It’s now official, Pro-net’s upcoming model is just named the Proton eMas 7 PHEV, and it should be launched very soon. Proton eMas has just published the teaser you see here on its social media pages, showing the upcoming plug-in hybrid in a brand new blue and red wrap design alongside its claim of being “Malaysia’s 1st Dual-powered EV.”
The post also declares the “ultimate live – drive” where the eMas 7 PHEV can be livestreamed doing a 1,000-km drive from Penang to JB, after which back to the Proton Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam over January 12 and 13 (Monday and Tuesday in the approaching week). The convoy can be stopping by local attractions and Proton eMas dealerships, so you would catch an early glimpse of it along the way in which (stops and timing shown below).
Obviously, the drive is to display the brand new model’s “exceptional range of over 1,000 km,” though it must be said that other similarly sized China plug-in hybrid models just like the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and Jaecoo J7 PHEV will easily do the identical journey too, with each having over 1,200 km NEDC range claims.
Speaking of that, Proton’s over 1,000 km claim for the eMas 7 PHEV is a peculiar one, because the Australian-market Geely Starray EM-i (also generally known as the Galaxy Starship 7 in China, the donor model that is rebadged from) only claims a maximum combined WLTP range of 943 km. Whether the eMas 7 PHEV can be offered with a bigger battery pack (available in China) or if Proton will revert to the more lenient NEDC test cycle claim to more closely match its Chinese rivals, or perhaps each, stays to be seen.
If Proton is indeed moving towards the use NEDC range claims for this model, that will truly be a backwards step. The Proton eMas brand has thus far been one in every of the strongest stalwarts of using the more realistic WLTP test cycle in Malaysia, going against most Chinese EV-makers that prefer using overly optimistic NEDC claims (one even uses wildly inaccurate CLTC numbers) that will look higher on paper. Why change now?
As regards to questionable decisions, let’s get back to the tagline of “Malaysia’s 1st Dual-powered EV.” I’m sorry Pro-net, but that’s just fallacious on so many levels. It is a PHEV, not an EV – its road tax can be based on its engine size like a daily ICE automobile and never its motor output like proper EVs, and it should wear the usual black number plates, not the EV-specific white ones. Marketing it as an EV is just misleading.
As for it being Malaysia’s first, well, that’s just not right either. PHEVs have existed here since way back to 2015, though admittedly only in premium segments until the 2 Chinese models mentioned above arrived last 12 months. If the tagline is supposed to suggest it being the primary “Malaysian” PHEV, well, that will be a contentious claim too given its rebadged nature.
On a more positive note, look closely on the livery and also you’ll nearly make out the mention of seven airbags, so it appears the eMas 7 PHEV will gain back the front centre airbag that was dropped from the EV version. That will be a correct Proton-first, and a welcome addition indeed.
We could have more details on the Proton eMas 7 PHEV very soon, so stay tuned!
GALLERY: 2026 Proton eMas 7 PHEV at Proton Tech Showcase
GALLERY: RHD Geely Starray EM-i at GIIAS 2025
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This Article First Appeared At paultan.org
