More incentives will be given to buyers of hybrid and electric cars, to encourage more Malaysians to switch to environment-friendly vehicles.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamedsaid in addition to the 100 per cent import duty exemption for hybrid cars below 2,200cc, which had been extended to December 2013, the Government was looking into other incentives, including income tax exemption.
“Currently, there are only about 8,000 hybrid cars on the road in the country,” he said when launching Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s (ETCM) Nissan Leaf Pilot Programme themed “Journey to Zero Emission”.
“The Government is not happy with this number. The way forward (for the automotive industry) is to go hybrid, to go electric and to move towards zero-carbon emission.
“Therefore, we will continue to introduce incentives to accelerate the move towards zero-emission mobility,” he said.
He added that the initiatives would be announced this year after the National Automotive Policy had been revised.
“Our goal is to increase the number of hybrid and electric cars on our roads by 10 per cent, by 2020. By then, we hope to be living in a much cleaner and greener environment,” he said.
Meanwhile, the one-year programme, which utilises the Nissan Leaf electric car, is to promote the use of electric vehicles as well as support the Government’s efforts to drive green technology.
“In line with Nissan’s commitment to be the global leader in zero-emission mobility and the Government’s green direction, we will assist in achieving the 10 per cent to 15 per cent electric vehicle penetration target by 2020,” said ETCM executive director Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng.
He said the Nissan Leaf vehicle was not yet available for sale in Malaysia, and research would be conducted throughout the programme to gather feedback on how the car could be used in local conditions.
“We will have roadshows and the public can also test-drive the Nissan Leaf at selected locations.
“The information we gather will ensure that when the car goes on sale in about a year, it will be fully compatible with local driving conditions and requirements of Malaysian motorists,” he said.
