Efforts to position Malaysia as a regional centre for energy efficient vehicle (EEV) production took a key step forward in January, with news that the government intends to hand out its first green car manufacturing licence in the coming weeks.
Malaysia’s plans to develop the EEV industry feature strongly in its newly introduced National Automotive Policy 2014 (NAP 2014), the latest iteration of the government’s strategic roadmap for the sector. However, competition from other South-east Asian countries, which are also targeting vehicle assembly growth, could hinder Kuala Lumpur’s ambitions.
International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed told reporters on February 6 the government expected to issue its first EEV manufacturing licence in April. There has already been strong interest from overseas car makers, with production likely to start on EEV lines within three years, he said. According to the minister, Malaysia is looking to license 3-4 manufacturers of EEVs by 2018.
Launched on January 20, the NAP 2014 is the government’s blueprint for the automotive industry for the next decade and beyond. At its core is a vision that Malaysia will be one of the world’s leading manufacturers of EEVs, with up to 85% of vehicles rolling off the production lines by 2020 to be energy efficient. Goals include annual exports of 200,000 EEVs by the end of the decade, as well as car component sales of $3bn each year.
Under the NAP 2014, manufacturers will be encouraged to bring out a range of EEVs, powered by various energy sources, such as compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen and fuel cells.
The policy offers a number of new incentives aimed at attracting EEV manufacturers to Malaysia, including an easing of rules governing production for international players, which will now be able to manufacture smaller-sized-engine vehicles without having to partner with local companies. Foreign firms operating alone were previously restricted to producing cars with 1.8-litre engines or above.
Grants and soft loans of $600m are also being made available. Other incentives include pioneer status, investment tax allowance, grants for research and development infrastructure facilitation and reduced tax rates.
The immediate beneficiaries of the policy are expected to be foreign automakers already active in the country, including Honda, which has a hybrid car production facility in Malaysia, as well as Nissan, which manufactures conventional cars there.
Other brands have indicated interest, including Toyota, which assembles and distributes conventional vehicles in Malaysia. In January, the president of the Japanese automaker’s local unit said the company had submitted to the government a plan for building a hybrid production facility.
However, some industry leaders have expressed doubts about the NAP 2014. While praising the government’s efforts to broaden its definition of EEV, Gerhard Pils, CEO of BMW Group Malaysia, said additional details on incentives would be required.
Further discussions between industry representatives and the government are necessary to “clarify what the actual exemptions to EEVs assembled in Malaysia will be, as only from there will firm business decisions regarding the market be made,” the CEO said.
As it looks to expand its EEV production, Malaysia will face challenges from established South-east Asian car manufacturing centres such as Thailand and Indonesia, which have more liberal policies when it comes to foreign investment in the auto industry, as well as better-developed networks of local components suppliers.
Malaysia’s small domestic market may also deter some investors. In January, the head of Toyota’s Thai unit told Reuters that Thailand was “still in a better position given the size of the market”. The Japanese automaker sold 445,000 units in Thailand in 2013, compared to 100,000 in Malaysia. Around 650,000 cars were sold last year in Malaysia, more than half of which were manufactured by domestic producers Proton and Perodua.
This suggests that Malaysia may have a tough row to hoe as it looks to build up its local automobile manufacturing sector, but a good first step would be offering additional guidance on the types of incentives that it will provide, as well as encouraging locals to buy energy efficient cars.
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