Honda Malaysia CEO Atsushi Fujimoto has called on the Malaysian government to provide incentives and reduce taxes for manufacturers and importers of hybrid cars. He added that the Honda Civic Hybrid is priced RM40,000 higher than the regular petrol-engined 2.0S model and was selling between one to two units a month.
“If there’s government assistance, it will be better for us as we can sell more hybrid cars,” said Fujimoto-san. MITI minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has already indicated in the past that MITI will consider revising the rates for CBU hybrid cars. With pushes from both principals as well as grey importers with strong connections such as Premier Hybrid Cars, we could really see something happening with hybrid car taxes in the future.
However, at the same time the PM is also pushing for Proton to come out with a hybrid car and Proton has reported they are collaborating with hybrid component suppliers for a hybrid car that could be ready for market in 2 to 3 years if it finds it feasible.
So there is also a possibility for MITI pull a flip flop and instead put up a protective policy for Proton’s hybrid car. Let’s cross fingers and hope this does not happen.
This is good news.
Between 1 and 2 units per month? that’s bad. But the government ought to offer some incentives at the very least… Especially if they want to promote the hybrid technology.
We just may see other manufacturer bringing hybrid models en masse. Right now, for a rm40k premium over the fuel burning Civic, you’d have to be a Greenpeace member to buy one.
If proton ever actually came out wit one in the near future coupled wit a healthy incentives to convert the current car to a hybrid from the government, i dont see y most ppl will now wouldnt wan to convert following the high price of petrol as it is. But thats just it isnt it?
1. Proton will not come out a hybrid in the near future.
2. Flip flop government will just flip flop over and over till “they” hope this thing wit the petrol price blows away.
3. There wont be an incentive lucrative to pull customer to convert. At best it will be incentive for manufacturer to bring in their hybrid car cheaper than what it is now but yet still to far fetch from the common man income to procure. In the end the rich still win wit the cheaper price. Sigh~~
Our govt has never put saving the world or environment at the forefront of their agendda. We are not like Europe countries where they recognise their social responsibility and behave accordingly.
They are only out to get money and this hybrid thing is not of any use for them. It is in their interest that the ppl pay through the nose for petrol.
I am not hinging a single hope that the govt will let Honda make extra profit by letting them lower the price of their hybrid cars. Whatever policy they come out with, I am sure its gonna be benefiting someone besides the ppl.
The govt has got more pressing matters to deal with right now- like staying in power- than some japanese hybrids
First and foremost, incentive for CBU (hybrid or otherwise) would defeat the main objective of the NAP. It’ll be another flip-flop.
What is needed is an incentive to build the car (or the technology) here. Even if it’s just putting together the various parts from various manufacturers from various countries. We already have the proof of concepts by Lotus.
Maybe we can offer Honda and other manufacturer an incentive to build their hybrids here. Even if it’s just the engines and motors which can then be exported to Thailand for inclusion into a complete product.
Hybrids are a scam – that’s the truth. Most people who buy one remark how the fuel savings are nothing like advertised. Notice when local mags were given the white Civic hybrid to test, none dared to do a comparo with a stock civic(plenty around), say a trip to Penang and back and compare fuel consumption?
Lets face it, a Hybrid uses the electric motor for low speed propulsion with juice taken from the battery. But what charges the battery? Braking charges to battery. So unless you travel in town with lot’s of start-stops, you’re not going to get the savings. If your commute is mostly highways don’t be surprised if your fuel consumption is HIGHER due to the fact that 99% of the time you’re running direct from the engine but all the while carrying hundreds of pound worth of batteries and motors…
If they want to sell a Hybrid, why not just assemble it in Melaka like normal Civics?
Proton can do a Hybrid, it’s not rocket science -the EVE proves that but are people willing to pay for it when the savings are minimal?
PM pushing Proton to come out with a hybrid car as an effort to “lighten rakyat burden” is really sickening.
People are dying of hunger now, and you barely bury a seed and claim that the fruit from the resulting tree shall save hungers.
goguncas71 is right. Even if the Govt were to lower the duties for hybrid cars, there will not be a mad rush to buy one. In an ideal world we all would have at least 2 cars at home – one for long distance driving and the other for urban driving. The later is where the hybrid would be useful with the stop and go situation in town driving.
For out of town and long distance driving, petrol or petrol with NGV would be better and cheaper because hybrid cars would be heavier with the extra
batteries and you can’t use the electric power very much.
If the Govt is concern about exhaust emissions, (which they are not) then they should enforce car manufacturer to adopt EC step 4 or step 5 emissions.
Concurrently the Govt should reduce the duties for NGV components and kits so that NGV installers would not charge customers here about RM6000.00 per car!
For the short term i still think NGV should be push forward first and foremost and by mass producing NGV system to bring the cost down to say a few hundred this will stop our reliance from petrol at the rate it is now. But like some of you had said. They dun give a shiat and besides they still have more pressing matters than this. The thing is this…. i fail to see how this is a problem. Thats what the transport department is there for. So use them lar. Multitask and create a task force to find out what to do. Then once the finding is done just brief the PM then get his A OK….
Hikaru says is correct.
By the time there are incentives, Proton is already there with its markateble car. So that whatever Hybrid proton car will be cheaper than the civic hybrid, so people will be forced to buy proton again.
Gov not stupid, more like sucking rakyat’s blood.
car_craze said,
“If the Govt is concern about exhaust emissions, (which they are not) then they should enforce car manufacturer to adopt EC step 4 or step 5 emissions.
Concurrently the Govt should reduce the duties for NGV components and kits so that NGV installers would not charge customers here about RM6000.00 per car!”
I am very sad to know that the many times they ever mentioned about emissions is together with some other priorities in mind. Like scrap old cars and palm oil diesel, gov’s purpose has nearly nothing to do with emission, but to protect their cronies or coffer.
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w_lighter said,
“For the short term i still think NGV should be push forward first and foremost and by mass producing NGV system to bring the cost down to say a few hundred this will stop our reliance from petrol at the rate it is now. ”
This is so true. And it is a one stone many birds action. Even thou natural gas price is also heavily subsidized, it is still much cheaper then petrol price(unsubsidized). Not only you save subsidy, you have cleaner emission as NGV being slightly cleaner, etc.
All we see is empty talk to “push” people to use NGV, taaalk only. When even the authority is doing the same thing I am doing now, aka TALK, perhaps another decades we will see some slight effect.
mystvearn, Toyota and Honda has researched hybrid cars for so many years and they has achieve so many generations of hybrid to only make an “imperfect” hybrid. Where do you think proton is positioned at?
For example Toyota or Honda they really has a vision to make and improve their hybrid cars, for being environmental friendly etc etc, and even thou their hybrids hardly make them any month, they keep on perfecting it. Although this is also partly used as advertising gimmicks. But they are no empty talk or toy car.
What vision do proton have beside making cheap tins and they-have-it-i-want-it-too behavior?
i feel shame big boy like honda call for assistant, incentive,revising rate,reduce taxes to market hybrid car. honda should make lower margin to push hybrid car. better use 40k to buy petrol then pay extra 40k. stupid ppl only opt for this car, second worst is a 1.3 civic ma……shame 2 u honda.
i’m pretty confident that the government will pull a protect proton policy (triple P). they invested so much into it, they will probably want to earn money from it.
thats what i think, with all the shit happening now.
Bikin power window pun tak boleh mau bikin HYBRID
Did anybody pose the question: what the heck happen to that LMV truck launched in Johor by Pak Lah some time ago?
That truck was supposed to run on water.
All of a sudden, it disappeared after the mega launch. The Honda Hybrid car (and the Toyota Prius for that matter) is expensive to manufacture, thereby commanding a high price here.
Do you really save money driving the car? Have anyone here done tests or have a verified test that it actually is cheaper to run? You sure?
SatriaGuy,
Top Gear did a test in the newest series. M5 vs Prius. M5 cheaper to run. Its not what you drive but how you drive it.
If the Top Gear test is correct, then I guess a V10 block can be more economical than a smaller block that shares its duty with an electric motor.
Wow. Looks like basic driving wits can save money after all.
delos3nos,
Your issue is outdated. If you are still angry with your power window you can contact the vendor Delloyd Industries at Klang.
Do discuss current issues and not on a Ford T model!
Hybrid cars main saving is done at traffic jams and start stop congested area, which is mainly located in the city. If in highway, the benefit is not significant.
Bring the M5 and Prius thru bukit bintang at peak hours and you will know.
The thing is, electric hybrid is not the only answer, a very simple sedan TDI will beat them plus greater performance and torque without expensive battery, and it is properly developed and reliable, and it is clean enough.
Why would gov completely blind on this option but opt for some developing technology? Smart.
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Btw, thats LMG’s hydroxene water fuel technology, it disappeared in void after PL launched it 2 years ago, no cars nothing but just some model kit displayed. And during the recent fuel hike, it reappeared again with a new gimmicks: Hydrofuel, armed with new uniforms and workers.
No idea about whats happening next.
You all please support Honda hybrid gov incentive.. WHY? WHAT FOR?
It’s GOOOOOOOOOOOOD for AP king and queen.. (The new AP king Queen?)
Actually if everybody change to electric, Petronas will be making less petrol ringgit (contrary to what they tell u on subsidies bla..bla..bla) So if G support hybrid like breaking it’s (actually ours) rice bowl!
Hydroxene? Hydrofuel? Wait another 2 years (when they think everybody forgotten) then they’ll come out with….hydroshit!
“MITI minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has already indicated in the past that MITI will consider revising the rates for CBU hybrid cars.” – Main line, ‘WILL CONSIDER’!
Aiya Fujimoto-san, still dunno the sign meh?! Shove up their ass with money then you’ll get your revise tax on your hybrid cars la…aiyo! Still dunno typical Malaysia politics system meh? Cheers Fujimoto-san! :-)
hybrid cars are crap
The government must get their priorities right – feed the people f…. the car makers