Tenaga Nasional Berhad is ready to support Malaysia’s transition into electric vehicles (EVs) and is looking to partner with private companies operating in this field, reports Free Malaysia Today and The Edge.

“We believe that it is important for Malaysia to start looking seriously into accelerating the transition into low-carbon mobility,” said TNB chief strategy and ventures officer Datuk Fazlur Rahman Zainuddin at TNB’s Energy Sector Roundtable Engagement on low carbon mobility yesterday.

“TNB is prepared to lead this exciting transition, not only as the infrastructure provider, but to drive a collaborative approach with a coalition of stakeholders to realise this important step towards decarbonisation,” said Fazlur.

He added, “In line with the government’s low-carbon agenda, we are keen to work with any private-sector party that wants to transition to electric mobility.”

According to Fazlur, TNB had together with Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Centre, have already installed 73 EV charging stations in 31 locations last year.

However, Fazlur said that these charging stations have achieved only a 20% average utilisation rate.

“Infrastructure is our business,” he said. “But we believe that we cannot do it alone, we need to work with players in the industry to match supply and demand.”

Malaysia is supposed to announce its Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint 2021-2030 via the Ministry of Environment and Water later this month.

Temporary tax cut for EVs, including imported (CBU) ones have been mentioned in the blueprint’s draft.

Also read: Zero tax for EVs in Malaysia soon, but there's a catch

Currently, EVs (only battery-electric BEV ones) sold in Malaysia are already taxed at a lower 10 percent rate (normal rate is 60 to 105 percent), but the 30 percent import duty remains.

The Japan-made Nissan Leaf sells for RM 181,263, while the UK-made MINI Cooper SE sells for RM 217,470.

BMW Malaysia is also looking to introduce the BMW iX and BMW i4 in the near-term, as registrations of interest for these two models are already open.