Malaysia studies per-vehicle EV levy to fund public charging after missing 10,000-point target

Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani announced the government is studying a levy on every electric vehicle sold to finance public chargers, citing RM3.3 billion in forgone EV taxes and the shortfall against a 10,000 charge point target by end 2025. As of May 2026, Malaysia had installed 6,416 charge points, including just 240 across Sabah and Sarawak, with a revised target of 30,000 by 2030. The opinion piece argues the proposal misidentifies the problem, noting that energy companies, utilities and specialised operators such as ChargeSini, Gentari by PETRONAS, TNB Electron, Time Charge n Go and Shell Recharge dominate the network, not vehicle manufacturers.

Why it matters: A per-vehicle levy would create a dedicated funding stream for public charging procurement, potentially reshaping tender pipelines and competitive dynamics for CPOs and contractors in Malaysia. The policy debate highlights government frustration with deployment pace and may signal direct public procurement or subsidies that favour established energy and utility operators over automaker-led networks.