Of the total 31,000 registered EVS, more than 95% are PHEV. The Malaysian Automotive Association says the increase of the take-up of BEVs also comes with the development of more charging infrastructure.Īs in anywhere in the world, consumers are concerned with range, especially in this ASEAN nation with long roads and centers of commerce spread far apart. In 2018-2021, about 9,000 vehicles were added to the total 22,000 EVs registered in the country, according to an MDAP study. More companies were given perks and as a result Hyundai, BMW (including Mini), Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo now have a range of EVs in their showrooms. #HASTEN DOWN THE WIND IMAGES FULL#However early this year, after the implementation of the Japan-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement proposals on exemptions, the LEAF now qualifies for full exemptions, except sales taxes. A 10% excise tax (which is much lower than the usual 75 to 100% for regular vehicles) was levied on the LEAF. Nissan came next but was not able to benefit from the full effect of the tax exemptions because only the import duties were removed. Then it was Mitsubishi with its PHEV SUV line-up. Toyota brought the Prius to Malaysia in 2009, taking advantage of the tax break. Like any ecosystem froth with ICE vehicles and making a slow (and sometimes painful) transition of EVs, the buying of EVs in Malaysia increased not only with affordability (because of tax reliefs benefiting consumers) but also of the government’s efforts to encourage cutting down on carbon emissions in compliance to ASEAN Sustainable Development Goals aligned with the UN’s own SDGs. EVC operates JomCharge network of charging stations. The fuel brand also inked a new partnership with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) and EV Connection (EVC). Significant to this discussion is the involvement of the national fuel retailer Petronas to include DC fast EV chargers at its stations starting with. These will be made up of DC chargers which can charge faster but are comparatively more expensive to build and maintain. The new target now is to set up an additional 1,000 stations by 2025. Today, only about 500 of the stations envisioned as part of its Electric Mobility Blueprint have been put up and a total of just above 600 charging stations of different kinds all over the country. In 2015, a company called Greentech Malaysia (Malaysian Green Technology Corporation) planned to set up 25,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the country by 2020. Then it extended it further to the end of 2013 in an attempt to increase the take up of HEVs. This exemption was to end by 2011 and was revised to increase exemption of excise taxes to 100%. The law applies to hybrid electric vehicles with petrol engines below 2,000 liters. Malaysia led the way among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and in 2009 introduced amendments to its taxation system wherein imported hybrid vehicles will enjoy 100% import duty and 50% excise tax exemptions. I asked road safety advocate and motoring journalist Shahrim Tamrin would it not be favorable for Malaysia, with its national car brands Proton and Perodua, to quickly jump into electric vehicles? Are the barriers to developing the EV ecosystem in Malaysia simply an inadequate supporting infrastructure? Is it the price of the vehicles? Or consumer awareness and demand? Why isn’t Malaysia, the country that started EV consciousness in the region, seemingly lagging behind?Īfter a few bowls of intoxicatingly delicious jalan doraisamy, a Malaysian mutton soup (I was told alcohol would have made it better but the only one we both knew is the rubbing kind), we delved into the topic of EVs in Malaysia. I just returned from a trip to Malaysia to attend a road safety seminar, the launch of a new device, and to meet up with fellow motoring journalists in the region.
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