EV vs ICE/PETROL Car Brand Assessment – Which One You Should Buy
We scored electric against ICE across seven weighted criteria — using the same review-led, social-listening method to answer the question of which car is the best to buy.
EV vs ICE/PETROL Market Analysis & Outlook in Malaysia
Malaysia's car market has reached an inflection point. Petrol and other internal-combustion models still rule the road — they made up the overwhelming majority of the 870,000-plus vehicles registered in 2025 — yet the direction of travel has clearly changed. The story of the past five years is not that electric has displaced petrol; it is that electric has gone from a rounding error to a genuine, fast-compounding segment that every buyer and dealer now has to reckon with.
The climb has been steep. EV registrations rose from just 274 units in 2021 to about 3,400 in 2022, 13,301 in 2023, 21,789 in 2024 and a record 44,813 in 2025 — lifting EVs to roughly 5.2% of all registrations. Petrol volumes, meanwhile, edged down by around 1.5% across the same window: not a collapse, but the first structural softening rather than a passing dip. Part of the 2025 spike was demand pulled forward ahead of the fully-imported (CBU) EV tax holiday expiring on 31 December 2025, so a cooler 2026 for imported models is to be expected.
The next five years hinge on a policy hand-off from imported to locally assembled cars. With CBU exemptions gone, momentum now rests on CKD models such as the Proton e.MAS 7 and locally assembled BYD, whose excise and sales-tax exemptions run to the end of 2027 (excise applies from 2028, at a rate yet to be set). A new power-based road tax — about 85% below the equivalent petrol car — took effect on 1 January 2026. On our base case, EV share climbs past 7% in 2026 toward roughly 15% by 2030, the government's stated target, equivalent to about 120,000–125,000 units a year. Petrol keeps the outright volume crown well into the decade, but its share of new registrations steadily erodes.
A second policy lever lands mid-decade and sharpens that hand-off. From 1 July 2026, new Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) rules set a minimum cost-insurance-freight (CIF) value of RM200,000 and a minimum 180 kW power output on every fully-imported (CBU) EV. Once import duties, dealer margins and the 10% Sales & Service Tax are layered on, Kenanga Investment Bank expects showroom prices for imported EVs to start at roughly RM300,000 — effectively closing the affordable entry-level imported segment that brands such as BYD, GWM and MG had built their volume on. Existing showroom stock and units already in transit stay exempt until sold through, so the squeeze phases in rather than landing overnight. The intent is to push global makers toward local (CKD) assembly, reinforcing the advantage of Proton, Perodua and locally assembled BYD, and is likely to tilt some near-term demand toward plug-in hybrids.
- New MITI thresholds: minimum RM200,000 CIF value and minimum 180 kW power output per fully-imported (CBU) EV.
- ~RM300,000 floor: after duties, dealer margins and 10% SST, imported-EV showroom prices are expected to start around RM300,000.
- Entry models hit hardest: affordable base trims from BYD, GWM and MG are squeezed out of the mainstream market.
- Limited exemption: existing showroom stock and in-transit units are unaffected until they sell out.
- Net effect: favours locally assembled (CKD) EVs — Proton, Perodua, local BYD — and nudges demand toward plug-in hybrids.
For buyers, the practical question is no longer whether to consider an EV, but whether your daily mileage and charging access make one the smarter buy today — or whether a petrol car remains the safer call until the charging network and second-hand EV market mature further.
The electric question Malaysia is finally ready to answer
For the better part of a century, the Malaysian driveway has run on ICE. In 2026 that assumption is, for the first time, genuinely up for debate — not because of ideology, but because the numbers have moved. National marques Perodua and Proton still dominate the volume charts, yet the fastest-growing slice of new registrations is electric, led by BYD, the locally assembled Proton e.MAS 7, and established names like Tesla, Hyundai and BMW.
The honest answer depends on one variable more than any other — and most buyers never check it before they sign.
Rather than offer another opinion piece, we approached this the way Berkshire Media assesses brands and institutions: a transparent, review-led scoring system that weights what buyers actually care about, drawing on listing data, ownership-cost modelling and public sentiment. The goal isn't to crown a universal winner — it's to show you, with the maths in the open, which car wins for your situation.
A weighted scoring framework, 0–100
We scored each powertrain against seven criteria, weighted by how much they move a real ownership decision in Malaysia. Running cost and the price/resale pairing carry the most weight; environmental impact, while real, sways fewer wallets and is weighted accordingly.
| Criterion | Weight | What we measure |
|---|---|---|
| Running cost | 22% | Energy vs fuel per km, road tax, insurance load |
| Purchase price & resale | 20% | On-the-road price, depreciation curve, used-market demand |
| Charging / refuelling access | 16% | Home wallbox, public DC network, outstation coverage |
| Maintenance & reliability | 14% | Service intervals, wear parts, nationwide network density |
| Practicality & long-distance | 12% | Real range, refuel/charge time, East-Malaysia routes |
| Experience & technology | 10% | Instant torque, refinement, OTA updates, driver aids |
| Environmental impact | 6% | Tailpipe emissions, grid mix, lifecycle footprint |
Note: this is a structured comparison from public information — listing prices, the JPJ EV road-tax schedule, TNB tariffs, manufacturer specs and visible owner sentiment — not a laboratory test. Figures are indicative and assume a typical 15,000 km/year private-use profile.
The head-to-head scorecard
Each powertrain scored 0–100 per criterion; the weighted totals are below. The headline finding is how much the result swings on a single household fact — whether you can charge at home.
| Criterion | EV | ICE | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running cost | 92 | 58 | EV |
| Purchase price & resale | 60 | 84 | ICE |
| Charging / refuelling access | 62 | 95 | ICE |
| Maintenance & reliability | 88 | 74 | EV |
| Practicality & long-distance | 70 | 90 | ICE |
| Experience & technology | 92 | 68 | EV |
| Environmental impact | 95 | 45 | EV |
EV takes four of seven criteria, but ICE holds the two heavily-weighted ones a buyer feels first — entry price and refuelling freedom — which keeps the overall race tight. Tilt the charging-access score for someone who can plug in at home, and electric pulls clear; remove it, and ICE regains the lead.
What a comparable car really costs over five years
A typical mid-segment pairing, 15,000 km a year, home-charged EV versus RON95 ICE. The running-cost gap is wide; the ICE car claws much of it back through a lower purchase price and stronger resale.
| Cost factor | Electric | ICE |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel / charging (per year) | ~RM1,550 EV | ~RM4,200 |
| Maintenance (per year) | ~RM450 EV | ~RM1,000 |
| Road tax (per year) | ~RM40 EV | ~RM90 |
| CO₂ emissions (per year) | ~1,180 kg EV | ~2,760 kg |
| Purchase price | Higher | Lower ICE |
| 5-year resale value | Faster drop | Holds value ICE |
| 5-year cost of ownership | ~RM32,000 EV | ~RM41,500 |
- Charge at home? An EV is almost certainly the cheapest car you can run in Malaysia.
- No home charging? An efficient ICE car is still the safer financial bet.
- Keep cars 5+ years? EV savings compound strongly in your favour.
- Change every 3–4 years? ICE resale protects you better.
Charge at home and an EV is the cheapest car to run in Malaysia. Without home charging, an efficient ICE car is still the smarter money.
The answer changes by segment
The same scoring method, run per body style. City-focused and premium buyers tip electric; long-distance family haulers and budget runabouts still favour ICE. Open any segment for the full Berkshire Media comparison report.
The five electric names shaping the 2026 market
If electric makes your shortlist, these are the brands Malaysians are cross-shopping most. Figures are indicative 2026 Malaysian-market guides.
Five patterns the data keeps repeating
So — which should you actually buy?
There is no universal winner, only the right car for your situation. Match yourself to the panel that sounds like you.
Choose an EV if…
- You can charge at home with a wallbox — the key to the cheapest running cost.
- Most of your driving is urban or commuting within a major city or the Klang Valley.
- You plan to keep the car five years or more, letting low energy and service costs compound.
- You want the quietest, smoothest drive with instant torque and the latest in-car tech.
Choose ICE if…
- You have no reliable home or workplace charging access.
- You regularly drive outstation or in East Malaysia, where charging is still sparse.
- You change cars every 3–4 years and want the strongest resale protection.
- You want the lowest entry price, cheapest insurance and a service centre in every town.
EV vs ICE/Petrol — your top 10 questions answered
The questions Malaysian buyers ask most when cross-shopping the country's best-selling electric and petrol cars in 2026.
1. Is an EV or a petrol car cheaper to own in Malaysia?
2. Which EVs are Malaysians actually buying the most?
3. Do petrol cars still dominate the Malaysian market?
4. How far can an EV go vs a tank of petrol?
5. Is EV charging infrastructure good enough yet?
6. What about road tax and incentives?
7. Do EVs hold their value as well as petrol cars?
8. Are EVs cheaper to maintain and more reliable?
9. Which is better for long-distance and balik kampung trips?
10. So — EV or petrol? What should I buy?
© Copyright Reserved 2026 Berkshire Media Sdn Bhd. All figures — prices, running costs, scores and incentives — are indicative estimates compiled from public 2026 listings, the JPJ road-tax schedule, TNB tariffs and official sources for general comparison only; they exclude insurance and individual usage, and may change without notice. Projected 2026–2030 registration figures are illustrative scenarios, not forecasts. This is an independent assessment, not affiliated with or endorsed by any manufacturer. Verify all details before purchase. Last updated: June 2026.
