When it comes to the deployment and adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) here in Malaysia, it is not just about the cars on the road, but the infrastructure that supports it as well. Without the support of the utility players and the government, it could all be for naught.
Pestech International Bhd group CEO Paul Lim shared with FocusM the point of view of the infrastructure provider, noting that it has “always been a chicken and egg situation.”
“In the matter of adoption, it comes down to the ringgit and sen perspective. As it is much cheaper and more sustainable to transition to EVs, all that is needed is for there to be the convenience of switching,” said Lim.
He points out that, while there are petrol stations that are easily accessible everywhere, charging points are less so, and this comes from an existing limitation on the laws to provide the service.
He explained that, at the moment, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is the only one able to sell electricity, and this needs to be discussed, considering the fact that providing charging stations can be seen as selling electricity.
“Right now, the regional trend is for the utilities and private investors to build the infrastructure. Still, this is a new sector that requires the government to revise their rule against allowing private investors to build infrastructure here,” said Lim.
He also pointed out that it takes time to charge EVs, which could see charging times taking too long than is feasible.
“Without the support from the utilities, such as allowing a large enough charger for fast charging, it will be less convenient for Malaysians driving EVs and there will be slower take-up. As such, the support of the network provider is also needed, for a grid that can fast charge a fleet of EVs,” he explained.
“Right now, we are looking at about 1,000 charging points around the Klang Valley, and while some places such as malls are providing Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) as an initiative, it is still a small-scale measure.”
He added that Pestech has TNB as a partner, which is “the right partner for this endeavour.”
When asked about how the infrastructure seemed to focus around the Klang Valley, Lim pointed towards another obstacle in EV adoption in Malaysia – the high cost of EVs here in Malaysia.
“Right now, the EVs on sale in Malaysia are expensive, and tend to be from luxury brands. This leads to buyers coming primarily from the Klang Valley, which in turn causes the infrastructure to centrehere due to the demand,” said Lim.
Should the government allow more entry-level EVs and lower prices, it will help the adoption rate of the vehicles in Malaysia, he added.
Coming back to the ringgit and sen perspective, Lim noted that it would be “much cheaper and more sustainable” to transition to EVs, not to mention needed, as global energy dependence is moving away from fossil fuels.
“About 16.7 billion litres of petrol is used up a year in Malaysia on cars alone, and while the price of fossil fuels may be cheap now, these prices are decided by international players. On the other hand, Malaysia is a country where the electricity bill is subsidised. If the government is making available reliable EVs with a low entry level, along with moderate convenience charging points, a lot of people will switch, purely from the savings perspective alone,” said Lim.
From the maintenance point of view, he also shared that most EVs come with a six-year warranty on their batteries, not to mention there are less moving parts in an EV compared to a combustion engine vehicle, which in turn means cheaper maintenance.
Lim also advocated a stance on EVs that falls outside the four-wheeled vehicle, pointing to the electric scooters and motorbikes that are not allowed on the road due to the vehicles not being covered by the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
“There needs to be a holistic view to ensure all voices are heard. As it is, electric scooters and motorbikes are not allowed on the roads, as there is no jurisdiction for allowing this. Reviews are needed to change this as well,” he said.
Electric motorbikes are priced between RM2,000 and RM3,000, Lim shared, but the jurisdiction issues remain. At the same time, retailers are also unable to bring these models into Malaysia.
Lim noted that the EV roadmap laid out by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change had been very on-point, but the change in government has left this in a state of limbo, which was not helped by the country moving into the movement control order soon after the change in government. – June 3, 2020
