During today’s launch of GWM’s new 4S sales and service centre in Seremban, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced new policies to push the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia.
As of now and until the end of 2025, road tax for EVs is tax-free. However, as is widely known, Malaysian EV owners and potential buyers are concerned about the road tax structure after that.
Currently, the calculation is based on a kilowatt per hour-based system. The final road tax amount for an EV is calculated based on the total power rating of the electric motors, with different power brackets determining the base rate and accompanying progressive rate.
The road tax prices currently range from RM243 for the Hyundai Kona Electric which has a 39.2kWh battery and a power output of 100kW/136PS to the highest amount at RM12,094 for the Porsche Taycan Turbo S which has a 93.4kWh battery that produces 560kW/761PS.
Loke stated that he has instructed the Ministry to review the road tax structure to make it cheaper than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. A move that he believes will promote and make it more affordable for people to own an EV.
In addition, Loke also announced that there will be an introduction of a new number plate system for EV owners. It was not clear when this will be introduced but we know it is in the coming months.
Instead of the usual ‘A’ in Perak and ‘V’ in Selangor, EV owners will have the option to start their number plates with ‘EV’. This new ‘EV’ number plate series will start from EV 1 to 9999 and move on to EVA, EVB, EVC (1-9999) and so on as per our current number plate structure. Additionally, these number plates will come integrated with RFID.
Loke also noted that having these number plates will look good on EV cars and also contribute to certain safety measures.
What safety measures? For example, if there is a major accident involving an EV and there is an electrical discharge, similar to a live wire, authorities who arrive at the scene can spot that it is an EV and have a different approach to the situation without getting harmed.
But the real question here is, what are the ministry’s plans after they run out of ‘EV’ number plates? Will it continue as ‘EVAA’, ‘EVAB’ or ‘EVAC’? Or do you have a better idea? Let us know in the comments section.
