Could Malaysia be working on something that leapfrogs battery electric vehicles ? Yes, and it may be more than an EV policy. It may even be a new energy policy that includes hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
Green hydrogen is a big jump towards a net-zero carbon target. It can mean a lot of carbon credits for nations who want to offset their carbon footprints. The new green fuel would hugely benefit Malaysia which has done diddly-squat about decarbonisation. Conversely, the government is increasing the carbon footprint by subsidising petrol and diesel.
The Danish company isn’t alone. Governments, energy giants, automobile companies and lobbying groups say hydrogen use is pivotal for cutting greenhouse gas emissions quickly enough to prevent the worst effects of climate change. On Malaysia’s EV car policy, we should discuss this in the context of the former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who propelled the nation into the world of automotive technology. His team wrote the rules about how the automotive industry would develop under the wings of a national car project.
Despite harsh market conditions caused by the pandemic last year, the global electric car market saw a 43% hike, with about three million sold worldwide. Closer to home, Vietnam has also recently launched its very own locally produced EVs – three SUVs with up to Level 3 autonomous driving. They are manufactured by VinFast, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vietnam’s largest property-backed conglomerate. The lucky customers will get their hands on them in September this year.