The highly-anticipated Proton eMas 5 continues its slow tease ahead of its expected launch later this month, with the order books officially open for the entry-level electric vehicle. With the news comes the announcement of estimated pricing, set to make this car the cheapest EV in Malaysia thanks to Proton’s ability to dip below the RM100,000 floor price for CBU models.
Prices are expected to start from RM60,000 for the base Prime, rising up to RM80,000 for the longer-range Premium. This being Proton, you can expect a variety of launch promos to be offered, with those who book now from RM99 already getting an eMas-branded Touch ‘n Go NFC card with RM100 preloaded and a further RM500 off the booking fee.
Essentially a Geely Xingyuan – rumoured to be sold globally as the EX2 – with a different badge, the eMas 5 will be offered with the same rear-motor powertrains. While detailed specs for the Prime are not known, expect it to be identical to its Chinese sibling, which churns out 79 PS (58 kW) and 130 Nm of torque.
What has been confirmed is the range, which is a measly 225 km on the WLTP cycle, via the 30.12 kWh CATL lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. The Premium bumps outputs to 116 PS (85 kW) and 150 Nm, getting it from zero to 50 km/h (no, not 100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds. A larger 40.16 kWh battery delivers a more usable range of 325 km.
Charging from 30 to 80% using a DC fast charger takes 21 minutes on both models, with the Premium accepting up to 71 kW; it will also support up to 6.6 kW of AC charging. Thanks to its rear-drive layout, the eMas 5 uses multilink rear suspension rather than the torsion beam that is the segment norm.
From the outside and in, the eMas 5 is practically identical to the Xingyuan, although Proton has still seen fit to wrap the car in camouflage ahead of the official launch. The organic exterior design features shapely head- and taillights, a clean front end with slim air inlets and flush door handles.
One difference over the Geely is the C-pillar appliqué, which dispenses with the Chinese model’s linear graphics in favour of a starry motif (presumably referencing the Geely version’s Chinese name, which roughly translates to “star wish”). A total of five exterior colours will be offered – Moonstone White, Graphite Silver, Slate Grey and the Premium-exclusive Marble Cream and Quartz Rose.
Inside, the eMas 5 retains the Xingyuan’s dual-cowl dashboard design, albeit with the steering wheel now on the right side. However, instead of the Geely’s skyline motif on the illuminated gloss black decor, the Proton gets a more subtle “shooting star” pattern.
Also retained is a two-spoke steering wheel and a slender centre console featuring a smartphone holder (no Qi wireless charger for Malaysia, unfortunately), a limited amount of air-con buttons and a stubby gear selector toggle. Buyers will be able to choose from Flint Grey and Alabaster White, the latter applied to Marble Cream and Quartz Rose units.
Front and centre is a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, running on a reskinned Atlas interface (as per the X50) rather than the Xingyuan’s Flyme Auto system. That means it will come with the X50’s features such as a Bahasa Malaysia language option – even for the “Hi Proton” voice control – and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from the get-go.
Features specific to the EV include an integrated live charging map, accessible through either the built-in navigation or the eMas smartphone app – similar to the eMas 7 and smart models. An 8.8-inch digital instrument display is also fitted.
Standard kit includes halogen headlights, 16-inch steel wheels, manual seats and air-con (the Xingyuan is available with a powered driver’s seat and auto air-con), rear air vents and faux leather upholstery. Only the full equipment list for the Premium has been revealed so far, equipped with notable additions such as LED exterior lighting, a black roof, alloys, six speakers, a 360-degree camera and a powered tailgate.
Measuring 4,135 mm long, 1,805 mm wide and 1,580 mm tall with a 2,650 mm wheelbase, the eMas 5 is slightly smaller than the BYD Dolphin. Its rear motor frees up space for a 70 litre front boot, while the rear boot measures a decent 375 litres, expandable to 1,320 litres with the rear seats folded. Proton also claims the car has a total of 32 storage spaces throughout, including a ten-litre drawer in lieu of a conventional glove box and 28 litre cubbies under the rear seats.
In terms of driver assists, the eMas 5 will come with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, front departure alert, rear collision warning, a door opening warning and auto high beam. These features are exclusive to the Premium model, although six airbags and stability control should be standard.
The sub-RM100,000 segment is set to be teeming with electric competitors in the coming months. While the slightly larger BYD Atto 2 SUV starts at that mark, the first 800 buyers (which the car may have already reached) receive six months of instalment-free ownership that should bring the effective price closer to RM90,000. A closer rival is the Dongfeng Box, currently offered with a RM20,000 trade-in and rebate offer.
Also set to do battle with the eMas 5 is the TQ Wuling Bingo, which is expected to arrive in CKD form and be priced below RM100,000 out of the box. But the elephant of the room is of course Perodua’s first EV, which is not only the company’s first indigenously-developed car but is also slated to be offered with rental batteries to protect resale values. Which of these would you get? Let us know in the comments.
The post Proton eMas 5 estimated price RM60k-80k: Malaysia’s cheapest EV open for booking, 225-325 km range appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
