Thread: Quick Review: Proton EMAS Concept

Difficult to believe I know, but this Proton is probably going to prove to be the most expensive car I drive all year.

The EMAS concept was designed by Giugiaros ItalDesign and built in collaboration with Lotus Engineering to celebrate the Malaysian car manufacturers 25th anniversary at last years Geneva Auto Show.

Its taken 12 months for the range extender powered city hatch to make its way back to Lotus HQ at Hethel for a few journalists to get behind the wheel.

The five-door is based on a heavily revised Toyota iQ platform, suspension and steering but everything else has been junked: the engine has been replaced by Lotuses three-cylinder 1. 2-liter developing 47 bhp. The range extenders power had been optimized between power generation points, 20 bhp at 1500 rpm and maximum power at 3500 rpm. Whilst this is a monobloc design production versions, which start testing later this summer, are conventional separate head and block. The electric motor is a 100 bhp with 177 lb. -ft. of torque driving the rear wheels through a 5. 5:1 single speed gearbox.

Sitting beneath the floor are 100 pouch type air cooled lithium polymer cells producing 16. 5 kW/h. Performance figures for concepts are rarely relevant as theyre so overweight, but the EMAS, says Lotus, takes 14 seconds to reach 60 mph and has a maximum speed of 105 mph and a range extender only top speed of 60 mph. Its full range is 350 miles and 60 g/Kms CO2 rating.

Lotus Engineering also integrated ItalDesigns graphics into a touch screen display ahead of the driver that relays not only speed but power consumption, state of charge and range.

According to Steve Doyle chief engineer for hybrid and EV integration at Lotus Engineering, We think one of the concerns with parallel series hybrids is that OEMs want the ability to upgrade the engine or put the engine into different applications, change the gear box or go from petrol to other fuels. They are used to chopping and changing within and across platforms.

The problem with a parallel hybrid is that its so integrated and if the OEM wants to change anything it has to go back to scratch because of the whole development program. With a series hybrid its quite easy to change battery size, the generator or range extender motor and keep the rest of the architecture and control strategy in place.

Behind the wheel of EMAS on the Hethel test track, which was being re-laid at the time, the Proton concept felt surprisingly good for a concept. Its certainly roomy and feels very spacious and despite its weight the electric motor delivers a sprightly performance that would be adequate for in-town commuting. OK, so the suspension settings werent optimised and the steering felt a little vague, but you have to cut some slack with one-offs and look beyond what its delivering as a concept and what its systems could deliver in the future.

Range extenders are a bit of an oddity when it comes to testing as well, since you never really get the chance to put them through the full range and certainly not on a test track. But the few laps of Hethel were enough to prove that the system is effective and delivers on its promise.

Lotus Engineering claims to have interest from European OEMS, but more from those in China and on your side of the pond. With the potential for multi-fuel use and more powerful and dedicated electric motors, Lotus version of a range extender could be heading your way within the next few years.

Trouble is, they will remain a premium priced option until the cost of batteries and electric motors starts to decrease and that could yet be still some way off.