Now that the world’s two top-selling electric vehicles are on sale in Malaysia, together with 18 other models from car makers in China and Europe, one might think that EV fans would be spoilt for choice.
The reality is that a major group of these EV fans in West Malaysia live in condominiums where charging points are practically non-existent. They can’t even dream of owning an EV, as much as they desire one.
But hang on. The local government development ministry had released a comprehensive set of guidelines for local authorities and relevant government agencies to approve applications for the location of charging bays.
It’s understood that the guidelines will be officially announced later this month.
I would venture that sales of EVs in Peninsular Malaysia would rocket if car buyers living in condominiums could charge their cars where they live.
Malaysia’s new car sales for the first half of this year notched 366,037 units of which EVs comprised 2,661 units or 1.6% of the total number of motor vehicles registered by the road transport department.
Local government development minister Nga Kor Ming early this year had said that regulations for EV charging facilities for all types of multi-level and high-density housing developments would be presented by June.
The need for these rules must be viewed as an urgent matter: the need is to install 10,000 public charging points by 2025 versus the 1,246 charging points installed to date, according to a recent statement by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
That means 4,000 charging points a year for the next two years – a Mission Impossible – unless a right-to-charge law is quickly promulgated in addition to this set of guidelines on charging bays at residential high-rises.
What’s missing in the guidelines is a “right-to-charge” clause that should set in place a process for residents to be able to trigger a requirement for EV charging facilities so that the joint management body can’t block such requests.
Right to charge: a definition
Right-to-charge laws enacted in five states in the US cater to battery electric vehicles whose owners live in apartments.
The laws make it possible for someone to install an EV charger for individual use, although there will be some reasonable restrictions. These conditions may include paying for the necessary electrical infrastructure or upgrades, associated charging costs, and maintaining coverage on an insurance policy.
Right-to-charge laws attempt to address some potentially complex issues. Who pays for the charging station and electricity? Where will the EV charger be installed? Will it impact available parking spots
This right-to-charge law will probably take a few years to be legislated and in the meantime, Malaysia’s cosmopolitan urban population are denied the privilege of owning an entry level RM100,000 EV if not a RM800,000 uber-EV merely because they live in a condo without a place to charge their car overnight.
The past 10 years of EV history, as pioneered by Tesla’s electric cars, has established a charging pattern of which the most important is home charging, followed by destination charging and journey charging.
When Tesla founder Elon Musk introduced his electric car, the business plan was to provide a charging network stretching from the US east coast to west coast. Another of his business plans was that charging facilities should have at least 14 charging guns.
There are four things that can drive Malaysia’s decarbonisation objectives in road transport at a higher pace:
First Malaysia is singular amongst Asean countries in that it has an abundance of 3-phase electrical power. For owners of most newly-developed houses, 3-phase current is standard and owners with a secure car porch can install an 11kW -22kW wall charger for overnight home charging in days. Home charging costs less than tanking-up a combustion car even in petrol-subsidised Malaysia.
Second, most of Malaysia’s condominium apartment buildings feature multi-level car parks that would be a car-charging heaven if there is a right-to-charge law and comprehensive regulations and approval process for EV charging stations.
Third, Malaysian car buyers have a great appetite to buy EVs if there’s a tax break and the cars are practically tax free until 2025.
Fourth, the government and civil service are supposed to practise a green procurement policy where 20% of the things that are purchased are “green label” items. One would assume that this would mean zero emission vehicles such as battery electric vehicles.
Since this green procurement policy was proposed in 2018 when there were only two EV passenger cars and no EV commercial vehicles, it’s time to activate this part of the low carbon mobility blueprint produced by the ministry of natural resources, environment and climate change.
Currently, there are about 30 models of EVs for sale in Malaysia including four light commercial vans, one prime mover, and a handful of e-motorcycles.
Fifth, Malaysia is an international trading hub serviced by international logistics companies which need to comply with the decarbonisation commitments of their principals in the European Union or the US. This means that there’s a great scope for sales of EV light commercial vans.
Malaysia’s first oil company, Shell, is pioneering the way again, this time trading in electricity. Last month, it launched a Shell fleet recharge solution targeted at logistics companies which need to operate EV vans in compliance with EU zero emission directives.
South Korea, with the world’s highest density of EV charge points, could also be a good example for Malaysia to emulate. The Netherlands and China are second and third respectively.
For Malaysia to catch up on the target pf 10,000 public charging points by 2025 and in the larger picture of decarbonisation and energy security, perhaps the government can set up a Pemandu-type committee chaired by the chief secretary to the government.
The strategic demands of energy transition and the benefits of electrification of road transport justifies the need for the chief secretary to head this specific energy transition Pemandu. - FMT
The writer can be contacted at yamin.vong@gmail.com
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
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