BENTONG (Aug 15): DRB-Hicom Bhd's (KL:DRBHCOM) subsidiary Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd (EON) expects Malaysian electric vehicle (EV) market penetration to reach up to 2% by year-end, driven by the launch of additional EV models.

Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd's chief executive officer Akkbar Danial said the local EV market penetration had already reached approximately 1.5% as of June 2024.

"This year, I expect it to rise to between 1.7% and 2%, driven by the arrival of new brands and the introduction of national models, such as Proton e.MAS," he said at a press conference during the EON and Sahabat Media Getaway here on Wednesday (Aug 14).

Akkbar said the growth in Malaysia's EV market could be attributed to increasing customer awareness and the willingness to transition to EVs.

"Other factors influencing customers include the availability of charging stations for long-distance travel," he added. "If their driving range is within a comfortable radius, they need not relocate to the Klang Valley to benefit from the EV ecosystem."

Akkbar also highlighted the company's focus on enhancing after-sales service to boost customer satisfaction.

This includes the launch of EON Capital Sdn Bhd's integrated digital financing platform, enabling customers to easily book and purchase cars online.

EON, the official distributor for the national car brand Proton, also distributes global brands, such as Audi, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen, through its subsidiaries.

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