KUALA LUMPUR: For quite a while now, pilot Mohd Radzi Desa, 58, has been planning on getting an electric vehicle as his next car.
And his head has been turned by a recent announcement that Tesla have been officially taking orders for their cars in Malaysia, with deliveries expected early next year. Tesla’s move was among similar efforts by other automotive firms in Malaysia that have collectively not only created a buzz and attracted a lot of attention but also raised expectations over the country’s position as an EV hub in the region.
Chinese automaker Geely - which holds a 49.9 per cent stake in Malaysian manufacturer Proton - meanwhile will invest RM30 billion in the development and commercialisation of the Automotive High-Tech Valley in Tanjung Malim, Perak with a focus on EV. During the 2022 Budget, the government announced full exemption from import and excise duties as well as sales tax for EVs, road tax exemption for EVs, and income tax reliefs for the purchase of charging facilities.
“Malaysia is setting prudent and proactive policies to benefit from the coming boom in the EV sector especially by attracting investment from Tesla and announcing a massive increase in share of renewables in the next two to three decades,” he said.