MITI’s new EV policy could wipe out BYD in Malaysia | Let’s Talk About #143

Malaysia’s EV industry is facing major uncertainty again. In this episode of Let’s Talk About, Amin and Alex discuss MITI’s latest CBU EV policy changes which could effectively wipe out imported EVs priced below RM300,000. This includes the entire BYD EV lineup and many mainstream EV models Malaysians can actually afford. We also break down the government’s repeated flip-flops on CBU and CKD EV policies, the controversial export requirements imposed on BYD, and why automakers may be hesitate to invest in CKD EV production. With just two months notice, is Malaysia's CKD EV capacity sufficient to meet local demand for affordable EVs which is now driven by the middle east conflict? With EV adoption growing rapidly in Malaysia, is the country risking slowing down the transition just as consumers are embracing EVs? And while Putrajaya is urging Malaysians to be more frugal as monthly fuel subsidies balloon past RM7 billion, are these policies moving in the opposite direction of reducing fuel dependency? Amin and Alex discuss what could be happening behind the scenes and who could be impacted most. #MITI #EV #BYD FURTHER READING MITI says EVs won’t become more expensive, but can Malaysia’s CKD industry fill the gap? https://soyacincau.com/2026/05/10/mit... MITI’s CBU EV ruling will wipe out current EV lineup from BYD, iCaur, Mini, Smart, Toyota, and more https://soyacincau.com/2026/05/07/mit... MITI increases minimum CBU EV price to RM300K? Imported EVs with 240hp and below not allowed? https://soyacincau.com/2026/05/06/mit... CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 01:51 Recap of MITI's EV Policy 07:04 EVs wiped out by MITI CBU EV Policy 14:50 Malaysia puts EV transition into reverse gear 21:38 Malaysia's CKD production capacity 25:30 Who's behind Anti-EV narratives? 28:00 Govt contradicts itself on Fuel Subsidy stance 35:45 Who will benefit from MITI's new CBU EV Policy? 42:54 Malaysia's slow EV charger deployment 45:00 Conclusion