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Dinamikjaya Motors Sdn Bhd has officially unveiled its second Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) in Malaysia at The Exchange TRX. The Kia EV9, now available for booking at a starting price of RM368,888.00, marks the first automotive launch at this world-class experiential lifestyle destination located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s international financial district, the Tun Razak Exchange.

The Kia EV9, which debuted in March 2023, has already earned international acclaim, winning prestigious awards such as the 2024 World Car of The Year and the Best of the Best Award in the Cars and Motorcycle category by Red Dot Award: Product Design 2024.

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The sales of diesel vehicles, particularly pickup trucks, are anticipated to drop by over 50% due to the introduction of floating fuel prices. Used car sales advisor Khairil Anwar Jaafar, 45, noted a significant slowdown in sales over the past month, with potential buyers adopting a wait-and-see approach.

As a result, Khairil’s company has decided to temporarily stop accepting diesel-engine vehicles. “The decline in sales has been noticeable for more than a month, even before the announcement of targeted diesel subsidies. We have about 15 to 20 diesel vehicles that remain unsold,” he said.

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UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) reported a successful month in May 2024, achieving total monthly sales of 8,422 units for both Toyota and Lexus brands with the Toyota Vios and Corolla Cross being the two best-selling models. This brings the total year-to-date sales to 39,211 units.

Commitment to Community and Environmental Sustainability

UMWT remains dedicated to community engagement and environmental sustainability, as demonstrated by its various initiatives. The 23rd Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) program, launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is a key example. This national-level program empowers students aged 13 to 17 from 16 schools across Malaysia. The initiative promotes Toyota’s 8 Steps Problem-Solving Method (PSM) to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Since its inception in 2001, the TEY program has engaged over 300,000 students from 521 schools, fostering a legacy of environmental stewardship. TEY 2024/2025 offers cash prizes totalling up to RM80,000, incentivising innovative solutions and aligning with UMWT’s environmental action plan to achieve zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

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Nissan Motor is working towards significantly reducing the cost of electric vehicles (EVs) by developing a new motor magnet made from inexpensive materials. This initiative is a part of their strategy to make EV manufacturing costs comparable to petrol vehicles by fiscal year 2030, ending March 2031. Achieving this goal would require a 30% reduction in EV production costs.

The recently developed magnet utilises a samarium-iron rare-earth alloy. Unlike traditional EV motors, which use neodymium magnets enhanced with dysprosium and terbium for heat resistance, Nissan’s magnet eliminates the need for these rare and supply-risk-prone materials. Neodymium and dysprosium primarily come from China, which has previously restricted rare-earth exports to Japan, highlighting a significant supply-chain risk.

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Despite assurances that there will be no increase in the cost of living and day to day expenses, it seems like the increase in diesel has had immediate effects on the market.

Some businesses have started posting notices about an immediate increase in price of their services.

One such business is from the tow truck industry, with one business sharing that their business will be increasing the price of their services immediately as they did not qualify for subsidies.

A quick check with the business revealed that towing a car on a flatbed from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur used to cost RM700 but now costs RM1,000.

The increase in prices is expected to have far reaching ripples with this being just the tip of the iceberg.

According to reports, over 300,000 people are expected to benefit from subsidies but the total number of diesel users far exceeds that.

The government has also outlined the type of vehicles that qualify for subsidies and sadly private vehicles that have been registered to be used by companies and organisations do not qualify for that, and that is the category where some tow trucks fall under.

Diesel vehicles that have been registered for e-hailing as well as tourist vans and busses do not qualify for subsidies.

It is unlikely that those operating within this industry will simply absorb the increase in price. This increase in cost will unfortunately be passed on to the paying consumer, inadvertently making daily life more expensive.

Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg has urged the federal government to seek out affordable and sustainable energy alternatives to replace diesel consumption nationwide. He suggested that such alternatives could eliminate the reliance on government-funded diesel subsidies.

Abang Johari made these remarks following the Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen Conference and Exhibition (APGH) 2024, where he emphasised the unsustainable nature of continuous diesel subsidies. “If people keep relying on diesel and demanding subsidies whenever diesel prices rise, they’ll just keep asking for subsidies,” he stated.

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