29/03/2026

theSunday Special XIV ON SUNDAY MAR 29, 2026

Digital instrument cluster is easy to read.

Large infotainment system works as the central command system.

generator to charge the battery while also powering the car at higher speeds where a petrol engine is more efficient than an elec tric motor, such as at highway speeds. The Phev powertrain can also self charge, relying on the engine to recharge as well as the regenerative brakes. But this usually only takes it up to 80% or so. Some car makers like Proton recom mend recharging the car by plugging it into a charger at least once a week rather than relying on self-charging all the time. It also has a better all-electric range that usually varies from 80km to 140km depending on the size of the battery. So, the Proton e.MAS 7 Phev is every thing described above, and more. DIVING DEEPER INTO THE E.MAS 7 PHEV Available in three variants, each is dis tinguished by its interior specifications as well as the size of the battery powering it. But powering all three of them is a 1.5 litre, naturally-aspirated, four-cylinder engine that shares the same family lineage as the engine powering the new Proton Saga. The difference here is that the engine in the e.MAS 7 Phev runs on an Atkinson Cycle with single Variable Valve Timing. That’s not all, more intricate differences include the removal of an auxiliary belt, replacement of the timing belt with a tim ing chain and others that all aid in improv ing thermal efficiency. Just in case you are wondering, thermal efficiency is important because it shows how efficiently an engine can convert the energy from fuel combustion into actually moving the car. The better the thermal efficiency, the more efficient the car because there is less wastage through heat. The e.MAS 7 Phev has a thermal effi ciency rating of 46.5%, which is considered to be one of the best in the segment. Regular thermal efficiency ratings vary from 42% to 45%. By itself, the engine produces 99PS and 125Nm of torque. There is no gearbox here, power is sent directly to the wheels through the electric motor. The motor, placed at the front axle, pro duces 218PS and 262Nm of torque by itself. Combined, the entire powertrain (referred to in the industry as total system output) The seats are brilliant over long distances.

senger. Long or short distance journeys are never a problem, this is a car designed for all lifestyles. HOW DOES IT DRIVE? To showcase its abilities, Pro-Net, the company in charge of electric and hybrid Protons, organised a drive to Langkawi. Driving that far was ideal to show off every aspect of the e.MAS 7 Phev. On the highway, the car could easily reach its top speed of 170kph. The system simply will not let it pass that as much as we tried. What’s most important here though is that the interior refinement was impressive at all speeds. This is possibly down to a combination of Goodyear tyres as well as good sound insulation. Tyres make a big difference here because the e.MAS 7 Phev is heavier than the elec tric variant. A heavier car needs more robust tyres and that usually means more noise since the tyre compound needs to be harder too. So, what the e.MAS 7 PHEV has achieved here in terms of refinement levels is nothing short of exemplary. Power delivery is great too. You don’t get explosive acceleration as what you would experience with an EV, but with an eight second 0 to 100kph time, it is not exactly a slouch either. But what was impressive though was the fuel efficiency figures. Keep in mind that we were not exactly light footed, we had a ferry to catch to Langkawi at 3pm from Kuala Kedah and left the Proton Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam at about 9am. So, you can imagine what ensued. Despite travelling at speeds that cannot be mentioned here, we saw a fuel consump tion figure of 7.1-litres/100km. That is not far off the official figures of 4.3 litres/100km which Proton claims. Our kind of driving still gives the e.MAS 7 Phev a theoretical range of 718km on a full tank, that by itself is worthy of praise and we can be sure that no one is going to be cruising all day at speeds that could get your license confiscated. And interestingly, the Proton X70 that served as the last car of the convoy, had to refuel once on the way to get to the ferry terminal. We only refuelled once during the entire trip. As for battery charge, we tried to force

produces 262PS and 262Nm of torque. As for the battery, the entry level and mid-spec models, known as Prime and Premium, run on an 18.4kWh LFP battery sourced from CATL. This gives the car an all-electric range of 83km and a combined range of 943km. As for charging, you can recharge the battery using a 30kW DC charger which will take you 20 minutes to charge from 30% to 80%, or a 6.6kW AC charger. The flagship Premium Plus on the other hand uses a bigger, 29.8kWh Geely Aegies short blade battery. At 146km, the Premium Plus boasts nearly twice the range of its siblings, and it accepts 60kW of DC charging. But, because of the bigger capacity bat tery, charging time stands at 16 minutes to get from 30% to 80%. Combined range for the Premium Plus variant stands at 996km. WHAT ABOUT THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR? Those who own the fully-electric e.MAS 7 will find the interior of the Phev to be a familiar place. Both models share a similar cabin and that is a good thing because it feels spacious, well put together and more importantly, very comfortable. There is no leather trimming here, instead you get leatherette but that is fine as the seats feel well cushioned with ample thigh support. The latter is something that even the popular X70 misses out on. From the driver’s seat, the oblong shaped steering wheel is retained and once you get used to it, feels natural in your hands. Right behind the wheel lays a 10.2-inch LCD instrument cluster and to the left of that is a 15.4-inch infotainment system with 2.5k resolution. You get wireless Carplay and Android Auto from the get-go now, so there’s no waiting for annoying over the air updates. Audiophiles will appreciate the 16 speaker Flyme sound system that includes speakers embedded into the headrests so that you can answer calls more clearly. One of the key differences here is the under-seat storage that was available in the electric powered e.MAS 7. This is no longer there because the space has been taken up by the 51-litre fuel tank. But besides that, the interior is a fantas tic place to be in either as a driver or a pas

charge the car as we drove and got it up to about 45%. You should know that the harder you drive, the quicker the battery dissipates. There is an option to force charge the battery but that means the engine will drive the wheels and charge the battery at the same time, which means that it will proba bly consumer more fuel. The good thing here is that you don’t need to do that, you can simply plug it into a charger at your earliest convenience. Suspension though can be a little soft. It is great at lower speed where it absorbs eve rything and keeps the occupants clueless about the state of the road, but at higher speed, something a little firmer would have been nice as body roll becomes increasingly noticeable. SO, SHOULD YOU BUY ONE? On a personal level, I feel the e.MAS 7 Phev has it all – good looks, a great interior and more importantly, incredible effi ciency. If there is a concern about reliability, it is worth keeping in mind that the car exists in many other markets as the Geely Galaxy Starship. This means that there is plenty of learnings that has trickled down and helped improve the product. The Proton e.MAS 7 Phev is still rela tively new in the local market, so there is not enough data to tell us how it is going to be like in the long term. But it already exists in other markets and there has been no major incidents, and that should give you peace of mind already. So, if efficiency is something you want then the Proton e.MAS 7 Phev should be up there in your list. And with prices ranging from RM109,800 to RM129,800, it is among the most affordable plug-in hybrids in the market. SPECIFICATIONS Engine: 1.5-litre, naturally-aspirated, Atkinson Cycle with single VVT Transmission: 11-in-1, dedicated hybrid transmission Power: 262PS Torque: 262Nm PRICE (AS TESTED): RM123,800 We like: Good looks, spacious interior, efficiency. We don’t like: Suspension feel at high speed.