Here's Everything You Need To Know About Proton's First EV — The Proton e.MAS
A local EV brand could potentially mean more affordable EVs.
By Syazwan Bahri — 13 Jun 2024, 02:51 PM
National carmaker Proton has finally revealed juicy details about their new electric vehicle (EV), the Proton e.MAS
Proton has announced the name of its upcoming EV sub-brand, which will be called eMas, stylised as e.MAS. The unique spelling is intentional, featuring a lowercase 'e' followed by uppercase letters.
Proton's chief designer, Azlan Othman, explained the thought process behind the unique nomenclature.
"The 'e' symbolises electric and MAS is an abbreviation of Malaysia, the country we love. Therefore, e.MAS is a symbol of Malaysia's leadership towards providing electric mobility," he explained.
1. It will be based on the Geely Galaxy E5 platform
The teaser image for the naming contest posted earlier this year suggests that the vehicle will be based on the Geely Galaxy E5. The outline in the image reveals the SUV's roof rails and slim headlights, indicating its design origins.
The E5 was already anticipated as the base for Proton's EV, as it is intended for right-hand-drive markets. This aligns with earlier statements from Proton deputy chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah, who noted that their first EV would not be a modified left-hand-drive model.
The E5 is built on the Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture (GEA), an evolution of Geely's Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA). This platform supports a variety of powertrains, including fully electric vehicles, range extenders, plug-in hybrids, and methanol engines.
2. Proton will potentially offer up to five models under the e.MAS sub-brand
Roslan said the brand will be gauging interest after launching its first EV.
"We have not decided on the timeline but the first model [will be launched] very soon. It could be early 2025, or earlier.
"We want to ensure the acceptance of Proton EV in the market in terms of the volume and model, we will decide [to launch more EVs] based on the demand and acceptance by the public of Proton EVs," he said.
3. It will be launched as early as December 2024
In April last year, Proton announced plans to potentially expedite the launch of EVs tailored for Malaysian consumers, potentially for a 2025 timeline instead of the initially projected 2027.
The company is currently evaluating affordable and practical EV models suitable for the market.
