Malaysians are still loving the plugin hybrid ownership simple because of the tax incentives offered. Only a handful look at the fuel savings. This tax savings however reduces the tax collected by the Malaysian government and only the well to do (rich Malaysians) seem to be enjoying luxury cars ownership at a low price point whilst the middle and lower middle class car buyer has to be content with EEV status cars with a small price reduction.
In Europe the situation is different where the SUV and luxury car segment has been slow to offer plug-in hybrid options compared with the near-total coverage for the segment above, which includes models such as the BMW X5. Only Volvo and Mercedes sell plug-in hybrid options in the sector. Porsche is also expected to offer a plug-in hybrid Macan at the next face-lift of the current generation.
BMW has said it will offer an X3 all-electric version in 2020. Sales of Volvo and Mercedes plug-in models accounted for just 2.2% of the total segment sales in the first half, less than that of the only full-hybrid in the sector, the Lexus NX.
The vast majority of sales in the segment are diesel at 82%, but petrol is creeping up – taking a 12% share in the first half, compared with 7.4% during the same period last year.
All eyes will be on the segment next year, however, when the first two of four all-electric premium SUVs arrive, the Jaguar I-Pace and the Audi e-tron. They will be followed by the Mercedes EQ in 2019 and the electric X3 a year later.
By 2021, sales of these EV SUVs will hit around 67,000 in Europe.
