This latest update to the e.MAS 7’s Geely twin brings sharper looks and a switch to rear-wheel drive.
Now while still romping away in the sales charts, the e.MAS 7 is actually nearly two years old already. And in Chinese automotive terms at least, that is practically end-of-life territory.
So it should not come as too much of a surprise that Geely has recently revealed an updated version of the E5 (the Chinese-market OG on which the e.MAS 7 is based) in its home market. And this latest refresh has brought with it some sharper looks, and perhaps rather intriguingly, a switch in where the drive motor is mounted.
Now starting off looks department first, the E5’s slightly blank face has since been freshened up with a more aggressive-looking front bumper. Down the side meanwhile are a range of new 18- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs that are complemented by black wheelarch trims, while the rear gets a diffuser-like valance.
What is probably more of interest however is what lies inboard from those new wheels, as Geely has elected to move the electric motor from the front axle to the rear with this update, making the E5 rear-wheel drive in the process. Not only that too, but the new rear-mounted motor also gets a rather substantial bump in output, increasing from 218 PS (160 kW) to a rather heady 333 PS (245 kW).
The switch in motor placement can be spotted from the outside, with subtle change of the charging port having been moved to the rear. And with the front axle now free of the drive motor, the updated E5 also gains a rather useful front trunk.
As for what lies inside, the cabin remains largely the same from this update, save for a revised seat upholstery pattern and a new steering wheel. The previous oblong-shaped two-spoke unit has been replaced by a more conventional three-spoke wheel, albeit still with a flat bottom.
Similarly, the rest of the interior kit remains largely the same as before, with the E5 still featuring a 15.4-inch infotainment touchscreen paired with a 10.2-inch digital instrument display and head-up display. Creature comforts still include a panoramic sunroof with a built-in sunshade and a one-touch “zero gravity” reclining front passenger seat with an integrated ottoman (something that incidentally made a brief appearance in the CBU Premium Plus e.MAS 7).
On the safety front, the lidar sensor mounted at the top of the windscreen, along with additional cameras around the E5, indicates that this updated e-SUV is set to receive Geely’s mid-range G-Pilot H5 driver assistance system. This means that it should be capable of a range of highly automated driving functions (both in the city and on the highway) as well as remote park assist. These features however will highly likely remain China-exclusive for the foreseeable future.
And speaking of the question of when all this will trickle down to its Proton twin, one should not expect this facelift to be applied to the local e.MAS 7 anytime soon. Though given the speed at which Chinese automakers are moving these days, there might well be another update already in the works by the time we over here even get around to considering this one for our shores.
