Like many car brands famed for their internal combustion offerings, German carmaker BMW also has electric vehicles (EV) to offer potential customers, including in Malaysia. A recent report notes that the brand is also in talks with the Malaysian government, as well as its local partners, regarding its plan to assemble its EVs locally.
This comes courtesy of the New Straits Times, which also notes that the plan aligns with the tax exemption for CBU EVs until the end of 2025. That being the case, a company exec noted that the local assembly of its EVs will require long-term planning, as well as certainty from the local government.
The report cites BMW Group senior vice president sales region in Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Jean-Philippe Parain as saying “we want to continue investing if the government’s long-term direction and policy is clear”. Separately, Bernama quotes Parain as saying “once the government reduces the subsidy, the choice of electromobility has been reduced”. He cites South Korea and Europe as examples of EV sales decline following subsidy reduction.
On the flip side, Parain notes that BMW Group Malaysia saw a 19.1% increase in fully electric vehicles, noting that EV adoption in the country is higher than the regional average, and on par with the global average. Meanwhile, company managing director Benjamin Nagel says that the company is also in discussions with government entities and local partners for EV battery recycling.
