The government is optimistic that Proton and Perodua can produce the first national electric vehicle (EV) by 2025, said minister of international trade and industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
“At MITI, they have shared the latest updates on their plans. Our team from MITI is also involved in understanding this progress (memahami kemajuan ini). So far, it looks like it can be achieved. According to the briefings by the national carmakers, we’ll be able to achieve the goal, in 2025,” he told the media at the launch of the smart #1 EV yesterday.
On affordable EVs, Zafrul said that the government is encouraging carmakers to have CKD local assembly in Malaysia in order for them to offer EVs at a more affordable price point.
The Wuling Air EV starts from below RM60k in Indonesia, while the Neta V is priced at RM72k in Thailand
“The government is giving plenty of incentives for EVs, but as mentioned earlier, the incentives must be enjoyed by all Malaysians, not just those who can afford it (buy EVs at current prices). We want to democratise the use of EVs, to ensure that more people can afford EVs,” he said.
Earlier this week, deputy MITI minister Liew Chin Tong said that the government’s policy is to develop the local auto industry, with local content. He said that the government welcomes all auto players to set up shop in Malaysia, and CKD EVs won’t have price restrictions, referring to the current RM100k minimum price for CBU imported EVs.
This mandate means that budget EVs such as the Wuling Air – which we test drove in Jakarta – won’t be coming to Malaysia for around RM50k to RM70k anytime soon. The Neta V is priced at RM100k, but is much cheaper in Thailand. Even the BYD Dolphin was earlier rumoured to come in below the century mark.
Geely’s Geometry E EV
Zafrul previously told paultan.org that the condition was put in place to allow local players to get themselves ready for electrification.
“We are giving them (local carmakers) time to prepare for EVs. There have been questions as to why we are not liberalising quicker, but we have to look at the big picture to protect our local automotive industry for a while so that there is a just transition, because it does relate to a lot of employment, from jobs to suppliers,” he said in July.
The post MITI confident that Proton, Perodua can produce first national EV by 2025; others should CKD – Zafrul appeared first on Paul Tan’s Automotive News.
