Hybrids Are More Eco-Friendly Than EVs Said Perodua

Internal combustion engines are dirty and there’s no arguement. The carbon polution emitted by passenger cars contribute to at least 25% of our world’s 90% of the air polution that we breath today. While other country are pushing legislation worries on climate change, pushing electric vehicles to replace petrol-engines, Malaysia is still pondering if EV(Electric Vehicle) is the way forward. Recently in Budget 2022, the Malaysian government announced a tax and duties waiver for imported EVs – How much savings on a Porsche Taycan?

In Malaysia, your electric supplies are largely generated by coal, oil and gas (thermal power plant). If you are considering an electric vehicle solely concern for the environment then you have to first question how clean is your electrical supply.

Perodua’s President and CEO, Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said “I always say from well to wheel. The first thing that we need to do is we have to make sure that we achieve carbon neutral not in the product – which is the EV – but the production process, which is our factory, the production of energy generation,” he said, adding the production process to the conversation.

“Based on our calculation, EV and hybrid – because we’re depending on burning of coal for 50% energy source – HEV (hybrid) is still the best for Malaysia if you’re talking about being environmentally friendly,” he declared, before emphasising on carbon neutrality again.

“I believe what the government is saying (with this tax-free EV move) is let’s get the economy ball rolling, but at the same time the government would like to push a carbon neutral policy – as mentioned by the prime minister, Malaysia is very much committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and we’re working together with the government, moving towards the guidelines given by them.

Hybrids over full electric cars, for now, sounds very much like the view of Toyota, which is of course the owner of Daihatsu, Perodua’s long-time partner. In September, Toyota president Akio Toyoda – in his capacity as Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) chairman – urged Japan to not follow Europe’s EV model blindly.

“In pursuing carbon neutrality, carbon is our enemy, not the internal combustion engine. To reduce carbon, I believe there should be practical and sustainable solutions that fit the circumstances of each country and region. What we need to do over the next several years is to leverage the technological advantages that we have built up and take immediate steps to maximise CO2 reductions using the electrified vehicles we have now.

“The Japanese government has determined various targets, likely with the upcoming COP26 in mind, but first of all it is just targets that they show us, and second of all, the targets seem to be based on how policies are discussed in Europe, not on the particular situation in Japan. That is why I would like to ask for your understanding that the paths to carbon neutrality differ in each country,” Toyoda said.

Malaysian arm UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT), which will soon launch the Corolla Cross Hybrid, calls hybrids a “realistic bridge” towards electrification.