Electric vehicles (EV) are rapidly gaining popularity in Malaysia as car manufacturers introduce their electric models to the market. The recent arrival of Tesla and the government’s dedication to expanding EV charging infrastructure have further fueled the interest in electric mobility. As a result, an increasing number of individuals are shifting their focus from traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles to EVs, considering them as a more environmentally conscious alternative. But, are they really more friendly to the environment?
According to FMT, an environmental group has called for increased transparency from car manufacturers regarding a vehicle’s energy efficiency in their advertisements. According to RimbaWatch, claims made by certain carmakers that their electric vehicles (EVs) are “zero-emissions per km” fail to consider the emissions factor specific to Peninsular Malaysia.
This emissions factor includes the emissions released during the operation of charging stations, particularly relevant in Malaysia where 90% of energy comes from non-renewable sources. RimbaWatch emphasised that excluding the local emissions factor from emission calculations provides an inaccurate representation of a vehicle’s emissions, potentially leading consumers to believe they have achieved net-zero personal mobility.
The environmental watchdog urged manufacturers to report the embodied emissions associated with the production of each vehicle model, regardless of whether they are electric or petrol-powered.
Additionally, RimbaWatch called on the Transport Ministry to revise the road tax structure, suggesting that taxes for EVs should be based on energy consumption while taxes for petrol and diesel cars should be based on CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions per km. In May 2023, Anthony Loke, the Transport Minister, announced that they are working on a new road tax structure for EVs and expected to be unveiled at the end of this year.
The watchdog proposed allocating the funds generated from these taxes to improve public transport availability and coverage.
RimbaWatch also stressed the importance of using low-emissions energy sources for EV charging stations, cautioning against being oblivious to emissions when constructing such infrastructure.
