KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd says a five-year window needed before launching its first electric vehicle (EV) in 2027 is crucial for it to understand the local market and find ways to encourage EV uptake among the public.
Proton Holdings Bhd deputy chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said the company also needed the time to learn ways to assemble the EVs locally.
"We are studying the contributing factors for the industry in terms of ways to push the delivery of EV and as for consumers, we want to know the factors that would enable them to own an EV.
"We want to ensure we are adopting the right technology at the right price because technology is always innovating.
"In two years there may be competitors that come up with new technology for EV and with better price so this gives us time to have a thorough study on both the technology and local market," he said during a panel discussion at Invest Malaysia Series 2 today.
Roslan said by learning how to assemble EVs locally, the company would be able to produce vehicles that can meet customer's expectations especially in terms of affordability and quality.
"Five years would give us ample time to determine which technology is most acceptable, easy to maintain and affordable for both the company and consumers," he said.
Roslan said Malaysia needed to produce its own EVs given the growth trajectory the segment was expected to record in the coming years.
"It is a must for Proton and other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to produce our own EV because as you can see globally, EV is something that will stay," added Roslan.
According to the latest data from the company, there were 13,753 units of new energy vehicles in Malaysia as at August.
Of the total, 9,170 units or 67 per cent were hybrid EV, 3,554 or 26 per cent were plug-in hybrid vehicles and the remaining 1,026 units or seven per cent were battery EV (BEV).
Meanwhile, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) programme management office-EV project director Mohd Junaizee Mohd Noor said the company would be actively involved in providing the infrastructure to support the growth of EV segment in Malaysia.
Among the measures the company will take to ensure a smooth transition to EV is by ensuring the grid in Malaysia is robust to cater for the new demand for EV.
"We also need to ensure there are sufficient charging points in the country to cater for EV owners, especially those who travel long distances.
"We are targeting about 3,300 chargers by 2025 to support these vehicles and by 2030, we aim to have 18,000 charging stations," he said.
Junaizee said the government could also help accelerate the installation of charging stations at hotels or shopping malls by putting the device as a requirement to enable these premises to renew their operating licences.
"The government can consider helping boost the industry by putting a condition that requires hotels, shopping malls or restaurants to include EV charging stations at their premises if they want to renew their licences.
"This can accelerate the installation of chargers at these locations and will certainly provide convenience for EV users while increasing the adoption rate," he added.