KUALA LUMPUR: The limited number of charging networks for electric vehicles (EV) in the country is the main reason why consumers are still hesitant to make the change.
According to Metro Ahad, Kareem Abdullah (not his real name) said he was hesitant to purchase an EV because of this, fearing that he would be stranded by the roadside if he travelled to rural areas.
Speaking at the recent E-Mobility Asia 2024 conference, he shared, "I do want to buy an EV. The price has dropped, and it's more environmentally friendly."
Since EVs rely on battery power, they require charging stations to remain operational, much like vehicles with internal combustion engines that depend on petrol.
The difference is that petrol stations are widespread across the country, even in rural areas. This is not yet the case for electric vehicle charging stations.
Although there are over 3,300 electric vehicle charging stations as of Oct 31, the majority are concentrated in urban areas and along highways.
"We need assurance that there will be charging stations along the way, just like there are petrol stations, especially when we're not on main roads," he said.
Kareem's concerns are not unique.
A 2024 Global EV Mobility Index survey, which included 19,000 people from 28 countries, showed that Malaysians are increasingly interested in buying EVs to reduce costs and protect the environment.
This aligns with the government's efforts to promote more electric vehicles on the country's roads.
Malaysia aims for 15 per cent of new car sales to be EVs by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050, as part of its target for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Experts have differing views on how to solve this issue. Some focus on building and standardising the EV ecosystem first, while others suggest that EVs should be adopted first, with infrastructure built afterward.
To accelerate EV adoption, the government has implemented several policies, including tax exemptions for EV buyers.
This year, Malaysia also removed diesel subsidies, encouraging businesses to switch to EVs more quickly.
Since charging infrastructure remains a key concern, Malaysia aims to have 10,000 charging stations by the end of 2025.
According to MEVnet (Malaysia Electric Vehicle Charging Network), established by the Department of Town and Country Planning (PLANMalaysia) in collaboration with the Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), 33.54 percent of this target had been achieved by Oct 31.
Despite these efforts, the EV market remains small but is growing, accounting for 1.6 per cent of the market as of April.
In addition to infrastructure challenges, experts also highlight the lack of standardisation within the EV industry, particularly concerning EV batteries, which can be hazardous if they catch fire.
Battery expert Professor Azizan Ahmad from the Department of Chemistry at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) told Bernama that each EV manufacturer has its own safety and quality standards, but there is no way to verify these claims.
"Each company uses its own batteries, materials, and quality control systems. They also conduct their own safety tests," he said.
"We just accept their claims and use the products."
In Malaysia, the most popular EV brands are China's BYD, followed by Tesla and BMW.
While it is crucial for the industry to understand its needs and develop its own standards and certifications, the standardisation of EVs and their ecosystem has largely been trial and error.
Azizan believes this is not the ideal approach.
Chin Li, business development manager at Sendok Group, a commercial EV distributor, noted that it is difficult for customers to use EVs in the early stages because they cannot charge their vehicles, despite there being many charging units along their routes.
"Initially, when all the charging stations were built, their designs were more focused on passenger cars. Of course, passenger cars and commercial vehicles differ in shape, size, and length," he said.
He added that the industry must work with charging operators to make necessary adjustments to accommodate commercial vehicles.
Other concerns include fire safety and awareness.
EVs use high-power lithium-ion batteries, which can explode or cause significant damage if they catch fire.
While such incidents are rare, they can be devastating because battery fires spread rapidly and generate intense heat, making them extremely challenging for fire services to handle.
In Malaysia, there have been four reported EV fires from January to September this year, out of a total of 21,000 EVs.
Currently, there is no specific method for extinguishing EV fires other than using Vehicle Fire Blankets (VFB).
The problem with VFBs is that they only control the fire by cutting off the oxygen supply but do not reduce the heat from the source.
If the VFB is removed, the fire can reignite due to residual heat. Thousands of gallons of water are typically needed to cool and extinguish the fire.
Fire expert Andrew Ng explained that battery fires are the most difficult to put out.
"No matter how safe the system is... the technology can still cause problems. There is no such thing as zero failure or danger," he said. "We need to be prepared for that one percent."
During his presentation at E-Mobility Asia, Ng emphasised that due to the fire risk associated with EVs, it is essential to consider fire safety measures around charging areas and structures.
"Just because the incident rate is low doesn't mean we should ignore it, because we know the damage can be severe if it happens," he said.
Fire safety guidelines for EVs, such as providing VFBs at charging stations, exist, but these are merely recommendations, not laws.