Sime Darby Motors upbeat about demand for EVs

PETALING JAYA: There has been a huge increase in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) this year, says Sime Darby Motors South-East Asia, Hong Kong and Macau retail and distribution managing director Jeffrey Gan.

“We have seen a big jump in the sales of EVs as opposed to the internal combustion engine models.

“Between the two, EVs have been more promising,” he told reporters after the launch of the BYD Dolphin here yesterday.

The event marked yet another milestone for the industry, as Chinese car-maker BYD introduced its second EV just six months after launching the BYD Atto 3.

According to Gan, the last seven months were positive and Sime Darby Motors had been gearing up for the sales and delivery of the latest EV model.

“The Dolphin has been well received and I’m happy to say there have been no issues in terms of production.

“We will start delivering the EVs next month and by year-end, more stock will arrive,” he said.

On the demographic of EV users, he said as with BYD’s previous model, the buyers were mainly those who wanted to try out a new technology, while others bought an EV as a second car.

“The feedback has been positive. About 60% of buyers were from the Klang Valley, 20% from the northern region and the remaining 20% were from the southern region,” he said.

Gan declined to reveal the number of bookings received for the Dolphin so far. On charging stations, he said the number is set to grow in tandem with demand.

“The government aims to have 10,000 EV charging stations set up by 2025.

“We are very much aligned with the government’s aspiration for the charging stations.

“For now, every showroom will have a charging station as we work with other industry partners in the EV sector to provide a seamless experience,” he said.