Proton e.MAS 7's Chinese BEV twin launched - Priced from equivalent of RM 70k, 218 PS/320 Nm, up to 530 km range

Following months of teasing and drips of information, Geely has officially launched the Geely Galaxy E5 fully electric (BEV) SUV in China.

The Galaxy E5 will compete against the BYD Atto 3, which is called the Yuan Plus in its domestic market and Geely is offering tantalizing prices for its latest BEV SUV.

Prices for the Galaxy E5 range from CNY 112,800 to CNY 148,800 (~RM 70k-92k) which is cheaper than the Atto 3 in China which starts from CNY 119,800 (~RM 74k).

As if those prices aren’t attractive enough, Geely announced a CNY 3,000 (~RM 1,900) discount on the official prices until 1 October.

Dimensionally, the Galaxy E5 is slightly larger than the Atto 3. Built on the Geely Electric Architecture (GEA) which is a derivative of the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), the electric SUV uses cell-to-body (CTB) battery integration technology to achieve a 50:50 front-to-rear axle load ratio.

This would reduce weight, lower the centre of gravity, and enhance rigidity. The Galaxy E5 also features Geely’s Galaxy 11-in-1 intelligent drive system that integrates critical components into a compact unit that weighs 79.8 kg and has a volume of 72 litres.

Powering the Galaxy E5 is a front-mounted electric motor that delivers 218 PS and 320 Nm while 0-100 km/h is claimed to be done and dusted in 6.9 seconds. This permanent magnet synchronous electric motor is the only powertrain offered but two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery sizes are available.

The Aegis Short Blade battery is developed by Geely and is available in 49.52-kWh and 60.22-kWh capacities which provide a maximum CLTC range of 440 km and 530 km respectively.

Features that are offered in the Galaxy E5 depending on the variants include a floating central control screen, a fully digital instrument panel, a head-up display, a panoramic sunroof, 16 speakers including headrest speakers, and the Flyme Auto system which is designed to be as intuitive as a smartphone.

The Galaxy E5 is offered with Level 2 ADAS which includes AEB with pedestrian recognition, lane change assist, and intelligent cruise control (ICC).

The Geely Galaxy E5 will be available overseas in both left- and right-hand drive configurations. It is the first Geely vehicle to be developed for both configurations simultaneously and Proton played a huge role in its development.

During the e.MAS 7’s unveiling last week, P1 revealed that 230 of its engineers and designers contributed to the development from the start. This collaboration involved 700,000 man-hours and 10 million km of testing and Proton pointed out the upcoming BEV SUV is not a simple rebadge of the Galaxy E5.

The e.MAS brand is managed by Pro-Net, a division that also handles Smart in Malaysia. The e.MAS 7 is expected to be launched by the end of this year.

Also read: Launching this year: Proton e.MAS 7 - brand's first BEV, C-segment SUV, GMA platform, LFP battery