IN school, we had to write essays on the consequences of air pollution with cars being a contributor, and ways to curb it such as carpooling or taking public transportation so there will be fewer cars on the road.
Today, we witness the consequences of human-induced climate change that has turned sinister: the accelerated growth of flowers at earth’s bone-chilling and most inhospitable continent Antarctica, rising sea levels, and even frequent flooding right in our backyard.
Conversations and discussions on climate change have been around for decades, and the adoption of green mobility is an imperative to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollution and other negative environmental and health effects associated with transportation.
Green mobility refers to the various strategies and technologies to achieve more environmentally-friendly transportation options as compared to traditional, fossil-fuel-powered vehicles.
This includes electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid EVs, the use of public transportation, carpooling and ride-sharing, the development of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, alternative fuels, and green urban planning.
Charging ahead in Malaysia
The transportation sector is responsible for 25% to 30% of the nation’s GHG emissions, making it the second largest carbon dioxide (CO2) emitter in the country after the energy sector.
Breaking it down further, the land transport segment constitutes 85% of total transport emissions, primarily due to ICE vehicles on the road. Malaysia ranks among nations in the East Asian region with the highest car ownership.
Several policies and roadmaps have been introduced to reduce emissions as the country races to achieve its net-zero pledge as early as 2050.
This includes the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint 2021-2030 (LCMB) which seeks to shift the transportation sector towards electrification, and the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) that builds on existing national targets outlined by LCMB and the National Energy Policy 2022-2040 targets.
NETR’s flagship catalyst projects and initiatives under the green mobility pillar includes installing 10,000 EV charging stations by 2025, introducing the first mobile hydrogen refuelling station for transportation in Peninsular Malaysia, public transport electrification, solar photovoltaic installation for rail operations and developing a bio-refinery to produce a range of bio-based products such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the aviation sector.
Becoming an EV powerhouse
The use of EVs has been viewed as a prospective solution. EVs do not have internal combustion engines (ICE) as they run solely on battery power; car owners will then charge their cars at EV charging stations.
The tabling of Budget 2024 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim saw provisions made to encourage the use of EVs amongst Malaysians. This includes the extension of the RM300,000 deduction on EV rental cost until YA2027, tax exemptions for charging infrastructure and vehicles, and rebates up to RM2,500 for electric motorcycles.
Meanwhile, a total of 150 electric buses will be acquired by Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, and three bus depots will be built on a RM600mil budget allocation.
The entry of renowned automotive companies Geely and Tesla into the Malaysian market also signals the government’s aggressive plans to promote a robust EV ecosystem.
According to Malaysian Automotive Association president Mohd Shamsor Mohd Zain in a Bernama article dated 24 July 2023, the two global automakers could introduce innovative ideas and business practices to the local automotive sector.
Their extensive global experience and access to advanced technologies may lead to the introduction of high-tech Research and Development (R&D) initiatives, potentially bringing new products, especially in the field of electrification.
Mohd Shamsor further mentioned that Malaysia is well positioned to be a regional hub, supporting the global expansion of EVs given its strategic positioning and favourable economic conditions together, and backed by the right government support, infrastructure, and policies.
A whole-of-nation approach is required when it comes to reducing GHG emissions; companies are also doing their part to also ensure they pave the way for their industries towards a low-carbon journey.
In recent news, national postal service provider Pos Malaysia has announced its partnership with Yinson GreenTech for the electrification of its four-wheeler delivery fleet, where it will receive 143 commercial smart electric vans (e-vans) from the latter.
The group’s chief executive officer Charles Brewer said that operating e-vans is 40% to 50% cheaper than an ICE van, even if petrol is subsidised, while the maintenance of EVs is very low as compared to traditional ICE vehicles as the only key component that requires attention is the battery which could last between five and seven years.
Similarly, DHL Express has just added 44 e-vans and seven electric scooters for pick-up and delivery services in Malaysia. Presently, they have a total of 61 EVs that are serving communities nationwide.
In a press statement, DHL Express Malaysia and Brunei managing director Julian Neo said that in facilitating global trade and supply chains, they believe it should not come at the expense of the environment. “As industries continue to transform in the direction of sustainability, we remain focused on leveraging green technologies towards climate-neutral operations. Expanding our EV network marks another significant step in our journey to be net-zero carbon by 2050.”
Obstructions in green mobility
Though Malaysia is projected to be on track for sustainable mobility, the journey is still fraught with challenges.
One of the main primary issues that hinders the nation’s journey to sustainability is the unaffordability of EVs, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida).
Government tax breaks are available for EVs while prices of such vehicles are also becoming increasingly competitive.
However, one would still need to fork out almost RM100,000 - not inclusive of road tax - for the cheapest EV in Malaysia.
Additionally, relatively high prices of EV batteries caused by low localisation for critical parts as well as components would likely drive up purchase and maintenance costs - all of which are important factors potential EV adopters would ponder over.
Low adoption of EVs are also due to regulatory policies, the availability of charging infrastructure, vehicle service points, and road infrastructure.
EV users continue to face 'range anxiety' when travelling long distances up north or down south - fearing not being able to find a charging point on time to replenish the battery.
A study by Deloitte on the 2023 Global Automotive Consumer Study Southeast Asia Perspectives published in March revealed that Malaysians are most concerned about the lack of public chargers for battery-powered EVs.
In a report by Bernama dated 22 Sep 2023, many EV users described the east coast of peninsular Malaysia as an 'EV desert' where charging stations are few and far between.
At the time of writing, there were XX stations in Pahang, XX in Terengganu and only XX in Kelantan based on data from the PlugShare application (a public platform that keeps track of the number of charging stations as reported by users).
Meanwhile, the government has been called upon to enhance the installation process on the ground.
Citing EV Connection Sdn Bhd/JomCharge managing director Lee Yuen How, who gave a presentation titled 'Addressing Challenges of Early Electric Vehicle Adopters in Malaysia' at the recent Energy Transition Conference 2023 organised by Tenaga Nasional Berhad, it is reported that although there is an improvement in the approval process in terms of the documentation to deploy charging points by the Charge Point Operators (CPOs), a long time (to get the approval of local councils, landowners and so on) to deploy a charging point is still needed.
Noting that local authorities and landowners need more guidance to improve the approval process, Lee also points out that some installations take up to nine months to be completed due to a delay in the approval process.
In addition to that, transitioning public transportation into a sustainable sphere is also a daunting task for the government to undertake given the lack of favour and confidence towards the sector.
This issue follows the high costs needed for infrastructure that stretches throughout the nation to reach far flung corners.
According to a Statista survey conducted in Malaysia in January 2023 on transportations, around 52.84% of 1,022 of respondents preferred to travel with their private automobiles.
By comparison, around 20.35% of the survey respondents preferred private motorcycles as their mode of transportation. Only 18% opted for public transportation.
Thus, Mida opines that realising Malaysia’s full potential of sustainable mobility will continue to be hindered unless there is collective action from key stakeholders across the value chain - including manufacturers, policymakers, property players, infrastructure providers, and day-to-day consumers.
