PETALING JAYA: Proton will be providing a progress report on its first electric car tomorrow in the run-up to what is believed to be the model's official launch in December.
Proton has learnt from experience with its X series vehicles that SUVs are very much in vogue so it is using the tried and tested formula by dishing up its first electric car in that bodystyle.
Yes, the local media are certainly looking forward to getting a first glimpse of the electric Proton that will have some localised changes and features as per rebadged Geely models of recent years.
The teaser profile photo of the e.MAS car in the press invite for Friday's event appears to line up closely with Geely's Galaxy E5 that was only announced earlier this year and will launch August in China.
It has been reported that presales of the Galaxy E5 - which debut at the 2024 Beijing Motor Show in April - have begun in the domestic market with prices listed at 123,000 yuan to 157,000 yuan (RM78,000 to RM99,000).
Of course, it will sell for more in Malaysia, and it would not be farfetched for the car to be priced from just over RM100,000 to RM140,000 at launch. This price band is keenly contested and Proton's entry will heap on even more pressure on other players.
The Galaxy E5 is built on Geely's GEEA 3.0 platform and features cell-to-body integration (CTB). It is powered by the Galaxy 11-in-1 intelligent electric motor, which provides 160 kW (218 hp) and allows acceleration from 0 to 100kph in 6.9 seconds. The SUV will be available in five configurations, all equipped with the same powertrain.
Geely's new Aegis Short Blade battery, debuting in the Galaxy E5, offers a lifespan of 1 million km and is designed to withstand rifle shots.
Two battery options are available: 49.52 kWh and 60.22 kWh, providing CLTC ranges of 440km and 530km respectively.
Chinese automakers have recently switched from the outdated NEDC standard to the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC), which is accurate for China's road conditions and driving habits, but expect the WLTP range to trail behind the CLTC's.
For now, we are guessing a real-world range of 350km up to 420km as an indication of what to anticipate from the first e.MAS model.
And what will the first e.MAS car be called? Probably e.MAS7 if recent trademark filings by Proton is anything to go by.
If Proton gets the pricing and specs right, its first electric car will give BYD Atto 3 and other potential rivals a run for the money, as the world barrels headlong into 2025.
