The Proton eMas 7 PHEV has collected over 3,500 bookings in one and a half months. Order books for the plug-in hybrid sister of the eMas 7 EV opened in mid-January ahead of its official launch on February 4. Pro-Net, which handles the Proton eMas brand, says that this encouraging booking figure ‘signals very strong market acceptance’. Billed as a practical upgrade from ICE vehicles, the eMas 7 PHEV ‘provides customers with a seamless transition toward electrified mobility while retaining the familiarity and flexibility of a traditional engine platform’. “Surpassing 5,000 deliveries in just two months and achieving more than 3,500 bookings for the eMas 7 PHEV within one and a half months clearly demonstrate that Malaysians are embracing electrified mobility at an accelerating pace. These results validate our strategy of offering practical, value-driven electrification solutions tailored for the local market,” said Zhang Qiang, CEO of Pro-Net. “We are humbled by the strong response, but we are equally confident that our focus on building a complete EV ecosystem, from product innovation to ownership support, is what truly differentiates the eMas brand. Our goal is to make electrified mobility accessible, reassuring and relevant for everyday Malaysian families,” he added. The eMas 7 PHEV sees a 99 PS/125 Nm 1.5-litre NA engine join forces with a 218 PS/262 Nm front electric motor to send a combined output of 262 PS and 262 Nm of torque to the front wheels. The BHE15-DFN is closely related to the Saga MC3’s engine – still port-injected, it’s been made simpler and lighter for higher efficiency, runs on an Atkinson cycle full time as opposed to part time, has just single instead of dual VVT, and features efficient exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). An 11-to-1 electrified dedicated hybrid transmission (E-DHT) combines an integrated starter-generator and a traction motor. The system works similar to Honda’s e:HEV in that the car is driven primarily by electricity but the engine can be clutched in at higher speeds, when petrol power is more efficient. There are Prime, Premium and Premium Plus variants. The bottom two get an 18.4 kWh CATL LFP battery, an 83 km EV range, 943 km combined range, DC charging up to 30 kW (30-80% in under 20 minutes) and an 8.0-second 0-100 km/h time. The range-topping Premium Plus gets a 29.8 kWh Geely Aegis short blade LFP battery for 146 km EV range, 996 km combined range, DC charging up to 60 kW (30-80% in under 16 minutes) and 0-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. The ICE can charge the battery up to a limit of 85%, and at the other end of the scale, the system protects the battery by not allowing state of charge to dip below 20%. The eMas 7 PHEV is priced at RM105,800 for the Prime, RM119,800 for the Premium and RM125,800 for the Premium Plus, on-the-road price without insurance. These RRPs are inclusive of a RM4,000 launch rebate for the first 5,000 customers. Full details and specs here. GALLERY: Proton eMas 7 PHEV Premium Plus GALLERY: Proton eMas 7 PHEV Premium Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Atome, Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.