Geely Star Wish Bows in BIMS 2025 – First Look At Proton e.MAS 5?

The Geely Star Wish, known as the Geome Xingyuan in China, was recently showcased to the Thai public at the ongoing Bangkok International Motor Show 2025 (BIMS 2025).

The preview featured the left-hand-drive variant of the electric vehicle (EV), measuring 4,135 MM long with a 2,650 MM wheelbase, 1,805 MM wide, and 1,570 MM tall, reports Thai auto portal car2day.com.

While no official launch date for Thailand was revealed, Proton’s Deputy CEO, Roslan Abdullah, has confirmed last week that the Proton e.MAS 5 - a rebadged or reengineered version of the Star Wish - will debut in Malaysia this year.

Both the e.MAS 5 and the Star Wish appear to be in the final stages of readiness. However, details are being kept under wraps, likely to build anticipation through teasers, much like Proton did with the e.MAS 7 before its launch.

A key question is which model will hit the market first - Thailand’s Star Wish or Malaysia’s e.MAS 5. Another major concern is pricing.

If the e.MAS 5 is imported as a completely built-up (CBU) unit, its price could start at RM100,000 or more. The only way to bring costs down would be local assembly (CKD), which depends on Proton’s new RM82 million EV production plant.

The facility was initially set for completion by the end of 2025. Whether it will be operational in time to produce the e.MAS 5 by year-end remains uncertain. It is a challenging but not impossible goal. We are also not discounting the possibility of the Geely Star Wish being CKDed in Malaysia for export markets like Thailand.

The Star Wish’s specifications align closely with previous reports. The EV features a 14.6-inch infotainment system, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, and 256-color ambient lighting.

Other features include either a four- or six-speaker setup, a 3.3 kW external power supply, manual or powered front seats, a 50W air-cooled wireless charger, and a comprehensive suite of ADAS safety features.

The Standard Range model has a rear-mounted single motor producing 79 HP and 130 NM with a VMax of 125 KM/H . It comes with a 30.12 kWh LFP battery pack offering 310 KM CLTC-rated range. DC fast charging up to 58 kW is also supported.

The Extended Range variant has a rear-mounted single motor generating 116 HP and 150 NM with a VMax of 135 KM/H. It also gets a larger 40.16 kWh LFP battery pack delivering 410 KM CLTC range. DC fast charging up to 86 kW is also supported here.

Official pricing was not announced at BIMS 2025. In China, the Star Wish starts at RMB69,800 (around RM46,000). However, Thai or Malaysian pricing is expected to be significantly higher, similar to the Geely E5 and Proton e.MAS 7.

As we await further details, the key questions remain. Will Thailand or Malaysia receive their version first? Will Proton manage to introduce local assembly in time to make the e.MAS 5 more competitively priced?