Potential electrical car homeowners, that is the second you’ve been ready for. Finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz introduced throughout his Funds 2022 speech that the federal government is proposing to eradicate all taxes on EVs in Malaysia, together with import and excise duties in addition to highway tax.
That is enormous information, which can absolutely carry out the keyboard warriors saying, “Sure lah, I can purchase an affordable EV quickly!” However how low cost can these electrical vehicles truly be? Let’s check out the costs of all of the EVs on sale in Malaysia (there aren’t that many) and what their doable duty-free costs could possibly be.
As you recognize, there’s one place in Malaysia the place you may already purchase vehicles sans import and excise duties, and that’s Langkawi (nicely, Labuan too, however the island has the drawback of getting to pay additional for transportion prices to East Malaysia). Of all the businesses that promote EVs formally in Malaysia, solely BMW and MINI overtly publish their Langkawi costs, labelled as “responsibility free”.
Towards their Peninsular costs, the vehicles are cheaper by round 15% for the recently-launched BMW iX3, 20% for the MINI Cooper SE and a full 25% for the dearer BMW iX. We do not know why the value distinction varies a lot between these three autos, however since these are all of the numbers now we have to work with, we’ll take the typical, which is 20%.
We are going to now use this determine to calculate how less expensive EVs could possibly be priced in Malaysia with all taxes and duties eliminated. Let’s go.
Nissan Leaf – RM181,263 (estimated duty-free worth RM145k)
The Nissan Leaf was one of many first electrical autos to be launched in Malaysia, making its debut way back to 2013. The most recent second-generation mannequin was launched in 2019 and is at the moment the most affordable EV on sale, priced at RM181,263.
A 20% discount would put the automotive at round RM145,000, which is extra engaging however nonetheless a bit of excessive for a automotive that has a a useable vary solely barely above 200 km.
BMW iX3 – from RM317,360 (Langkawi worth from RM270,360)
The BMW iX3 is Munich’s entry-level electrical car, based mostly on the common X3 SUV. Whereas it’s not fairly as “inexpensive” because the MINI Cooper SE, it’s way more useable, with a extra highly effective 286 PS electrical motor and a WLTP-rated vary of 453 km.
The RM317,360 beginning worth is already a cut price, however slashing it to RM270,360 would make it the most affordable X3 variant on sale, comfortably undercutting the petrol sDrive20i.
BMW iX – from RM419,630 (Langkawi worth from RM313,630)
This may most likely be the one which grabs all the eye – the X5-sized iX, BMW’s flagship EV, could possibly be priced as little as RM313,630 if the Langkawi pricing is any indication.
That’s a major saving of greater than RM100,000 over the unique RM419,630 beginning worth and truly undercuts the duty-paid pricing of the iX3. You do get much less energy and vary, nonetheless, with 258 PS and 425 km at your disposal.
MINI Cooper SE – RM213,460 (Langkawi worth RM168,790)
These of you who benefit from the model and driving expertise of a MINI however need a guilt-free, zero-emission expertise can look to the MINI Cooper SE, which is priced at RM213,460 in Peninsular Malaysia however solely RM168,790 in Langkawi.
It has a zippy 184 PS electrical motor however has even much less vary than the Leaf, doing simply 232 km on a single cost – and that’s on the WLTP cycle.
Porsche Taycan – from RM584,561 (estimated duty-free worth from RM468k)
Need one thing with a bit of extra panache? The Porsche Taycan could possibly be yours from simply RM468k if we subtract our 20% from the present RM584,561 beginning worth. That’s for the bottom 326 PS rear-wheel-drive mannequin with the smallest 79.2 kW battery offering a spread of 431 km.
You will get way more energy and vary (as much as 625 PS and 484 km) if you would like, plus a quasi-SUV wagon, however these issues will value you. So much.
Hyundai Kona Electrical – RM160k?
Though the Hyundai Kona Electrical has but to be launched in Malaysia, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motor (HSDM) has already teased the electrical SUV, so a launch is imminent.
Since we all know a used mannequin is being bought at RM180k, we will safely assume a brand new one can be priced across the RM200k mark. At 20% much less, that brings it right down to a doable RM160k.
Tesla – from RM271k?
Whereas Tesla isn’t formally obtainable in Malaysia, parallel importer Imaginative and prescient Motor Sports activities does herald some grey-market models and has a neighborhood worth listing. Assuming that the responsibility free circumstances can be relevant to such importers as nicely, we will extrapolate the doable Tesla costs too.
The corporate at the moment brings within the base Mannequin 3 ranging from RM339,000 for the Customary+ mannequin, so a 20% drop will put it at round RM271,000. The low cost would additionally drop the Mannequin S from RM749,000 for the Lengthy Vary to round RM599,000 and a Mannequin X from RM899,000 to round RM719,000. Below RM300,000 for the best-known badge in all of electrical motordom? Seems like a steal to us.
Honda e – RM168k?
We just lately additionally reported in regards to the Honda e that was introduced in by Weststar, retailing at RM210,000. At a doable 20% much less, that may put the lovable little tyke at round RM168,000. It has cutesy attractiveness and a lounge-like cabin, nevertheless it solely has a spread of round 220 km, so it’s not precisely sensible.
So clearly, cheaper doesn’t truly translate to low cost. Sorry to burst your bubble. That’s simply the best way it’s, sadly. EVs are usually dearer than ICE vehicles, all around the world.
Nonetheless, now that EVs will quickly be extra accessible, plus the truth that this growth will certainly imply that increasingly more automotive corporations will look into introducing their EVs right here, giving us extra to select from, will you be trying to purchase an electrical automotive quickly?
