We know almost everything about the Proton eMas 5 now, following the revelation of its RM60k to RM80k estimated price last weekend as part of the EV’s open for booking online event. Prior to that, we’ve detailed the right-hand-drive version of the Geely Xingyuan with Proton badges – although Tg Malim insists on camouflage, the eMas 5’s looks isn’t a secret.
So, with eMas 5 launch around the corner now, here are some snacks in the form of details you can’t find in the brochure. We’ll start with no ‘Proton ride and handling’.
This being a rebadged Geely, the lack of Proton involvement in the eMas 5’s suspension tune should not be too big of a surprise, but as is the case every time a new Proton-badged car is launched, some expect ‘Proton ride and handling’ to be in the mix. The demand for that element speaks of the good work done by Proton in suspension tune in the past, and good marketing, amplified by the media.
During a recent visit to Geely’s plant in Xiangtan (near Changsha, the capital of China’s Hunan province) – the main plant for the local Geome Xingyuan and where all export-bound batches wearing Geely EX2 and Proton eMas 5 badging are made – we learnt that all cars ride on the same suspension tune, including the eMas 5 bound for Malaysia. Proton was not involved in this aspect of the EV.
One surprising element about the Xingyuan/eMas 5 is the use of rear multi-link suspension over a torsion beam, given its budget EV brief. We wouldn’t have bat an eyelid had the eMas 5 came with the cheaper and more compact torsion beam, which is Geely’s choice for the Proton X50 and S70.
Hardware helps, but tuning could be as important, if not more crucial to how a car deals with Malaysian roads. We had a short ride in a base-spec Xingyuan on the open roads around the Xiangtan plant, and this rear passenger came away surprised at the composed ride of the EV. With four people onboard and wavy roads not unlike some of our highways, the Geome dealt with rebounds after dips in the road very well – no subsequent waves.
Honestly, we expected softer suspension with more slack, something rather common in Chinese cars, including the eMas 7. A bouncy, boat-like ride can be uncomfortable for rear passengers, but I suspect that the eMas 5 will cope well with less-than-perfect Malaysian roads. Also unusual is the eMas 5’s rear-wheel-drive layout (eMas 7 is FWD, although both sit on the same modular platform), but its modest output (116 PS/150 Nm in the Premium), should bury any sporting ideas.
The usual caveat applies to this positive first impression. It has happened before, a car riding well and feeling great abroad, only to be too soft or crashy when driven in Malaysia. Our test car was a base spec Xingyuan riding on 15-inch steel wheels (16-inch alloys for eMas 5), but the slightly taller tyres wouldn’t have been too big of a factor. We’ll need to confirm it on home soil, but the eMas 5 should ride better than your average Chinese car.
Without Proton ride and handling. More on what will be Malaysia’s most affordable EV here.
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“We wouldn’t have bat an eyelid had the eMas 5 came with the cheaper and more compact torsion beam”
Torsion beam for electric driving axle is quite a bit more complicated which is why you hardly see it.
Stress, deformation and resonance are issues that can be avoided using multi-link.
Rebadged car, tak payah
Kamu bukan wakil seluruh negara jadi tak payah cakap banyak lah.
Don’t like his opinion just shut up lahhhh
You dont like DiamLah’s opinion? You can follow your namesake and Shut Up!
alvaro has a point. geely should enter directly to compete in malaysia and wipe out proton.
Geely R&D looked down on Malaysian R&H engineers that has mastered the art of ride and handling from Lotus.
Even EMAS 7 does not have proton suspension tuning, and during tests, especially lane changing at high speeds the stability due to the very soft tuning can be massively improved if it were given to proton engineers.
As you cannot the legendary proton ride and handling prowess from the factory anymore, you can go to those ex-proton engineers that has opened their own suspension companies.
Hello,dont offend DR Li Shu Fu.Nanti he merajuk,pull out of Tanjong Malim.Geely knew DRB screwed up badly before…just play safe,he still trusts his own macai…which is normal.
When u deal with a white knight…be extra courteous.
Once,Geely stop supply of donor cars with their engines and gears..Paultan will have plenty to write on a messy divorce.
I m sure PMX prefer the marriage between Geely/DRB stay put.
Kerja buat logo pun Geely dah tolong buatkan, apa yg tinggal cuma nama…
Terus rebadge sebagai Jiliton
nobody gives a rat la..we need non-rattling door panels and dashboards…
Susah to have no rattle in Malaysia. Our roads are to0 bad. Even G-wagon rattles on our road after a while. Other countries absorber may last more than 10 years. In Malaysia we usually need to change it every 2-4 years.
Or in other word, Proton is getting lazier and too comfortable being fed by Geely.
i would say it is not about being lazy. it is about what you can launch asap. If proton do the R&D for the emas5 we might only be seeing them end of next year earliest. And by that time there will be more competitors already especially the Perodua one. it is a very good move by proton. Perhaps the proton R&D version will come with the CKD variant later.
Well no point crying over spilled milk..If geely were to allow the proton ride and handling team(is those people still around?thougt some of them alredy join perodua team) to tune emas to have better sorted suspension,it would look bad for them(geely) i guess(yes rnd cost money for the tuning)..Geely/proton marketing team here and how they allow media to report and ‘not to report’,camouflage,0-50 3.9 rather than 0-100 9.9sec, like we in malaysia live in a cave,honestly i feel disgusted..That is my honest feeling..My feeling aside i had no issue with the car..
CBU so cannot do anything for now. Wait until CKD then Proton can do their magic.
It’s because handling means nothing if it does not translate to lots of sales.
Myvi bezza axia is sold by a huge margin even when it has horrible handling. Reliability and cheap to run is all that matters for the majority.
New DNGA axia is stable yet accelerate well at highway speed, so it’s sufficient and handles very well follow regulated speed.
This EMAS5 top speed only 130km/h range,
With it’s EV chassis it’s handling also stable and handles well for regulated speed.
For racing fun, Proton’s handling also not enough. Like every other car, need overhaul upgrades tyres, brakes, suspension and other performance
Tukar logo and sell here. Then claim national product
same tactic used by FAM to naturalize foreign football players
National brands can’t continue sinking billions into developing fully local products because that’s not cost effective for the relatively low sale numbers. Been there done that with Campro engines, Gen2 and Savvy platforms, and Proton learned their lessons.
Ev car battery weight at the bottom like tnga mah, no need lotus ride and handling dy.
if it were so easy any car which needs good handling would simply stash 300kg of lead at the bottom and call it a day .
No more Proton handling, they makan lotus d, so its now Geeli handling.
Lotus also under Geely fyi.. iykyk
harap lepas ni proton rebadge merc dan jual murah, tukar lambang je xpayah pening kepala