It’s looking quite likely that owners of full-electric vehicles will be paying more for their vehicle’s road tax in the coming future, if what is apparently emerging is right. Word from the grapevine is that the road transport department (JPJ) will be moving to calculating the road tax rates for electric vehicles based on their motor kilowatt output instead of the traditional engine cc displacement as previously utilised.
This will effectively alter the payable road tax rate for EVs, which was initially drafted for calculation based on a kilowatt rate, and for which the table has been in place since 2011. According to JPJ sources, the rates for EVs were previously keyed in by clerks under the cc category during the vehicle registration, as a matter of familiarity. This is set to change.
A hint of the possible revision started last week, when a guideline on the calculation of the road tax for pure electric vehicles began to circulate around social media circles, with some thinking that this was a new, incoming rate. It turns out that it isn’t, and the document pages actually list the existing road tax rates for electric cars and motorbikes from before. But from what is being communicated, it seems that the switch will come about, although how soon remains to be seen.
Let’s take a look at how the switch to kW-based input would pan out, price-wise. For electric motorbikes (code AA), the road tax for such two-wheelers with an output rating of 7.5 kW and below will be set at a fixed rate of RM2.
For e-motorcycles with a motor output rated above 7.5 kW, the rate is calculated as:
For private saloon motorcars – individual (code AB) and company registration (AC) – with a rated output of 80 kW and below, the rates are as such:
Vehicles with a rated motor output of above 80 kW will have a base road tax applied as well as a progressive rate calculated into the final sum. The road tax rate is calculated as follows, starting with a base rate and an additional rate for each kW increase:
Given the dearth of fully-electric vehicles on the local scene presently, there won’t be much impact as yet, and even for existing EVs like the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe) there’s really not that much for owners to swallow. The Tesla Model S gets the biggest jump, although users won’t feel the pinch at all, since their cars are leased and the road tax is covered under the terms of the leasing agreement.
Some calculations to get an idea of what the going rates will be with the supposed new scheme, whenever that comes fully into play. The Zoe has a 65 kW (87 hp) output, so its ‘new’ EV road tax will be RM56. It currently pays RM28 in road tax based on the existing rate, according to a Zoe user.
The first-gen Leaf, which was introduced by Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) back in 2013, has an 80 kW motor, and will pay RM72 in road tax under the EV rate. The second-generation Leaf that is set to come to Malaysia later this year has a 110 kW motor, which means it would pay RM374 (RM274 base rate plus RM100 on the calculated increase from 100 kW) in road tax.
The cost jumps significantly with high output motors, with every kilowatt above 150 kW being charged RM27. The road tax for a facelifted Tesla Model P90D presently is a rather insane RM10, based on a 7.75 kW output (we have no idea how that figure came about).
Based on the new rate, the road tax for the S 90D, which has a 345 kW (463 hp) working output, will be RM6,289 (RM1,024 base rate plus RM5,265), while the S 70 RWD variant, which has a 235 kW (315 hp) output, will pay RM3,319 (RM1,024 base rate plus RM2,295). Meanwhile, the road tax for the base 270 kW (362 hp) version of the S 85 will be RM4,264 (RM1,024 base rate plus RM3,240).
Incoming cars like the Porsche Taycan, which has been confirmed for a 2020 arrival here, will also be paying a fair bit in road tax. With an output of 440 kW, the road tax for a base Taycan will be RM8,854 (RM1,024 base rate plus RM7,830 as scaled on the 290 kW difference from 150 kW), and likely higher for the Taycan 4S and Turbo variants. Of course, the sum doesn’t look like it will impact or affect any potential Taycan owners.
As it goes along, a trend may emerge with the electrification route in which most of the activity will involve offerings up to the 150 kW region. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) will continue to pay road tax based on regular cc displacement for combustion engines, meaning there is no change no matter what kind of output their motors offer. What do you think of the eventual switch to the road tax for EVs? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
This game changing EV technology is the future while Proton already game over. Habisla Projohn!!
And then have you complain and complain and complain about the high EV battery replacement cost? Yeah right.
This make perfect sense… Some shopping malls currently offer “free” charging and the car can park there whole day for “free”
Previous corrupted Government had their hands in TNB, a GLC. They ketuk the rakyat maximum.
Each house now pay RM500 electric bill
Correct bro. Looking at my electric bill,
TNB surcharge 1.6% from KWTBB. More burden imposed to us rakyat since 2011, leader xleh pakai makan duit rakyat
If you use aircon 24/7 of course you are liable to pay for it. When you tamper with the meter, of course you will be penalised to pay more. When you tried to cheat the previous govenment, of course they will ketuk you. Only in this new government, they have allowed your corrupted practices to go unpunished.
Incorrect direction, this is sohai betui… high technology car will have higher watt, lower tech low watt where everyone can do… There should be encouraging incentive for high technology for industry continue break thru instead of low watt that everyone can do.
Do you give incentive for solar cell can produce higher watt, or solar cell can produce low watt low tech ????????????
Sohai…
Hybrid pay 2 charge … Sohai … Pay more for go green new direction…
Hybrid cars really game over, must pay road tax for fossil fuel engine plus road tax for electric motor kilowatts.
kudos! what the previous gov should have done, but left MY in a huge mess. ICE car roadtax switch to CO2 emission-based rate ?
LOL last time heard some servant of nation mentioned that only developed country capable to collect road tax based on carbon tax therefore Malaysia not yet developed cannot switch to co2 emission based road tax.
Meanwhile Thailand already started CO2 NOx based road tax…
EV won’t work in Malaysia because TNB rates is one of the highest in the world.
In other countries, their electricity is cheap. In Malaysia, electricity is very expensive. All the more when houses have changed to the Digital meter which runs 2X fast.
So, no point double whammy rakyat with high EV road tax becaus ewe are paying exorbitant TNB rates.
Last time TNB raised prices saying Oil went to US100. But when oil went down in price, TNB “Forgot” to reduce electricity rates to the rakyat.
Then open up the market as soon as possible and stop electricity monopoly by one organization. Don’t you know your southern neighbor lion city has many electricity providers…
Can’t you provide any concrete data instead of general statement? I had stayed many years in countries like China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Jamaica, Mauritius. All these countries had electricity rate that’s higher than Malaysia. I also knew that electricity rate in US and Singapore are significantly higher than Malaysia.
See how much Singaporean earn. See how much the electric bill. I also stay in Singapore before. My electric bill only SGD100. My Gaji SGD5000
In MAlaysia my Gaji also RM5000. My electric bill RM400
If you really earn in Sing money then what are you still doing here? it sounds like a fraud.
Everyday hardworking thumb bee crossings the causeway from JB to SG to earn 5k monthly wages. Which part is wild claimed as fraud?
Dont worry one day gov will encourage people to buy electric cars at that time sure have incentives… Believe me…at that moment when fossil fuel is no more sure gov want us to buy electric cars am i right? At this moment dont gatal2 buy electric cars because why gov dont encourage us to buy it… Also our country is not ready for it… We dont have the facilities
wat u crapping about highest electricity price , pls do some research about electricity price in the nearby regions. Dont simply blabber to get more likes.
You must be new here. This dude here self-replies his own comments and self-likes it too. We read his comments for the laughs.
Lolz!
Resident troll is very good, last time asked about P1 EV, where is P1 ev? Where is P1 ev? Now asked pipu dun use EV pulak. Very topkek.
Topkek
wise decision, those driving Volvo XC90 and x5 should pay more, we should subsidy the poor not the rich
For hybrids the road tax follows the combustion engine
Please Read ^!
Imho taxing output is dumb why not tax base on weight? like heavier vehicle actually damage the road more.
Well kudos for the government to tax electric like Crazy we belong to the stone age…Companies can keep dumping old thirsty engine in Malaysia!
Well then, Proton X70 (17xxkg) and other cars will be charged higher than a Lamborghini Galardo (14xxkg).
Please think before you comment.
Tax based on weightage within the same segment. ICE SUV vs EV SUV, Supercars vs supercars. Do it sensibly like in Norway and you will see EV take up will normalise because the EV advantage becomes a disadvantage.
What would you categorize a lotus Elise then? Or an Alfa Romeo 4c? Or that new alpine a110 car? They’re like 1.6 and some generations of the lotus even weigh less than 1 ton, I bet the emissions is pretty good even in today’s standards
Bro, in case you didn’t notice, we are talking about EVs here, not ICEs.
As usual, Malaysians will have to come up with sourgrape comments such as this.
LOL All PHEV owners going to pay dearer road tax soon.
My personal view is road tax should be based on the weight of the car instead of engine/motor capacity. Because the weight of the car is the key factor that causing the damage to the road surface. Current road tax that is based on engine capacity is not fair, especially many big luxury cars are using turbocharged engine with small engine capacity.
While it’s not practical to charge the road tax based on exact car weight, JPJ can always establish the road tax rate based on a range of standard car weight when the car company register the car model for approval. This will also solve the problem regardless whether the car is ICE, hybrid, PHEV or EV. One system fits all.
LOL Your proposal of car road tax based on gross weight or nett weight? Obese driver and passenger has to pay more on road tax?
How much will you charge my road legal converted Sesto elemento? It weighs less than a ton
Wasn’t Perotiga supposed to be EV based car? With this outcome, it will certainly kill Mahathir’s baby on the spot before it even born! Will he accept it? Or is this another sign that a power struggle is taking place behind the Pakatan curtain? Man, I really screwed up picking these guys as government!
So, when to update for ICE? Still using outdated cc base for ICE?
this could applies to ICE motors also since they are rated at kW too since the trends now is engine downsizing and forced induction.
plus, there’s also hybrid that boost power.
moves like this doesn’t help malaysia transition to EV since EV are just getting more and more powerful.
Malaysia moving backward. Strange… Many country encourage the usage of EV so that pollution is reduce and risk of disease which occur our health will reduce as well. But Malaysia G seems does not care. Why?
tax the rich. finally.
Never change this JPJ top management attitude
Always need TONGKAT and take a much from suffering vehicles owners knowing that there is no with no proper good Public Transport
Always GREEDY & think want they do and implement is always right
Never work HARD to really study the real picture even they make mistake will never admit but force it on car owners
Change to new Pakatan Government will be useless if this JPJ top heads are not rolled . They keep repeating the same old stories hence retarding the development of Green vehicle ownership due to their incapabilities , lack of idea and understanding and greediness
This is JPJ style.
Top heads of JPJ must rolled otherwise we see no improvement at all.
Taxing the Rich is not a question but majority of middle class car ownership will suffer and pay high road tax due to greed and laziness of JPJ heads.
In other word JPJ got no competent Heads able to fine tune and learn from other countries thoroughly how to collect their road tax without burdening any motorists.
… lack of good ideas except got greedy ideas
Period to JPJ Top Gun running the show . should sack them for giving bad advise that will make the public suffer later on.
This will kill the developing of Electric Vehicle, so high than ICE engine, ICE emitted a lot of air pollution than EV, why charge Road Tax so high, government want people die because of air pollution related diseased, if this continued, no one to used EV, many more will get sick and die. It is very sad for Future Generation, to breath polluted air and get many air pollution related disease, get sick and die
Good decision. Everything consumed must have its tax, else you free to get off this country.
Really? What makes you think that this country belongs only to you or your own kind that you can suka suka ask people to get out as you like.
no incentive for EV, more Tax for EV.
Malaysia’s oil reserves are the fifth largest in Asia-Pacific
What no incentive ? you must be dreaming
Honestly. You should tax those heavy smoke emmision old buses and lorries. Not those clean EV. I have no idea this cute Anthony Loke is doing, continue to let these old dirty diesel engine pollute our country. Never think for the future generation.
hahahahahah pay more for saving the environment (provided electricity charging source is hydro or solar). One step forward, 100 step backwards.
but poor people consume and dont pay tax. And throw rubbish everywhere…
Kuala lumpur, bandaraye rendah karbon.. Hihihi, hidup petrol n diesel
The Proton Geely cars will be cheap when they start producing it. we will use that and risk getting electrocuted? lol
btw, how do you tax a flying car? by Knots-“Indicated Air Speed” ? lol
Road tax should simply be based on which segment the car is in. The bigger the car the higher the road tax.
In future, one can simply upgrade the motor of an EV to produce double or triple the power without looking any different outside or inside by simply swapping to a higher output but same size motor.
Don’t tell me JPJ did not consult with the EV engineers before deciding this?
kesian bro Paul, selama ni enjoy RM10 setahun pakai Tesla dia..hehe
Norway is enjoying best EV incentives by their government. Special lane, toll free, free tickets using ferries, tax free and stuff. That is why they have the best EV sales in Europe. Our nation is way behind. With this move, I think it will put more years before we get to see EVs on our roads.
This is stupid. The Road tax for fossil cars should be higher than EVs, not the other way round. We should be encouraging people to go the environment friendly route not go back to fossil fuel. JPJ should really consider which direction it is taking going Green or Black.
Agree…what’s the objective and policy of the proposed road tax structure for EVs? Is it to make more money for the Government, or to have a cleaner environment?
If there is no clear advantage for EVs, than most people will just stick to fossil fuel. And our air pollution will get worse.
Well, wasn’t this government that kept telling us; Cash is King? So you can figure out which is the more important agenda for this government.
Wait till bateri rosak…cost the same price as car. Petrol still cheap what…who buy electric to show off?
Thailand is reducing tax and LGE is increasing tax. Stupid move to reduce pollution. Might as well cut down trees to plant more oily palm!
We are in reverse gear instead of forward gear.
Support for emissions-based road tax and safety-based insurance rates!