge (SoC) takes up to 30 minutes. For AC charging, expect to take between 5 and 6 hours to top up to 80 per cent.
So now all that is left is to await the month of December for Santa to sling his goodie sack and present us the e.MAS 7 in time for Christmas.
Main image: Faris Budin
