PETALING JAYA: The majority of business operators are not contemplating transitioning to vehicles that run on greener fuel for now, even as diesel prices increased to RM3.35 per litre from RM2.15, following a recent rationalisation.
“Although electric vehicles stand out as a viable alternative to diesel, the high costs associated with transitioning to electric vehicles, particularly for industrial purposes, pose a barrier.While the diesel subsidy has been rationalised, Chin said most SMEs still benefitted from it, making it impractical to switch to greener vehicles in the foreseeable future.
Chia noted that electric vehicles presented a quick alternative, while solar energy had proven successful in powering ships and could be a viable option for coastal vessels. Federation of Vegetable Farmers Association of Malaysia chairman Lim Ser Kwee said it was very unlikely farmers would change their diesel vehicles.“We cannot switch to solar energy as it is not powerful enough,” he said.
An oil palm smallholder in Ipoh, Ho Yuk Choy, 57, finds the electric vehicle landscape in Malaysia not mature enough to sustain long-distance transportation. He added that palm oil millers’ transportation costs had increased by RM20 per tonne after the rationalisation.