EVs In Malaysia to Get “Unique Licence Plate” Frame Instead of Number

Contrary to his first promise in April, the Transport Minister YB Anthony Loke indicated yesterday that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) would implement the unique licence plate frame path rather than the special number plate as previously announced.

This statement was made during a press conference to announce the much-awaited and long-overdue release of the new EV road tax structure, which will take effect on January 1, 2026.

The unique number plate frame would be limited to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), which are primarily electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

According to Loke, the introduction of these licence plate forms of identification is intended to distinguish EVs from ICE vehicles and ease rescue operations by the Fire and Rescue Department in the event of an accident.

This will also mean that you, as an EV owner, can continue to use your present vehicle registration number or log-in to JPJeBid to bid for any particular number that you desire as per normal. Additionally, the burden of issuing customised EV licence plate frames would fall on the car brands, which would be responsible for preparing them prior to delivery.

However, because this is only an initial announcement, no additional information has been provided. We are sure the ministry would provide the complete breakdown especially with regards to licence plate frames for EVs that are already registered on the road or bought through parallel importers.

We can expect all the matters mentioned above will be addressed when the final announcement is made later this year. But in the meantime, with the EV road tax structure finally being announced, perhaps it is the perfect time for prospective EV owners to finally jump into the bandwagon, while the tax holiday period still applies.