National automaker Proton has kick-started the local assembly (CKD) for its first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model, the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV, five months after the model debuted as a fully-imported (CBU) unit from China.
Officiated by the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI) Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, the CKD production takes place at Proton’s dedicated new energy vehicle (NEV) assembly plant, which is located within Tanjong Malim’s Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV).
New Equipment, No Price Changes Announced
According to Proton, around 30% of the parts from the new e.MAS 7 PHEV CKD are locally sourced, which includes some of its key powertrain components such as the 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbocharged engine, the dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT), and the electric motor too.
While most of the car’s specs are largely unchanged from its CBU version, the CKD version gains one spec change, where both the Premium and Premium Plus variants now get front massage seats with up to six massage programmes. The entry-level Prime variant, however, sees no changes over its China-made siblings.
What has yet to be announced is the price change for the e.MAS 7 PHEV CKD, and Proton’s website still displays the original launch price (with special RM4,000 launch rebates included) for all three variants—RM105,800 for the Prime, RM119,800 for the Premium, and RM125,800 for the Premium Plus.
For context, the locally-assembled e.MAS 7 has gone down by around RM4,000 to RM6,000 in price over their CBU counterparts, whereas no price change took place for the e.MAS 5 CKD.
Delivery Begins Soon, Still No. 1 PHEV in Malaysia
Deliveries for the new Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV CKD is expected to commence in one month’s time, with the production focusing on the Premium Plus given the high demand for this range-topper among Proton customers.
Since its debut, the e.MAS 7 PHEV has claimed the position as Malaysia’s best-selling PHEV model, with a total of 4,699 units sold as of July 2026 and over 11,000 bookings charted.
