Bhisma Nambiar
Honda E
The Honda E is a throwback design to its compact first-gen Civic from the 70s. Don’t let the quirky design fool you, the Honda E may be cute, but it certainly packs a lot. With 3 huge screens right on the dashboard for all your needs and a power output of between 100 or 113kW (134 or 152hp) the car can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 8.3 seconds. For a tiny car, that weighs around 1500kg, it is respectable. The only downside of the Honda E is its limited range of around 220 km (140 mi) as reported by Honda. Compared with the likes of the 400-500km range seen on higher-end EVs nowadays, the Honda E is pretty limited.
Marketed as a city car, to move around urban areas, not road trips across the country, hence, the range might not be a problem for most. Speaking of problems, a hefty asking price of RM210k is a lot for a compact car with a limited range, but certainly worth it if you ask me :D. Alas, we Malaysians don’t use our city cars for the city :D, we take em everywhere (and anywhere).
Tesla
You could get your hands on used Teslas in Malaysia. With the cheapest around the RM 360 000 mark for a Tesla Model 3. Pricing of the Tesla Model S is around RM300k to RM 400k in the secondhand market mainly made up of recond cars. Model X on the other hand is close to the RM800k mark. These are hefty prices for a Tesla. Though often these cars need no introduction. We hope to see Tesla officially enter the Malaysian market soon and take advantage of the tax-free push by the government.
Porsche
Porsche Malaysia currently sells the Taycan here in Malaysia. With prices starting from RM 725k, certainly makes it affordable for most elites here in Malaysia. However, with the tax-free pricing, it could be as low as RM 468k. That is appealing for many.
BMW
The Malaysian favourite. The BMW electric line of cars is rather interesting, with dare I say funky yet futuristic designs. The BMW i(s) consisting of the iX, i4 and iX3 are available in Malaysia. With a starting price of RM435k, the iX, an SUV with a long range will be launching soon in Malaysia. Rumours say the i4 will launch in 2022. Finally, the iX3, an SUV based on the X3 with prices around RM 317k and RM354k. The iX3 also has a range of between 453 and 461km. Expect duty-free prices to be slightly lower too.
Mini
Mini, the fellow English brother of the ultimate driving machine, Mini currently sells their Mini Cooper SE for around RM213k. Without taxes and duties, it could be much lower at around RM 160k. However, the range for this city car stands at about 200km making it less ideal for long trips (that is without proper planning).
Nissan Leaf
This car has been around for a while now. One of the first launches in Malaysia too. It is currently the cheapest EV at RM 181k. Without taxes and duties, an estimated price of RM 145k is achievable. However, the Nissan Leaf’s current range is around 200km, making it less than ideal for those long ‘balik kampung’ trips if you ever so desire.
What about Electric Motorcycles?
Niu Scooters
Let’s not forget that EVs do not only mean cars. Malaysia is accustomed to mopeds and small CC vehicles, hence making Niu scooters a viable option for those looking for a cute, nimble commuter scooter to replace their ‘kapchais’. The Niu NQi has 3 variants, lite, sport and pro. All with a 45 km/h top speed with varying ranges. The lowest reported range by Niu is 55km (lite) and a max range of 155km (Pro). This makes it very appealing for most people with mopeds as they generally travel short distances.
Are you intrigued yet?
EVs are certainly up and coming in Malaysia. Sure, we may be a little behind in adopting the latest and greatest, but I am certain we will see a shift in a couple of years. Let us know what you think of EVs in Malaysia down in the comments below. Remember guys, keep it clean (like an EV :D). If you want to know more about the tax and duties read our first article.
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