Is The Proton e.MAS 7 Getting A Renault-Badged Twin?

It appears that the Proton e.MAS 7 could soon gain a Renault-badged twin as the French automaker seeks to adopt the same GEA platform to develop a new range of NEV SUVs.

Here’s an interesting development. It appears that French automaker Renault is set to develop a range of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) using the Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture (GEA) platform from Geely, reports CarNewsChina citing AutoPix.

If said platform name sounds familiar, then you’d be right – it’s the basis of both the Proton e.MAS 7 and Proton e.MAS 5 EVs, as well as their respective Geely-badged Galaxy E5 and Xingyuan twins that’s marketed both across China and select overseas markets.

Presently, key models spawned by the GEA platform include the Proton e.MAS 7 (top, left) and upcoming Proton e.MAS 5 (top, right), as well as their Geely-badged Galaxy E5 (left) and Xingyuan (right) twins.

These new GEA-based NEVs that Renault plans to develop are reportedly aimed for both the Southeast Asia (ASEAN) and Latin America (LATAM) markets. The report further adds that this collaboration marks the first external supply of Geely’s GEA platform.

With the latter, it appears efforts by national automaker Proton through its e.MAS 7 EV SUV and upcoming e.MAS 5 EV hatch are counted as ‘internal’ efforts. In all fairness, Geely does own a sizeable 49.9% stake of Proton.

Geely previously supplied its CMA platform externally to key brands such as Volvo, spawning things like the XC40 plus its EX40 and EC40 (formerly C40 Recharge) offshoots.

We’ll add this is NOT the first time Geely supplied one of its core platforms externally. Take its past collaboration with Volvo, smart Automobiles, Polestar and Jiyue for instance, which was where the Chinese automaker supplied its CMA platform.

Back to Renault’s plans with the GEA platform and, as noted, the French automaker is also poised to develop both pure electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) types from this collaboration.

Moreover, the report adds that Renault’s GEA-based NEVs are set to be SUV-type vehicles. Renault will also reportedly develop the body, whereas overall vehicle architecture and chassis will adopt existing designs from Geely’s Galaxy brand.

For now, Renault's focus in Europe reportedly centres on small EVs like the Renault 5 E-Tech pictured.

The report continues to note that whilst Renault's focus in Europe centres on small EVs, its new Geely GEA-based NEV SUVs also targets the brand's key markets of South Korea and North Africa on top of ASEAN and LATAM mentioned.

Besides brand presence and an established dealer networks in the regions noted, Renault also reportedly has resources that Geely seeks to leverage via this latest collaboration agreement.

Both Geely and Renault have ratified a slew of collaborative agreements of late. Prior to this latest endeavour, both automakers signed an agreement that sees Geely acquire a minor stake of Renault Brazil.

Presently, the Geely Galaxy E5 is the first model planned for induction through Renault Brazil - Geely owns a minor stake in said French automaker's subsidiary.

In turn, this lets the Chinese automaker leverage on Renault’s Brazil-based production, dealership and after-sales service resource to market its own product. The first Geely model planned for induction through this is the Galaxy E5 – the Proton e.MAS 7’s twin.

We’ll also highlight that both Geely and Renault are also partners in Horse Powertrain joint venture where each firm holds a 45% stake, with the remaining 10% stake held by Saudi Aramco.