Geely on EVs: 'Once You Switch, You Won't Go Back

Geely Holding Group’s global communications lead, Ashley Sutcliffe, recently highlighted the EV industry’s momentum, emphasising that, "once drivers switch to EVs, they won’t go back to petrol.”

“It’s like buying a car and then going back to a horse. It’s really uncomfortable,” Sutcliffe explained, recalling his recent 3,000 KM road trip, which cost only RMB415 (RM255) in electricity - versus spending over RMB1,500 (RM922) in a petrol vehicle. “Petrol here costs twice as much as in Malaysia, so driving a conventional car is very expensive,” he further added.

Sutcliffe’s remarks were made during a Malaysian media delegation visit to Geely’s headquarters, part of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association (PPMC) programme to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Notably, Geely holds a 49.9% stake in Proton Holdings, positioning the company as a strategic player in Malaysia’s automotive space. Proton’s first EV, the e.MAS 7, is expected to be a reworked, right-hand-drive version of the Geely Galaxy E5, signalling a pivotal shift in Proton's offerings heeding the government's call for localised EV offering.

In China meanwhile, Sutcliffe detailed that EVs now make up to 53% of China’s monthly car sales, translating to around two million units sold each month. This remarkable growth, he said, is driven by accessible pricing and a well-developed charging infrastructure.

Early EV models once priced between RMB500,000 to RMB600,000 (RM307,000 to RM370,000) are now available for as little as RMB30,000 (RM18,000), broadening their appeal and accelerating adoption. “Once you have the scale, the price drops down, and adoption goes up,” Sutcliffe added.

This statement does however paint a vivid picture of what buyers can expect from an EV in terms of resale value. Like we at Carz.com.my had said before, treat your EV as a gadget and maximise its use while taking care of your EVs battery and motor as these two components will ultimately decide your vehicle's end of life value.

In Malaysia, while the EV market is still in early stages, it shows substantial promise. The National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) aims for EVs to account for 80% of the national industry volume by 2040, with plans to build 10,000 charging stations by 2025 and grow EV numbers to 500,000 by 2030.

Sutcliffe noted that Malaysia’s renewable energy resources will ultimately position the country to support EV infrastructure effectively. “I believe Malaysia will become a leader in new energy,” Sutcliffe said, noting the critical role of government initiatives in driving the initial infrastructure.

“Once the government gives that first push, the stone just keeps rolling,” he added.