The growing awareness of environmental sustainability, coupled with government incentives and rebates such as tax breaks and import duty exemptions, is driving the rapid growth of the electric vehicle landscape in Malaysia. The market is flooded with a range of pure EVs, including luxury options like the BMW i, Mercedes-Benz EQ, and Volvo Recharge models, as well as affordable Chinese models such as the Neta V, GWM Ora Good Cat, and BYD Dolphin. 

To further fuel this electric mobility revolution, several new EVs are poised to make their debut in the Malaysian market in the near future. Let's take a quick look at all the upcoming electric cars in Malaysia.

Tesla Model 3 

Tesla officially entered the Malaysian market with the launch of the Model Y in July this year. While we are still waiting for the Model Y deliveries to begin, the American EV maker is already preparing for its next launch, which is the Model 3.

Globally revealed last month, the all-new Tesla Model 3 facelift will launch in Malaysia in October with customer deliveries scheduled to start by the end of the year. The EV is offered in two variants - Rear-Wheel Drive and Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Long Range, priced at RM 189,000 and RM 218,000, respectively. While the battery capacity and power numbers are yet to be disclosed, it is confirmed that the Model 3 will offer a range of 513 km (on the WLTP cycle).

Smart #1 

Jointly owned by Mercedes-Benz and Geely, the German EV brand Smart Automobiles has recently previewed its first electric car, the smart #1, in Malaysia. Set to launch later this year, the smart #1 bookings are underway in the local market. The range includes three variants - Pro, Premium, and Brabus, estimated priced between RM 200,000 and RM 250,000. 

The Pro/Premium trims are powered by a 272 PS/343 Nm RWD electric motor while the Brabus runs on a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup delivering 428 PS and 543 Nm. The latter is mated to a 66kWh NMC battery, offering a WTLP-claimed driving range of 400 km on a single charge. The smart EVs will be officially distributed by Proton New Energy Technology (Pro-Net) in Malaysia.

BMW i5

BMW Malaysia recently updated the i5 model page on its official website, revealing not only the upcoming EV's preliminary specifications but also hinting at its imminent arrival. The Malaysia-spec BMW i5 will come in two variants - i5 eDrive40 and i5 M60 xDrive. The former is powered by a rear-wheel drive motor producing 340 PS of maximum power and 400 Nm of peak torque while the latter runs on a dual-motor AWD setup good for making 601 PS and 795 Nm. Both variants are equipped with an 81.2 kWh battery unit, offering a maximum driving range of up to 582 km.

BYD Seal

Earmarked to launch in Malaysia in Q4 2023, the BYD Seal is a four-door electric sedan that was first previewed in Malaysia last year. The EV has already entered the neighboring markets (Singapore and Thailand), where it is offered in three variants - Dynamic RWD, Premium RWD, and AWD Performance, priced from SGD 242,888 (RM 835k) in Singapore and THB 1,325,000 (RM 169k) in Thailand. 

The Dynamic RWD variant is equipped with a 204 hp electric motor and a 61.4 kWh LFP Blade battery providing an impressive range of up to 510 km. On the other hand, the Premium RWD comes with a more robust 313 hp rear-mounted motor and a larger 82.5 kWh LFP battery, offering an estimated range of 650 km. The top-spec AWD Performance is fitted with AWD dual motors delivering 530 hp and an 82.5 kWh battery letting the EV cruise up to 580 km.

Toyota bZ4X

In May this year, UMW Toyota previewed the sample units of the bZ4x EV, which is earmarked to launch soon in Malaysia. The first pure-electric Toyota model in Malaysia, the bZ4x, is based on the e-TNGA platform that can also be found under the all-electric Subaru Solterra and Lexus RZ. The units put on display were equipped with a front-wheel drive electric motor delivering 204 PS of maximum power and 266 Nm of peak torque and a 71.4-kWh lithium-ion battery, which offers a range of up to 500 km (on the WLTP cycle) on a single charge.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV

Mercedes-Benz teased the EQS SUV in a Merdeka-themed livery during the Merdeka celebration back in August that dropped a hint at its soon arrival. The EQS SUV is the lifted, SUV-bodied version of the EQS saloon. It is offered in three variants in the international market viz - 450+ RWD, 450 4MATIC AWD, and 580 4MATIC AWD dual-motor. 

The EQS 450+ is fitted with a rear-wheel drive motor that kicks out 360 hp and 568 Nm while the EQS 450 4MATIC AWD comes with two electric motors together making 360 hp and 800 Nm. The range-topping EQS 580 4MATIC, on the contrary, houses a dual-motor set-up, which is good for making 544 hp and 858 Nm. All drivetrains are fed by a 107.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, offering a maximum driving range of 660 km.

Volvo EX90

Teased during the launch event of the C40 Recharge Pure Electric, the all-electric Volvo EX90 is expected to arrive in Malaysia by the fourth quarter of 2024. The EX90 is the brand’s flagship three-row EV, which is touted as the safest Volvo car ever. Globally, it is available in two dual-motor, all-wheel-drive drivetrain options. 

The first variant is the Twin Motor, delivering 408 PS and 770 Nm of torque, while the other is the Twin Motor Performance, which boasts 517 PS and an impressive 910 Nm of torque. Both versions are equipped with a 111 kWh lithium-ion battery unit providing an estimated range of 600 km for the Twin Motor and 590 km for the Twin Motor Performance.

That’s all about the upcoming electric vehicles in Malaysia. Are you looking forward to any one of those? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: Ready to go electric? Here's your electric car buying checklist