Kia has revealed its 2024 EV9 model and it is packed with tons of features including level three autonomy and clever aerodynamics that reduce drag and thus increase range.
Kia’s new three-row electric SUV comes with three, the RWD Long Range model, the Standard RWD model, and the AWD model. All three models are based on Hyundai Group’s E-GMP electric vehicle architecture.
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At the recent Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS), arguably the most popular EV brand in Malaysia BYD revealed one of it’s latest models – the BYD Seal.
The Chinese EV specialist BYD was founded in 1995 and boasts more than 27 years of expertise, establishing itself as an industry leader in electronics, automotive and renewable energy.
The brand has done shockingly well in Malaysia over the past few months with the Atto 3, and it seems like that dominance is set to continue with the BYD Seal.
Seen at the Bangkok International Motor Show just yesterday, BYD has confirmed that 5-seater Seal will be available in Malaysia by the end of 2023.
It is already being hailed as a Tesla slayer, so here’s everything you need to know about it.
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Although activity in the electric vehicle (EV) market in Malaysia has increased substantially in the last year due to the government allowing duty-free importation and sale, with many brands (even new ones) introducing their EV models, we have not heard from Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) which began marketing the world first mass-produced EV – the LEAF – twelve years ago.
Using its own funding, ETCM had taken the initiative to provide information to the public about EVs and the benefit of their zero emissions to the future of the planet. However, the government then was not proactive in addressing climate change until it signed the Paris Agreement in 2015 and made the commitment to become carbon-neutral by 2050. This meant taking various actions, including promoting the use of EVs.
ETCM continued to offer the LEAF, and when it went into the second generation in mid-2019, it began importing the model for sale in Malaysia. However, without the government incentives, its price was high and interest was therefore limited.
The LEAF is still in its second generation and received improvements not so long ago, so ETCM was probably waiting for the updated and better model to be available and it is now ready for sale. With the tax exemption, it is now priced at RM168,888 which is RM20,000 lower than when it was launched in 2019. This would be as low as it can get unless it is assembled locally and would then get additional incentives.
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It seemed surprising that when the Prime Minister/Finance Minister presented Budget 2023 yesterday, there was no mention of any matters related to the auto industry. In particular, the auto industry was waiting to hear about the extension of the tax-exemption for electric vehicles (EVs) which had been proposed in October. Back then, the proposed Budget 2023 by the previous government had extended the exemption for CBU (completely-built-up) EVs for one more year, ie till the end of 2024. However, as the Budget was not tabled in Parliament, it was not confirmed which is why we had the new one presented yesterday.
The Finance Ministry, through its website, had also posted information regarding this matter as part of the revised Budget 2023 Touchpoints and it’s good news. The exemption of excise and import duties for EVs imported in CBU form will continue till the end of 2025. For companies that assemble EVs locally, the exemptions will be provided till the end of 2027, along with full import duty exemption for components used in the assembly of the EV models. Incidentally, EVs in this case refers only to battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles and not electrified vehicles such as hybrid (HEV) or plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), for which there are other incentives given.
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Following the launch of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS in Malaysia last year, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia today rolled out an EQS 500 4MATIC as its first locally assembled battery electric model at the assembly facility in Pekan, Pahang.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has been assembling its vehicles there since 2004 and the EQS marks a significant milestone. It is not just for Mercedes-Benz but also the Malaysian auto industry since it is among the first fully electric models to be assembled locally.
The program to assemble has been quite fast and would have been encouraged by the Malaysian government’s decision to provide duty-free incentives for BEVs from 2022, with those assembled locally enjoying the incentives for an extra 2 years (till the end of 2025). Without the imposition of import taxes and sales tax, the price of the EQS 500 4MATIC is RM648,888 (excluding insurance), RM50,000 less than the CBU EQS 450+ AMG Line.
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Although electrically-powered cars were in existence over 100 years ago and were common in the early 20th century, they faded away as the combustion engine became more favoured for vehicle propulsion. The technologies available at that time prevented improvements being made to batteries – the ‘fuel tank’ for electric vehicles (EVs) – as well as related systems such as the motors. As combustion engined vehicles improved in performance, the limited performance of EVs saw them losing popularity.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, though, there has been a revival of the EV as concerns about the environment have grown. With emissions from the combustion engine affecting not only air quality but also causing climate change, governments have demanded that the auto industry find alternative propulsion systems and EVs, with zero emissions, are seen to be the quickest solution.
Huge sums have this been allocated for R&D to rapidly switch over to EVs as fast as possible. As such, the pace of technology evolution has accelerated and improvements are taking place within shorter time-frames. Each year, batteries are having greater storage capacity without growing in size and, together with other efficiency improvements, the range is extending. From less than 100 kms for the few EVs sold in the 1990s, 400 to 500 kms is now a common figure for new models.
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Gentari Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of PETRONAS which offers clean energy solutions, has set up Southeast Asia’s first 350kW charging station for electric vehicles (EVs). The high-speed charger is one of the stations at the EV Charging Hub located at X Park Sunway Serene in the Sungai Way Free Trade Industrial Zone, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
The facility has been set up in partnership with EV Connection Sdn Bhd (EVC) and besides the 350 kW super charger – the fastest public charger in Southeast Asia – there are also two DC fast chargers (180 kW), and five AC chargers (22 kW and 7 kW).
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With the previous government having allowed full tax exemption on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for a few years, many companies have been quickly introducing new BEV models in the market this year. A number of them are from China, which has the largest EV market in the world, so we are seeing many new brands and models which have unusual names as well.
ORA is one of those new brands and though the brand is new, the brand owner is not. It is a BEV-dedicated brand of Great Wall Motors (GWM), the leading truck and SUV manufacturer in China. GWM is not new to Malaysia as their Haval models have been on sale over the past 10 years, marketed by a local company. In order to more effectively invest and manage their business here, they have established a subsidiary company which will handle distribution and marketing.
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In 1900, Rolls-Royce co-founder, Charles Rolls, experienced an electrically-powered car. Even back then, there were cars that were running on electricity but the technology then made them impractical and inconvenient. Nevertheless, Rolls understood the potential of such cars as clean, noiseless transport and foresaw a time when they would be popular again – with the appropriate supporting infrastructure (ie charging stations).
Today, more than 120 years later, that time has come and Rolls-Royce fulfils the prophecy of its founding father with the presentation of the Spectre. This totally new model not only marks a very historic moment for Rolls-Royce but is also a historic moment for electrification: the technology has now reached a standard where it is able to provide the Rolls-Royce experience.
“The advent of our first battery-electric motor car marks the start of a bold new era for Rolls-Royce. It is also the culmination of a long, painstaking process, in which every element in creating this landmark car has been considered in the minutest detail, over numerous iterations. It states the direction for the future of our marque and perfectly answers a call from the most discerning individuals in the world to elevate the electric motor car experience, because Spectre is a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, as he unveiled the car today.
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It’s not often that the auto industry gets what it asks for during Budget time but for Budget 2023, the Finance Ministry has at least given one more year (to the end of 2024) for the full duty exemption on battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Last year, the exemption period announced was only for 2022 and 2023, with an extension until the end of 2025 for those models which are assembled locally.
It’s not as long as what the car companies wish for but it’s probably better than nothing. The point is that while a number of companies are now importing BEVs, the sales numbers are not exactly big even if the vehicles are ‘affordable’. The prices of BEVs are still high, even without any tax imposed, and proper ones (we’re not talking about the cheap 2-seater minis from China) are still in the region of RM150,000.
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