Auto Shanghai 2025: Geely Starship 7 EM-i PHEV Showcased

At Auto Shanghai 2025 earlier this week, we were able to size up the Geely Starship 7 EM-i in the flesh. This is essentially the PHEV redux of the Geely Galaxy E5/Proton e.MAS 7 EV.

Shown in the massive Zhejiang Geely Group’s pavilion at Auto Shanghai 2025 this week was the Geely Starship 7 EM-i. Seasoned readers and followers of Carz.com.my will remember Geely launched this electrified crossover SUV in China back in Nov last year.

The Starship 7 EM-i is, effectively, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) twin to the Geely Galaxy E5, the latter better known to Malaysians in right-hand-drive (RHD) from as the Proton e.MAS 7. Having sized it up in the flesh, there’s indeed much to absorb from this PHEV redux.

Unlike its EV twin, the Starship 7 sits 125 MM longer with a 5 MM stretched wheelbase. It's also 4 MM wider and 15 MM taller.

Starting with dimensions, it sits 4,740 MM long with a 2,755 MM wheelbase, 1,905 MM wide, and 1,685 MM tall. Versus its e.MAS 7 (Galaxy E5) EV twin mentioned, this PHEV offshoot sits 125 MM longer with a 5 MM wheelbase stretch, 4 MM wider and 15 MM taller.

There are differences in design in this PHEV redux over its EV twin mentioned too. The most obvious here are its distinct front and rear ends featuring all-LED lighting and full-width light bars. Besides that, what's interesting in this PHEV redux too is its adoption of regular door handles.

Besides the obviously different in front and rear fascia, what's interesting to note too is the fact that this PHEV redux has regular door handles, not the flushed, hidden types seen in the Galaxy E5/e.MAS 7 twin.

On board, thing appear to mirror closely to the e.MAS 7’s left-hand-drive (LHD) Chinese twin, albeit with a tweaked layout that’s more symmetrical in its centre console with air-cond controls relocated further down.

Central to the Starship 7 EM-i is, of course, what it packs under the hood, which is Geely’s second-gen NordThor 2.0 PHEV system – a development of the EM-P tech used by sister brand Lynk & Co. The latter perhaps explains the rather lofty output numbers too.

On board, the Starship 7 EM-i's cabin largely mirrors the Galaxy E5 EV twin here, albeit with several small design tweaks in the dash.

Essentially, the package consists of a 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol base engine designed to attain high thermal efficiency of 46.6%. On its own, this combustion (ICE) mill generates 111 PS and 136 NM, and it’s mated to an 11-to-1 electrified dedicated hybrid transmission (E-DHT).

The latter effectively combines a P1 integrated starter-generator (ISG) and P3 e-motor. Altogether, the package dishes combined outputs of 218 PS and 262 NM, in turn enabling the Geely Starship 7 EM-i to despatch 0-100 KM/H sprints in 7.5 secs and hit a 180 KM/H V-max.

The real difference lie underneath whereby the Starship 7 EM-i employs Geely's second-gen NordThor 2.0 PHEV powertrain,  which also sees two battery sizes readied.

For the Chinese market, two battery sizes are available starting with an 8.5 kWh unit yielding 55 KM of CLTC-rated electric-only range. Above which comes a larger 12.02 kWh unit that yields an even greater 120 KM electric range – albeit under CLTC standards again.

For charging, the Geely Starship 7 EM-i boasts 1.9C charging ability that enables it to draw up to 36 kW of DC charging. In turn, 30-80% re-charges takes 20 minutes through which, and it also boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality on top of which.

Combined with the ICE mill detailed, plus a 51-litre fuel tank, this PHEV crossover SUV boasts a combined range of up to 1,420 KM plus an average fuel economy rating as low as 3.75 litres/100 KM.

Whilst there's no confirmation of which just yet, it seems that a RHD redux of the Starship 7 EM-i by Proton is on the cards, and could possibly be called the 'e.MAS 7 PHEV'.

Overall, things don’t look to shabby, and it seems a Proton redux of this Geely-badged offering could happen. However, no confirmation of which was given just yet, and that’s despite reports that the national automaker registered and trademarked an ‘e.MAS 7 PHEV’ nameplate locally.

What do you reckon then? Would you be keen on this Geely number in RHD with a Proton badge slapped on it? Share your take in the comments below then…