EVs were around over 100 years ago, they faded away as technology then wasn’t advanced enough to provide performance as good as cars with internal combustion engines . So ICE cars were more popular and have grown to dominance over today. However, the combustion process gives off gases that are toxic and also cause global warming, so using ICE as a propulsion system has been considered detrimental to the future of the planet, hence the switch to EVs which have zero emissions.
But owning an EV does require adapting to certain differences, one of which is regular recharging of the battery pack. For the purpose of this article, we are only talking about battery-electric vehicles and not plug-in hybrids which have an ICE and can run on it alone. With an EV, the car can run only on electricity and the battery pack has a specific capacity which also determines how far you can travel before it needs to be recharged.
With the limited number of charging stations at this time, getting your EV recharged may or may not be a time-consuming exercise . If you stay near a charging point or your office building has some facilities, then it’s probably not too bad. But for most people, charging at home will be preferable as it can be done overnight and whenever needed.
So apart from the cost of the EV, you also need to include the cost of the wallbox which can be from RM3,000 – RM8,000 depending on the unit and there will also be an installation charge. Most car companies can include the wallbox costs as part of the vehicle purchase so it comes under the financing package. Occasionally, for promotions, some companies might even include a wallbox for free.