We’re just a few days into 2025, however Proton CEO Dr Li Chunrong has already confirmed that the nationwide automobile firm will launch its second all-electric mannequin this yr. The announcement was made on the opening ceremony of the Proton eMas Petaling Jaya showroom in Seksyen 13, operated by Regal Motors EV.
That’s huge information certainly, coming lower than a month after the long-awaited introduction of the Proton eMas 7, Malaysia’s first local-branded EV. Whereas the id of the second mannequin remains to be underneath wraps, it’s closely rumoured to be the eMas 5, primarily based on the Geely Xingyuan.
If proved right, the electrical hatchback can be a smaller, extra inexpensive EV possibility for the mass market, and one that may seemingly rival Perodua’s personal upcoming electrical mannequin that was just lately previewed by the eMO-II idea.
In China, the Geely Xingyuan was launched in October 2024, with a CLTC-rated vary of up 410 km (nearer to 350 km on the WLTP cycle). We should wait and see if the Proton eMas 5 may have equally small 30.12 and 40.16 kWh battery choices right here. The bigger eMas 7 will get a selection of 49.52 and 60.22 kWh battery packs, with a claimed vary of 345 km and 410 km respectively on the WLTP cycle.
Final September, we reported that native Proton sellers have been proven the Geely Xingyuan throughout a bunch go to in China, fuelling rumours that the smaller EV mannequin is being thought of as an eMas mannequin. It’s now trying an increasing number of seemingly that that’s certainly the case.
The query is when and naturally, how a lot? The Proton eMas 7 begins from RM105,800, so it’s pure to count on the far smaller sibling to maybe fall under the RM100k mark. Nevertheless, it should be domestically assembled in Malaysia to hold a five-figure price ticket. The eMas 7 is presently totally imported from China.
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