You already know all there’s to know concerning the Proton eMas 7 PHEV from a product and variant standpoint, and now, the primary eMas with an engine and exhaust pipe (sorry, we don’t think we’re going to call it a “dual-powered EV”) is open for booking in Malaysia. Also, no more camo, so feast your eyes on this avalanche of photos – within the flesh eventually!
The estimated price is between RM110k and RM130k and the launch shall be in February ahead of deliveries soon after. After all, there’s an early-bird package – book the eMas 7 PHEV for just RM99 and get a RM500 booking fee rebate in case your automotive is certainly one of the primary 5,000 to be successfully registered.
Now, since the eMas 7 PHEV isn’t actually launched yet, the RM129,800 Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV continues to be Malaysia’s least expensive PHEV for now. We expect the ultimate prices to be below the estimated ones, in fact, so let’s wait for the launch to officially declare it the country’s most reasonably priced plug-in hybrid.
Essentially a Geely EX5/Starray/Galaxy Starship 7 EM-i, the China-imported (CBU) eMas 7 PHEV sees a 99 PS/125 Nm 1.5 litre BHE15-DFN non-turbo engine join forces with a 218 PS/262 Nm front motor to send a combined output of 262 PS and 262 Nm of torque to the front wheels.
The petrol engine is closely related to the Saga MC3’s BHE15-CFN. Still port-injected, nevertheless it’s been made simpler and lighter for higher efficiency, runs on an Atkinson cycle full time versus part time, has just single- as an alternative of dual-VVT, and features efficient exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).
Moreover, the engine’s lack of an auxiliary belt minimises parasitic losses – no belt-driven air-con compressor and inverter. And just like the Saga, it uses a timing chain so there’s no timing belt either. The engine’s thermal efficiency is 46.5% – barely lower than in China, which gets an updated version that’s more efficient and more powerful – 111 PS and 136 Nm of torque.
An 11-to-1 electrified dedicated hybrid transmission (E-DHT) combines a P1 integrated starter-generator and P3 traction motor. The system works much like Honda’s e:HEV in that the automotive is driven primarily by electricity however the engine will be clutched in at higher speeds, when petrol power is more efficient. It’s a series-parallel plug-in hybrid and never an EV, so it’ll have engine size-based road tax and wear black number plates.
There are Prime, Premium and Premium Plus variants. The underside two get an 18.4-kWh CATL LFP battery, an 83-km EV range, a 943-km combined range, DC charging as much as 30 kW (30-80% in under 20 minutes) and an eight-second 0-100 km/h time.
The range-topping Premium Plus gets a 29.8-kWh Geely Aegis short blade LFP battery, a 146-km EV range, a 996-km combined range, DC charging as much as 60 kW (30-80% in under 16 minutes) and an 8.2-second century sprint time.
All ranges quoted above are on the more-realistic WLTP cycle – Proton has, in a departure from usual, chosen to market this model using NEDC figures, clearly to more closely match its rivals. The combined NEDC ranges are 1,065 km for the Premium Plus and 1,000 km for the Prime and Premium, their corresponding NEDC fuel consumptions are a claimed 4.4 and 4.3 litres per 100 km, and their respective NEDC EV-only ranges are 170 and 105 km.
Moving from WLTP to NEDC is definitely a backwards step, as the previous is clearly more realistic and closer to what customers will eventually get in the actual world. Proton eMas has long championed the usage of WLTP, against most of its NEDC-toting competitors.
Where combined range is anxious, the eMas 7 PHEV loses out against the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV (1,200 km) and Jaecoo J7 PHEV (1,300 km) mainly because its fuel tank is smaller at 51 litres versus 60 for each Chery Group products. When it comes to actual fuel efficiency, it’s the Proton that has the sting.
At 8.0-8.2 seconds, the eMas 7 PHEV is slower than its EV sister (6.9 seconds) to 100 km/h, but quicker than its turbocharged PHEV rivals from Jaecoo and Chery (each around 8.5 seconds). And while we’re comparing against those, the eMas 7 PHEV also has the longest pure EV range, and quicker DC charging too.
A 51-litre pressurised fuel tank, 6.6 kW AC charging, 170 km/h top speed, vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) capabilities are common to all variants.
Exterior-wise, the eMas 7 PHEV differs from the EV in its split headlamps (DRLs above, headlamps below), full-width front LED bar (except Prime), a unique front bumper and regular door handles (the EV’s ones are hidden/pop-out/flush/recessed/retractable – call ’em whatever you want). The rear number plate’s been moved up from the bumper to the tailgate, allowing a minor rear bumper redesign.
Same tyre and wheel sizes because the EV (225/55 R18 for the Prime; 235/50 R19 with Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance SUV rubber for the remainder), however the PHEV is given a brand new multi-spoke design. Suspension? Just like the EV – MacPhersons up front, multi-links out back. It runs a world set-up; no ‘Proton ride and handling‘. The drag coefficient (Cd) is 0.288, in comparison with the EV’s 0.275.
Length, width, height and wheelbase are respectively 4,740, 1,940, 1,685 and a couple of,755 mm, making it 125 mm longer, 39 mm wider and 15 mm taller, and with a 5 mm longer wheelbase, than its EV sister. It’s also barely larger than each the Chery and Jaecoo.
Interior time. You’ll see that the cabin is just about much like the eMas 7 EV‘s (making CKD easier and cheaper; China’s version has a unique cabin) – regardless of the variant, you get Flyme OS (with Bahasa Melayu support) powered by a 7nm automotive-grade chip, live charging map integration, a ten.2-inch LCD instrument cluster, a 2.5K 15.4-inch infotainment central touchscreen and leatherette seats.
But unlike the EV, the PHEV gets a tonneau cover (except Prime) and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto from the get-go, plus physical sunroof controls (sunroof only on Premium Plus). To jog your memory, on the EV, it is advisable go into the screen to operate the sunroof. The button-like front seat backrest inserts have been modified from chrome within the EV to satin silver here to higher match the remainder of the cabin, but in addition they lose out on the small Proton logos that the EV has.
By the best way, the PHEV’s drive modes are Pure (that’s EV-only mode), Hybrid and Power, in comparison with the EV’s Eco/Comfort/Sport. Pro-Net says interior space is concerning the same because the EV – there’s 932 mm hip-to-hip between the front and rear seats, 125 mm of rear knee room and 73.5 mm of rear headroom, the last of which the carmaker says is class-leading.
Let’s discuss variants and equipment. Literally the one differences between Premium and Premium Plus are the battery, max DC rate and sunroof.
Each are otherwise equally equipped – powered tailgate, auto-folding side mirrors, auto-dimming frameless rear-view mirror, powered/ventilated front seats, fully-reclinable front passenger seat, rear centre armrest, 256-colour ambient lighting, tonneau cover, 13.8-inch head-up display, wireless charging, 16 Flyme Sound Wanos speakers including within the headrests, auto air-con, seven airbags including a centre airbag (which the Geely Galaxy E5 in China gets and our eMas 7 EV doesn’t), a 360 camera and front parking sensors.
All of the stuff mentioned within the preceding paragraph, the Prime doesn’t get, settling as an alternative for six speakers, six airbags and a reverse camera. It also has the smaller of the 2 wheels offered and no full-width front LED bar (we’ve yet to clap eyes on this base variant, so what it looks like continues to be a mystery, as is the brand of tyres used – Giti just like the eMas 7 Prime EV?).
When it comes to energetic safety, while all variants get AEB, ACC, ICC, lane functions, leading vehicle departure alert and traffic sign recognition, the Prime omits emergency lane keep assist, rear collision warning, rear cross traffic alert and braking, lane change safety warning, blind spot detection, door open warning and occupant detection alert.
Pro-Net has been wildly inconsistent with its base variants – see, the eMas 7 Prime EV has full ADAS while the eMas 5 Prime has no ADAS (even though it does have blind spot detection and RCTA). Now, the eMas 7 PHEV Prime has ADAS but no blind spot detection.
The boot can take 528 litres; fold down the back seats for two,065. This is sort of so much greater than the EV’s 461 and 1,877 litres. The PHEV’s 100-litre hidden underfloor storage can be 49 litres up on the EV, even though it loses the EV’s under-seat drawer because that space is now taken up by the fuel tank.
You’ll be able to have your eMas 7 PHEV in Obsidian Black, Lithium White, Mercury Silver, Galena Grey or Aquamarine Blue, while the inside will be had in either Alabaster White or Onyx Black (black is latest – the eMas 7 EV’s interior is either Alabaster White or Indigo Blue).
The service interval is 12 months/20,000 km and in line with Pro-Net, the automotive is 41% cheaper over 10 years than a “same-segment ICE SUV” (the X70 is our guess) at RM29,200 versus RM49,800, including fuel, charging and maintenance. Estimated costs, in fact.
By the best way, Proton successfully accomplished its two-day live-streamed stunt – a convoy of eMas 7 PHEVs (full tank, full battery) drove from Penang to Johor Bahru after which to Shah Alam before ending on the Proton COE, covering 1,104.5 km with 189 km range remaining and averaging 4.0 litres per 100 km. It must be noted that this was achieved with mostly highway driving and will not easily reflect real-world conditions.
Proton eMas 7 PHEV Premium
Proton eMas 7 PHEV Premium Plus interior
Proton eMas 7 PHEV official photos
Proton eMas 7 PHEV presentation slides
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This Article First Appeared At paultan.org
