12 Luxury electric cars (EVs) that are now available in Malaysia

In line with climate change concerns and sustainability initiatives by governments and legislative bodies across the globe, the automotive industry has been charging towards electromobility (pun intended) for several years now. With the Malaysian government announcing that electric vehicles (EVs) will be exempted from import duty, excise duty, and sales tax, this could provide added incentive for Malaysians to make the shift towards EVs.

Besides, various car companies and third parties have announced plans to ramp up EV charging networks in the country, signaling positive developments in terms of infrastructure. If you’re seriously considering making the switch, here are 12 EVs that are now available in Malaysia.

[Note: This article was originally published on 22 July 2022 and will be updated as more EVs launch in the country.]

 

1. Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric

Launched in December 2022, the Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric is the second all-electric vehicle from the marque. Assembled locally, the car boasts up to 450 km of range by WLTP standards, with a total output of 408hp and 66o Nm of torque capable of reaching 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. In terms of powertrain, the C40 is equipped with a 78 kWh lithium-ion battery that achieves a full charge in 7.5 hours via an 11 kW AC charger (Type 2 connection) or 0-80 per cent state of charge (SoC) in as little as 28 minutes with a DC fast charger. It arrives in five contemporary body paints: Fjord Blue, Black Stone, Silver Dawn, Crystal White, and Sage Green.

Price: RM288,888 OTR without insurance

[READ: Inside our Volvo Dipped in Blue Winter Test Drive in Sweden with the C40 Recharge Pure Electric]

For more information, visit the official website or contact your nearest Volvo car dealership. 

 

 

 

5. Mercedes-Benz EQA

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia kickstarted its local EV and sustainability plans with the launch of the EQA in March 2022. It is the marque’s first all-electric member of the compact segment, or essentially an electrified version of the GLA. Arriving as a sole variant, the EQA 250 AMG Line is equipped with a single asynchronous electric motor delivering 140 kW (190 hp) and 370 Nm of torque. This allows it to achieve the century sprint in 8.9 seconds with a top speed of 160km/h.

It has an electric consumption of 17.6 kWh/100km and total range of 496 kilometres by WLTP standards. The battery is rated at 66.5 kWh and can be recharged fully from a 10 per cent state of charge (SoC) in five hours 45 minutes using the vehicle’s 11 kW onboard AC charger (Type 2 connection). Meanwhile, it takes only 32 minutes to reach a 10-80 per cent SoC using a DC charger with a maximum output of 100 kW.

Price: RM296,888 OTR without insurance

For more information, visit the website.

 

7. Mercedes-Benz EQS

Months after launching the Mercedes EQA, the brand announced the arrival of the new Mercedes-Benz EQS in July 2022. First unveiled globally in April 2021, the flagship EV sedan arrives in the EQS 450+ AMG Line variant for the local market. Addressing range anxiety concerns, the EQS boasts an impressive WLTP-rated range of 782 km, powered by a 396-volt lithium-ion battery with a usable energy capacity of 107.8 kWh. Mercedes says electricity consumption is as low as 15.7 kWh/100 km, allowing one to drive from KL to JB and back without any issues.

The electric motor delivers an output of 329 hp or 245 kW, propelling the car from 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds with a top speed of 210 km/h. It supports AC charging (11 kW Type 2 connection), which achieves a full charge in ten hours; as well as DC fast charging (CCS2 connection) up to 200 kW, which reaches a 10-80 per cent SoC in just 31 minutes. Also worth mentioning for the tech-savvy: the EQS is the first Mercedes-Benz model to feature the all-new MBUX Hyperscreen display, seamlessly combining a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch central OLED touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch OLED touchscreen for the front passenger.

Price: RM708,888 OTR without insurance

For more information, visit the website.

 

8. Mercedes-Benz EQB

Debuting alongside the EQS last July is the EQB, which comes in the EQB 350 4MATIC variant for Malaysia. The seven-seater SUV packs a dual-motor configuration that delivers 292 PS and 520 Nm of torque, allowing it to complete the century sprint in 6.2 seconds with a maximum speed of 160 km/h. It features a 66.5 kWh battery pack and comes with an 11 kW charger as standard, which provides a full charge in five hours 45 minutes. Meanwhile, it takes about 32 minutes to reach from 10-80 per cent SoC with DC charging. The brand claims that the car should be good for 423 km of WLTP range on a full charge. 

Price: RM333,888 OTR without insurance

For more information, visit the website.

 

9. Mercedes-Benz EQC

Rolling out in the market together with the EQB and EQS, the Mercedes-Benz EQC first made its mark globally in 2019 as Stuttgart’s first fully-electric vehicle. Available locally in the EQC400 4MATIC variant, the SUV has a dual-motor powertrain that outputs 408 hp and 765 Nm of torque. It is able to perform the 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.1 seconds on the way to a top speed of 180 km/h. Powered by an 80 kWh battery, the EQC400 4MATIC is rated for a maximum range of 437 km. Like its stablemates, the EQC supports AC charging at up to 11 kW and DC fast charging at up to 110 kW. The former can charge its battery in 11 hours from a home wallbox or AC charging station, while the latter tops up the battery from 10-80 per cent in 40 minutes.

Price: RM393,888 OTR without insurance

For more information, visit the website.

 

10. BMW i4 eDrive40 M Sport

First previewed in Malaysia in January 2022, BMW Malaysia officially opened pre-orders for the BMW i4 Drive40 M Sport beginning April of that same year. The first-ever all-electric Gran Coupé is capable of producing 340 hp (250 kW) and a peak torque of 430 Nm, which allows it to dash from 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The vehicle boasts an impressive electric range that can endure long journeys of up to 590 km based on the WLTP cycle. It also comes fitted with the fifth-generation BMW eDrive system that’s compatible with the latest charging technology. This allows it to support charging via a domestic power socket or a BMW iWallbox, whereby an 11kW AC charger completes a full charge in eight hours 15 minutes. Further, using a 200kW DC charger will replenish the vehicle’s SoC from 10-80 per cent in only 31 minutes.

Price: RM389,800 OTR without insurance with Extended Warranty & Service Package

For more information, visit the website.

 

11. Mercedes-Benz EQE

Rounding off Mercedes-Benz’s EV launches for 2022, this electrified saloon made its mark last December in a single EQE 350+ variant. Running on a single motor, it has a total output of 292 hp and 565 Nm of torque which powers the car from 0-100 km/h in 6.4 seconds, capped at a top speed of 210 km/h. The rear-mounted electric motor is powered by a 90.56 kWh battery, which is rated at 669 km of range by WLTP standards. As for charging times, the brand claims that it takes eight hours 15 minutes to charge the car from 10-100 per cent SoC with an 11 kW AC charger, whereas a 170 kW DC fast charger gets it from 10-80 per cent SoC in just 32 minutes. 

Price: RM419,888 OTR without insurance

For more information, visit the website.

 

12. Lotus Eletre

Introducing the freshest wheels on this list: the Lotus Eletre, the first SUV by Lotus Car Malaysia—and an all-electric one at that. Unveiled on 13 April 2023, the Eletre launches in three variants, with the top-of-the-line Eletre R producing a mighty 905 hp and 985 Nm of torque. This enables a 0-100 km/h sprint of 2.95 seconds and an 80-120 km/h time of under 1.9 seconds, with a top speed of 265 km/h—making it the world’s fastest dual-motor fully electric SUV, according to Lotus. Meanwhile, both the base model and the Eletre S output 605 hp and 710 Nm of torque, allowing for a 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds and an 80-120 km/h time of 2.2 seconds, capped at a top speed of 258 km/h.

All variants are powered by a dual-motor powertrain, paired with a 112 kWh battery that provides the Eletre and Eletre S with a range of 600km on the WLTP cycle, whilst the Eletre R gets a range of 490 km. Where charging is concerned, all three can support up to 350 kW of DC fast charging to get 10-80 per cent SoC in 20 minutes, thanks to the state-of-the-art 800-volt electrical architecture. The highest AC charging rate is 22 kW for efficient charging at home. Only 200 units of the Eletre are available in the country, out of which 140 orders are reportedly already collected.

Price: Lotus Eletre — RM578,000 | Lotus Electre S —RM648,000 | Lotus Eletre R — RM798,000

For more information, visit the website.