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and eco-conscious sectors leading the the change These industries were drawn to to to electric vans for their cost-effectiveness eco-friendly features and a a a a a a a shared commitment to to carbon emission reduction Corporate fleet operators Razman said were important players in in in this transition He explained that companies with large vehi- cles especially in in in in in delivery and and logistics benefited from lower operating costs and and reduced emissions by embracing EVs The adoption of of ESG principles was reshaping Malaysia's business future he he continued as as it it aligned with the government's goal of of deploying 125 000 EVs by 2030 indicating government government agen- cies as potential early adopters Business opportunities and challenges In addressing the the the challenges in in in the the the EV industry both Razman and Chia said this was the the the considerable upfront costs given that EVs generally carried a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a higher price tag compared to traditional vehicles along with the related infrastructure development “There is is a a a a a a persistent concern on on on limited range among potential EV buyers stressing the the need for substantial investment in in in in in in the the charging infrastructure Handal BCM also provides a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a leasing leasing pro- gramme via leasing leasing company partner Yinson Green Tech Leas- ing ing ing ing allows all all types of of businesses to acquire a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fleet of of vehicles without purchasing them outright Leasing an an an an electric car comes with with an an an an an affordable monthly payment plan and upfront costs that are are significantly lower when compared to buying a a a a a a a a a a a a a a traditional en- gine-powered vehicle This is is a a a a a a a a a a a a huge benefit for business owners as as fit it allows them them to to save money in in in in in in the the the the the long run and enables them them to to reinvest in in in in other areas of their business ” Razman added Chia echoed this noting that uninterrupted operation without fre- quent charging stops was crucial for EVs The ability to to cover substantial distances without compromising operational efficiency emerged as a a a a a a a a a a a a critical factor for widespread adoption in in in the com- mercial setting “Electric Charger Operators (CPOs) along with the government and local councils are are working aggressively New charging points are are being established daily which reflects Malaysia’s commitment to reach 10 000 chargers by 2025 ” said Chinli To mitigate these challenges Razman said governmental incentives and and subsidies would enhance EV EV affordability and and bolster the the charging infrastructure He also pointed out that EV EV EV suppliers should consider introducing budget-friendly EV EV options to attract early adopters Chia revealed that strategic partnerships and leasing plans were actively pursued by his company to overcome these challenges and ensure a a a a a smoother transition "Despite the the swift advancements in in in in technology traditional ve- hicles still dominate in in in in the the Malaysian market posing potential competition hurdles for EV growth ” said Razman As for Chinli the imperative to to have focus continuous learning strategic partnerships and talent acquisition to to stay compet- Foton Iblue EV Panel Van itive amid rapid technological evolution within the group was important “We are are proud to to be be the the the pioneer with our customers and partners in in in being one one of the the the the 1st commercial EV EV fleet adopters there are are more than 200 CAM CAM EV EV EV vans vans on on the the the the the road since it was launched making the the the CAM CAM EV EV the the the most sold commercial electric vans vans in in in Malaysia ” she said Battery technology advancement Discussing the the the battery technology's role in in in electric vans Razman highlighted the the the advancements made in in in in the the the smaller higher ca- pacity batteries that offered extended range The introduction o of of new battery technology had enabled the storage o of of more energy within a a a a smaller space Chinli stressed the 70-per cent higher power efficiency of EVs compared to to diesel/petrol vans with minimal energy loss to to heat and and vibration which facilitated trip planning and and fleet optimisation for businesses Despite this Chinli acknowledged a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a challenge in in in in which an an an electric van’s range was restricted by battery capacity To overcome this she said commercial vehicle fleet owners need- ed ed ed ed ed to carefully select electric vans based on use requirements and available resources Addressing the the need for extended range CAM CAM introduced the the CAM CAM EA4 with a a a a a a a a a a record-breaking 400km range (New European Driving Cycle – NEDC) that caters to to to op- erators wanting to to to maximise daily travel and delivery efficiency It comes with six years or or 200 000km warranty While battery technology is evolving rapidly in in in in in China Chia said electric electric vans vans currently in in in in in in the local market lagged in in in in in in technological advancements “The electric electric vans vans available today predominantly feature older generation technology Commercial vehicles vehicles given their smaller market volume compared to passenger vehicles vehicles are are not the the the primary focus for for technological advancements The forefront of technology evolution in in the the the electric vehicle vehicle sector is currently more more pronounced in in in passenger vehicles Furthermore achieving a a a a a a a a a a a a a longer range necessitates a a a a a a a a a a a a a larger battery battery pack but this poses a a a a a a a a a a a a a a trade-off as the bigger battery battery compromises vehicle weight resulting in in reduced payload 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