A few weeks ago, Proton announced the appointment of the first 17 official e.MAS dealers during the brand’s launch on June 12.
To date, this number has increased to 18 dealers across Malaysia.
The establishment of 18 Proton e.Mas branches, represented by 16 dealers, signifies a significant step towards leading the development of an extensive and comprehensive network.
Seventeen of these branches are strategically located throughout Peninsular Malaysia: 3 in Kuala Lumpur, 4 in Selangor, 2 in Johor, 3 in Perak, 2 in Penang, 1 in Kedah, 1 in Kelantan, and 1 in Pahang. One branch is situated in East Malaysia, specifically in Sabah.
These branches operate under a comprehensive network model, ranging from 1S centers to 3S centers to ensure customers receive holistic services from every aspect.
This development demonstrates PRO-NET’s dedication to establishing a complete and comprehensive ecosystem to ensure readiness for prospective Proton e.MAS owners.
PRO-NET aims to achieve 30 dealer branches by 2025, with a flexible expansion plan based on high demand.
PRO-NET is seeking interested and committed partners to join the Proton e.MAS dealer network in the following areas:
Last night, Proton launched the e.MAS, their sub-brand for fully electric vehicles (EVs) that will begin entering the market by the end of this year. As a generation that experienced the era of Friendster and Myspace, this reminds the writer of the Proton EMAS concept from more than a decade ago.
The Proton EMAS is a concept designed by the firm Italdesign Giugiaro. The name EMAS stands for Eco Mobility Advance Solution, which also obviously means “gold” in English. Eco Mobility Advance Solution also technically means that EMAS is designed for energy-efficient vehicle solutions.
Therefore, it is equipped with a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder engine that generates 20hp at 1,500rpm and 47hp at 3,500rpm. The torque is 107Nm at 2,500rpm. This engine, weighing only 56kg, is paired with a 16.5kWh battery pack and 370-volt battery cells, making the Proton EMAS a hybrid range extender.
The EMAS can accelerate from 0 to 96km/h in 14 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 169km/h. It can travel up to 563km per tank. The design of EMAS is based on the Toyota iQ platform, including the suspension and steering, but all other aspects are new from Proton. It has MacPherson suspension at the front and a torsion beam at the rear.
Proton first revealed the EMAS concept to the public at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, one of the most prestigious automotive exhibitions in the world.
The Proton EMAS also comes in several variants. The standard EMAS is a 5-door version with four seats, while the EMAS3 is a 3-door with a 3+1 seating configuration. There is also the EMAS Country, with SUV styling and higher suspension. If you notice, the EMAS Country looks similar to the Iriz Active, doesn’t it? The writer believes the Iriz Active takes inspiration from the EMAS Country.
The writer still remembers reading and seeing this EMAS concept during university and truly hopes it becomes a reality model sold to the public. Perhaps the EMAS could be a competitor to the Myvi?
At the Geneva Motor Show, Proton’s then-CEO, Dato Syed Zainal, said, “The goal is to produce a global car for the world market.” According to him, there were only 17 to 24 months left before entering production, which should have started in 2012 or 2013.
However, the Proton EMAS never became a reality.
Do you still remember the Proton EMAS concept? The writer is sure that the Tiktok generation has never heard of it.
PROTON today introduced e.MAS as a sub-brand of their fully electric (EV) models. Before we proceed further, the pronunciation of e.MAS is “imas”, with the letter ‘e’ connected to the word ‘mas’. It stands for Electrifying Malaysia.
Proton also unveiled the e.MAS logo, featuring the display of a tiger’s head without confinement. According to Proton, it aligns with the current design trend for EV brands that lean towards cleaner and less complicated graphics.
“The unveiling of the e.MAS brand and logo today marks a significant step forward in Proton’s journey towards launching our own EV model,” said Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer, Proton.
“We are aware that as a company tied to the industrialisation of Malaysia, we have a responsibility to provide mobility solutions relevant and within reach of all Malaysians.
“This is why Proton has been deliberate in its approach towards EVs, developing our knowledge base step by step to ensure we have a thorough understanding of the products, technology and user concerns before sales even begin,” he added.
Also announced at this event is the appointment of the first 17 Proton EV dealers who have signed their agreements earlier today.
“As Malaysia’s first automotive brand it is important for Proton to invest in infrastructure to offer a full range of services to EV buyers, instead of just selling product.
“Therefore, when Proton e.MAS models go on sale, customers can be reassured their every need will be taken care of just like it would be for buyers of the current Proton range,” added Dr Li Chunrong.
Proton also shared with the media practitioners that when the cooperation with Geely began in 2017, plans were made to introduce Proton EV models.
Despite delays during the pandemic, activities resumed with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Proton and smart on January 19, 2022.
This was followed by the signing of the General Distribution Agreement (GDA) between the two parties on August 18, and the establishment of PRO-NET on September 9 to oversee sales and distribution of smart vehicles and future EV offerings from Proton.
The next step was to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Gentari in October to collaborate on establishing charging infrastructure.
This was followed by sending 16 engineers to China in December 2022 for On-Job Training (OJT) in EVs and related fields such as charging and servicing.
In 2023, Proton appointed dealers for smart and recruited staff from various industries to strengthen the workforce to manage the brand.
Commenting on the new EV brand, Dr. Li Chunrong added, “The e.MAS brand and its products are an extension of Proton’s three core values: innovative technology, reliability, and international standards. This is the next step in the company’s evolution, and in the coming months, we will make new announcements to build brand recognition and product promotion ahead of the launch of the first Proton e.MAS EV in December this year.”
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