To become a carbon-neutral country, it’s essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially from transportation, which is a significant contributor. Electric vehicles (EVs) can play a crucial role in achieving this goal.
By replacing traditional gasoline and diesel vehicles with EVs, we can significantly reduce carbon emissions and air pollution. The adoption of EVs can also spur investment in green technologies, create jobs, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
The Edge Markets reports that during a parliamentary session on 29 March, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad announced that the Malaysian government has set a new target of 1.5 million electric vehicles (EVs) in the country by 2040, an increase from the previous target of 90,000 EVs by the same year.
This is in response to global migration towards EV infrastructure and a shift away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The increase in EV adoption will be supported by the construction of charging stations by Gentari Sdn Bhd, Tenaga Nasional, and private companies nationwide.
The government is also working on a Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Roadmap and Action Plan and LT-LEDS as part of their goal to become a carbon-neutral nation by 2050. The NDC Roadmap and Action Plan and LT-LEDS are expected to be finalized by Q4 2023, which will help the government enact the Climate Change Act and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has also announced previously that Malaysia is set to establish approximately 4,000 EV charging points this year. As of now, the country currently has 900 EV charging points.
Tesla also made a decision recently to officially enters this country to sell their EVs and set up their Superchargers.
