THE reason that hybrid cars continue to sell well are many. Let us share the most common reasons.
No driving range concerns, affordability (due to better tax incentives), availability of after-sales services, and no required home charger are the main factors. The reasons why affordable battery-electric cars (EV) have failed in the Malaysian market place are very different.
There are no heavy incentives from our government to persuade middle class Malaysians from owning a battery electric vehicle.
Take for example the latest second generation Nissan Leaf. Selling at RM188,000, the average Malaysian has so many other options to spend their hard earned money on.
It also applies to the Renault Zoe which has been a best seller in Europe for years. When the Zoe was launched here in Malaysia in March 2016 for RM145,000 it came with a 22 kWh battery pack.
The manufacturer's specified range was 210 km based on NEDC test procedure. In the real world, 120-150 km driving distance was possible, which is good enough for a Klang Valley daily office commuter. Drive during the day, charge the battery at night when you sleep.
With economical driving style, going over 180 km would be possible but the driver would have to be disciplined from the start of the journey. This Renault Zoe was one of the few electric cars that accepted three phase AC supply to charge up its battery pack.
From SUV’s to Crossovers to sedans all powered by a petrol or even a diesel engine, there is no worry about driving from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bahru and worrying where to charge the battery along the way. There is no issue with finding a charger that is working along the way. There is no issue of battery issues which needs special attention from a qualified technician.
With a petrol powered (or diesel) car, the middle class Malaysian roughly knows the resale value in coming years and what they can trade-up to next.
With a battery powered vehicle, once the warranty is over there is the issue of replacement battery cost which is now very high and the worry about battery disposal for real tree-huggers.
Recently there was a used 2016 Renault Zoe with 12,500 km mileage (this is a full battery powered vehicle) for sale at just RM53,000. This is a reasonable price for someone looking to get into the world of green motoring. The only stumbling block in its quick sale is the cost of the battery after its warranty runs out and will there be someone to buy it from you.
Also, with a used electric vehicle, there is the worry of the battery’s charging capacity. This is where driving range comes into question.
Yes, you can easily do a battery health check and see its capability, however as we have all learnt from owning laptops and smart phones which uses similar battery technology, battery capacity can suddenly drop its charging power at a faster rate after some years and this could be an expensive ‘fix’ if it happens just after your battery warranty has expired. – ETX Studio, October 22, 2020
