KUALA LUMPUR: Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has given his assurance that the government is committed to transitioning its fleet to electric vehicles this year.
While there was no specific timeline for the implementation, Nik Nazmi said the transition would begin on a small scale.
"Last year, the government made an announcement on the transition. I think the start of the government's fleets being converted to EVs will be done very soon.
"But obviously, it will not be implemented in total because it is a huge fleet and because of the financial implications.
"We have to double-check (the specific timeline of the implementation), but the start of it will be this year," he said after the soft launch of the International Greentech and Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia today.
Yesterday, utility giant Tenaga Nasional Bhd announced its commitment to a rapid and responsible energy transition, electrifying 30 per cent of its operational fleet by 2030, involving more than 1,000 vehicles.
TNB president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Baharin Din said the strategic move aligned with Malaysia's ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
On Oct 13, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government was set to introduce electric vehicles as official cars following the announcement of more than RM170 million in investments by various companies in the local EV industry.
Anwar, during the tabling of the 2024 Budget, said the EV industry's development would be given emphasis.
The investments, he added, included the installation of 180 charging stations by TNB, Gentari and Tesla Malaysia, among others.
