Electric car brands in Malaysia

The electric cars segment has just started to grow in Malaysia and to support it, the Malaysian Government has waived almost all taxes on EVs for the next four years under Budget 2022. A 100% road tax exemption and tax relief of up to RM 2,500 on the purchase, installation, and subscription fees for EV charging facilities for two years has also been proposed. With this, Malaysia becomes the first Southeast Asian nation to provide these many rebates on buying electric cars. 

If you find these rebates lucrative and look forward to buying an electric car, you can check out the following list of electric car brands available in Malaysia.

BMW

BMW is at the forefront of electrifying the Malaysian automotive market. It recently introduced two new EVs here - iX and iX3 and will be soon adding the i4 to the lineup. Based on the X3, the iX3 comes in two trims - Inspiring and Impressive, offering a driving range of 461 km. The price starts at RM 317,360 and goes all the way up to RM 336,360.

The iX, on the contrary, is bigger than the iX3 and underpins a new platform, a new design philosophy, new connectivity tech, and more. It comes in two versions - xDrive40 standard and xDrive40 Sport, priced at RM 419,630 and RM 472,630, respectively. The driving range is 425 km.

Also read: BMW iX vs BMW iX3: Spec-to-spec comparison

If we talk about hybrid cars, BMW Malaysia offers a number of options, including 330e, X5 xDrive40e, and 740Le xDrive.

MINI

BMW-owned MINI offers the electric Cooper SE at a price of RM 213,460 in Malaysia. This small EV offers a 230 km range on a single charge with punchy performance and agile handling.

Porsche

Just like BMW, Porsche is also of those car brands which took initial steps for the growth of the Malaysian EV market. The official distributor of Porsche cars, Sime Darby Auto Performance, offers the Taycan EV and Taycan Turismo EV. The former comes in three trims - 4S, Turbo, and Turbo S offering a range of around 410 km. Its price starts at RM 725,000 and goes all the way to RM 1,195,000. The Taycan Turismo EV price starts at RM 645,209 and it offers a range of 437 km. 

Hyundai

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motor (HSDM) has recently launched the Kona Electric SUV, which is one of the cheapest EVs available in the Malaysian market. It is available in three variants - e-Lite, e-Plus, and e-Max with a price ranging between RM 149,888 and RM 199,888. Powered by smaller battery packs, the lower variants of the SUV has a cruising range of 305 km, while the range-topping Kona EV runs for 484 km on a single charge.

Nissan

Edaran Tan Chong Motor launched the second-gen Leaf in 2019 with improved range, technology, and practicality. It comes at a starting price of RM 181,263 and offers a driver range of 311 km per full charge.

Volvo

Volvo Malaysia introduced the XC40 plug-in hybrid model earlier this year The electrified premium SUV is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cyl petrol mill and an electric motor with a price tag reads RM 241,997. The automaker is likely to introduce the XC40 Recharge EV version soon in Malaysia.

Honda

While Honda Malaysia does not have any pure EV in its lineup, the Japanese automaker holds a strong position in the hybrid electric vehicle market. Launched in March this year, the City RS e:HEV is priced at RM 105,950. It is powered by an intelligent multi-mode drive (i-MMD) powertrain, comprising a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle DOHC i-VTEC and two electric motors. The Jazz Hybrid, on the other hand, is equipped with Sport Hybrid i-DCD system and an integrated electric motor. It is priced at RM 84,955. However, Honda will soon discontinue Jazz and its place will be taken by the CIty Hatchback.

Also read: 2021 Honda City Hatchback: What we know so far

So, there we go. These are the electric cars one can buy in Malaysia. It is to be noted that the mentioned prices do not include the recently announced EV tax rebates. The tax incentives will not only bring down the EVs prices, but it will also make the automakers introduce more and more electric vehicles in Malaysia.

Also read: How electric car works