Malaysian automaker Proton has expanded its range of electrified vehicles with the launch of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant of its e.MAS 7 model. The launch ceremony for the e.MAS 7 PHEV was attended by the country’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The country’s first national car company said its move into the PHEV segment reflects its “multi-pathway approach to electrification,” as it looks to “address mobility requirements while supporting the country's transition towards cleaner transportation.”
At the launch event, Proton chairman Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar told reporters that “PHEV technology is an effective bridge between conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and full battery electric vehicles, as charging networks continue to be rolled out nationwide.”
The e.MAS 7 PHEV is powered by a 1.5L engine and a front-mounted electric motor, with a combined power output of 262 PS. It comes with a choice of 18.4 kWh and 29.8 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery packs, providing a range of up to 170 km in pure electric mode and a total range of up to 1,065 km on a full tank of petrol and a full battery charge. Prices range between MYR 106,000 (US$ 27,000) and MYR 126,000 (US$ 32,000). The company has not revealed sales targets for the new eMAS 7 PHEV, but it is expected to perform well given the positive market response to the battery-powered model. The company’s chairman pointed out that the “battery-powered e.MAS 7 has done very well, with more than 9,000 units sold since its launch in December 2024, making it the bestselling BEV model in Malaysia.”
