The Proton’s e.MAS 7 wraps up the first and longest multi-nation EV endurance drive across Southeast Asia, showcasing world-class reliability and Malaysian EV leadership
Kuala Lumpur, 29 May 2025 — The Proton e.MAS 7, has successfully completed a historic 10,432km journey across nine ASEAN nations as part of the ASEAN Unity Drive 2025, a regional road trip spearheaded by the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii). The epic 22-day journey was completed incident-free and brought all drivers home safely.
Proton e.MAS 7, the number 1 EV model in Malaysia, took its capabilities beyond borders, driving through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, East Malaysia (Sarawak & Sabah), Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore before making the return journey home.
Surpassing its initial 9,000km target by over 1,400 kilometres, the e.MAS 7 demonstrated remarkable reliability, endurance, and battery safety throughout the multi-nation challenge, solidifying its position as Malaysia’s flagship EV and a benchmark for electric mobility in the region.
“Completing over 10,000 kilometres across nine countries without a single battery issue is no small feat,” said Zhang Qiang, CEO of PRO-NET. “Everyone who has ever worked on the Proton e.MAS 7 project can be proud of this achievement. This journey belongs to all of us.”
Across Borders, Across Conditions – The Proton e.MAS 7 Continues to Forward
Driving through the intense heat and humidity that Southeast Asia is renowned for, the Proton e.MAS 7 faced every terrain and weather condition the region could throw at it. The high-efficiency battery system handled day after day of long-distance driving without a drop in performance or safety, a significant assurance to potential EV adopters across the region. The trip was challenging, to say the least.
“There were some challenging routes where the road condition was bad and some of the routes took us far from the charging point,” Mohd Adib bin Mohd Azam recalled his experience. “We encountered one situation where the charging point was farther than the remaining range. We stop at a coffee shop and use the portable AC charging to make up for the shortage of battery percentage so we can reach the charging point.”
Muhammad Taufiq bin Mohd. Zin also shared his driving experience: “We had anticipated the trip from Lao to Cambodia would be challenging due to the availability of the next charging station from Pakse to Krong Kracheh, which is 356km away. It gave us a bit of range anxiety although it was well within the range of the vehicle's claimed distance. The driving condition is a constant variable.”
On charging the e.MAS 7, the team used local apps and search engines to locate charging stations. Wan Kok Chai remembered, “Yes, due to the unavailability and timing of charging stations, especially in Laos, we brought a mobile charger to tap into the domestic (household) current supply.”
“On longer journeys, we had to stop overnight and tactically charge for a long trip the next day, that happened quite often, and we were constantly driving long distances each day for weeks,” said driver Peter Hugh Davis, an actor and mixed martial artist.
Closer to home, Yamin Vong, veteran motoring journalist, summed up his experience, "As an EV, what impressed me about the e.MAS delivered on its stated range of 430km when we started on our AUD sector from Kota Kinabalu to BSB in Brunei. This included the road between Papar and the Sepitang border, part of the Pan Borneo Highway. However, this stretch is under construction and, much like a war zone, had to be driven carefully. The e.MAS capably coped with the huge potholes and gravel stretches. It rained heavily on the flood-prone Beaufort sector and the e.MAS handled the bad weather and water-logged conditions with aplomb. As a wannabe owner of an EV, this e.MAS inspires me."
A Journey That Moves ASEAN
Kilometre by kilometre, charge by charge, the Proton e.MAS 7 carried the Malaysian flag to connect roads and cities, people and cultures. Now it brings the region closer by being selected as the official vehicle of the ASEAN Summit 2025.
As host of the recently concluded ASEAN Summit 2025, Malaysia welcomed leaders and delegates from countries in Southeast Asia and the e.MAS 7 played a prominent role in official transportation. Its presence throughout the summit stood as a powerful symbol of the nation’s electric momentum and its commitment to sustainable, forward-looking mobility.
From Pakse to Putrajaya, the Proton e.MAS 7 continues to reflect Malaysia’s ambition, resilience, and leadership in shaping tomorrow’s mobility.
Relive the highlights of the ASEAN Unity Drive, here: ASEAN Unity Drive 2025 Highlights
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