Just previewed today, the Proton eMas 7 (stylised e.MAS 7) is the national carmaker’s first electric vehicle that will go on sale in Malaysia by the end of this year.
The national carmaker has also revealed that the eMas 7 is the first to built on the Global Modular Architecture, or GMA. While Proton’s first EV was previously understood to predate the five GMA-based eMas models, the carmaker has now said that the eMas 7 is the first of the five to be underpinned by the GMA platform.
In sequence, the eMas 7 is underpinned by GMA 01, which is the first of five GMA-based models, the other four being the GMA 02, GMA 03, GMA 05, and GMA 06. Phase 1 of the GMA-based product rollout covers the first three models, with the subsequent GMA 04 and GMA 05 models to come in Phase 2.
While related to the Geely Galaxy E5 that made its debut in China in May this year, Proton says that the eMas 7 is not merely a rebadge of the E5, and that both the Geely and the Proton were co-developed between both car companies.
As such, the eMas 7 – by extension of the Geely Galaxy E5 – is underpinned by the Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture (GEA) with cell-to-body (CTB) construction that uses the battery pack as a structural member, contributing to the model’s torsional rigidity of 31,000 Nm per degree.
Referencing the E5 it is based on, the eMas will be a front-wheel-drive model with a single-motor powertrain with 218 PS and 320 Nm of torque, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 6.9 seconds and a 180 km/h top speed. For the Galaxy E5 there are two capacity specifications; a 49.52 kWh pack that offers up to 440 km of range, and a larger, 60.22 kWh pack that yields up to 530 km of range.
Both are on rated on the more lenient CLTC standard, and so, more realistic figures of 350 km and 420 km respectively can be expected. With DC fast charging, the eMas 7 will take 20 minutes to be recharged from 30-80%.
Its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack uses Aegis ‘short-blade’ cells which has been tested to extreme conditions, and can reach up to 3,500 charging cycles which is equivalent to one million km of driving, with minimal impact to battery range.
Previously at the unveiling of the Proton eMas brand and logo, Proton CEO Li Chunrong stated that the GMA will provide the basis for “many new models,” which will include plug-in hybrid as well as battery-electric models.
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