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When the Proton e.MAS 7 was launched in December 2024, I joined their test drive session and also their convoy to several states. A year later, the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV version was offered, with technology that is a combination of petrol and electric energy and recently I had the opportunity to join the media convoy from Shah Alam to Langkawi Island to try it out for myself.
This convoy trip was created to show the potential of the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV for long distance travel, and what's more interesting is that we will also take the Proton e.MAS 7 to Langkawi Island on a Ro-ro (Roll-on Roll Off) ferry and it's not just a gimmick, but there is a reason why we took the ferry. For this convoy, we used the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV Premium version, which has a larger battery, but does not have the translucent panoramic roof like the Premium Plus version.
Design & Specifications
The Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV may not look much different from the Proton e.MAS 7 at first glance. However, for those with eagle eyes, they can definitely distinguish it starting from the design of the headlights which are no longer tapered and do not have projector lights together, because they are separated downwards. Then there are LED lights that connect to the second nozzle. This strip of lights also acts as DRL / Daytime Running Lights.
For the tires, the same size is 19-inch 235/50 R19 but with a different rim design. At the back, it is still not much different from the Proton e.MAS 7, only there is a PHEV label. Another difference is in terms of the door handles which are no longer hidden like the e.MAS 7, but like regular door handles.
From the interior design, they also do not overlap like the original Proton e.MAS 7. The infotainment system also supports Apple Carplay and Android Auto wireless tethering. The only difference is when you look at the driving display which now includes two power sources, namely petrol and electricity.
With a combination of petrol and electric power, the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV utilizes an 11-in-1 hybrid engine to provide 193 kW of power & 262 Nm of torque with a maximum speed of 175 km/h and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 8 seconds. Although in terms of numbers it looks like it takes more time than the EV version which can accelerate as fast as 7 seconds, the difference of 1 second can be said to be quite minimal. With a 51-liter petrol tank and a battery capacity for this Premium version of 18.4 kWh, it can go as far as 1065 KM NEDC in hybrid mode, or 105 KM NEDC in full electric mode.
Maximum Driving Performance Possible
The Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV has its own driving character where it has four driving situations to choose from. If you are driving for short distances or in the city, it will use full electric power. If you reach a speed of 80 km/h, the petrol engine will start operating alone to maximize energy efficiency. And most of the time the petrol energy will be used to generate electricity, which is then channeled as driving energy.
Drivers can choose from three types of driving modes. The Pure driving mode will specialize in using electric energy first, while the hybrid driving mode is a combination of both electricity and petrol. The Power mode provides full power directly from Petrol.
When we left the Proton Centre of Excellence, we had full power for both which gave us a long travel distance, with the electric distance being 96km while the petrol distance was 895 km. Then we started driving fast, to ensure we could arrive on time at the Kuala Perlis Jetty. For me who drove from the Proton Centre of Excellence to Tapah, many times I reached maximum speed
Initially, electric driving was used until the battery reached 25% which was the final stage before it used petrol power completely. During this aggressive driving, it can be said that there is a difference when electric energy or petrol energy is used, and it can be clearly heard from the sound of the engine. When the car reaches speeds above 80 km/h, the petrol engine will work fully to provide power. Praise must be given because the maximum speed limit of 175 km/h also gives the driver more room to accelerate when overtaking quickly.
The energy display shown on the inforia screen clearly shows the combination of the available travel distance, as well as the distance provided by each energy. I arrived at the Tapah rest area with 19% / 0 KM of electric energy remaining, but the petrol energy distance was still 88% / 763KM. For this distance of 152KM, I used around 9L/100km of petrol energy, while the electric energy was around 1.1 kWh / 100km.
The driving display also provides useful information, where the graph displayed can clearly tell the user when electric energy is being used, or when petrol energy is being used. In fact, the regeneration of energy is also displayed, thus presenting the efficiency of the hybrid engine developed by Geely.
The journey continued with two other media friends taking turns until reaching the Kuala Perlis Jetty with 15% / 0KM of electric energy remaining and 14% / 127 KM of petrol energy remaining. We arrived at the Kuala Perlis Jetty with a travel distance of 521.5KM, including going to take pictures at selected locations in Perlis. After landing in Langkawi, Proton refilled the petrol, but did not recharge it to show another ability of the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV.
Better Tuned Suspension of the Proton e.MAS 7
When I tested the Proton e.MAS 7 last year, I felt that the suspension was softer. It may have been designed for comfort, but the road conditions in Malaysia may make passengers feel less comfortable and provide a different experience. For the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV, it brings a firmer, more comfortable and stable suspension setting, with still a little 'body roll' but not a big impact. This situation was clearly tested while driving around Langkawi Island which has winding roads.
Self-Charging Function Activated When the RORO ferry returned
When returning, with plenty of petrol energy left, we activated the self-charging function of the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV. This 'Self-Charging' function will start the engine to generate electricity at a rate of 3.5 kW but can only be activated when the car is stationary. During the 1 hour and 30 minutes of this ferry ride, we activated this function for several periods but it may be because we also activated the air conditioning to do work in the car, so we only got about a 6% increase in energy, and I believe it is not a high percentage increase as a result of this charging.
Return Trip Reaches 0 KM Remaining for Petrol and Electricity
We returned to the Centre Of Excellence as quickly as possible to break our fast and once again the performance and capabilities of the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV were really tested to the maximum. On the way back, with a combination of traffic jams in the city, I found that the electricity seemed to be recharged, but the 0KM sign still did not change because it was below the 25% value. The 0KM value for petrol was seen to be the same as 0% petrol, perhaps indicating that there was no more petrol available, but the car may still be able to move with a little electricity remaining. Thankfully we managed to reach our destination without any problems.
For the return trip, our car was driven as far as 544.5 KM including the distance driven in Langkawi Island the previous day. If we calculate from the speed rate we carry, and also the use of recharging for a long period, it can be said that this is an encouraging result of energy saving.
It can be concluded as the PHEV hybrid car with the cheapest price on the market, the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV will offer the technology and benefits of an electric car, with its own sophistication. Better yet, it may also be the right answer for users who do not have access to a charger, or have a daily agenda that makes charging planning a burdensome matter. This is because users can still fill up with petrol, and use it to charge. In fact, with the presence of a charging plug, users can also use parking designated for EVs, and charge it while shopping or entertaining.
Until now, many Proton e.MAS 7 and Proton e.MAS 5 have been on the road. I am confident that with the existence of this Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV, it will also be the choice of the people who want electric technology, but need the guaranteed range that can be offered through petrol energy.
