BY James Kon

All parties must play their roles in the electrification of consumer transportation for Brunei Darussalam to increase electric vehicle (EV) usage, said Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah on Friday.

The minister said EV adoption in various regions has experienced exponential growth.

While EV adoption in Brunei Darussalam has been growing slowly, it is just a matter of time before more consumers “will jump on this bandwagon”, said the minister. “When this happens, we also can expect steady growth,” he said.

The establishment of an EV joint taskforce in 2021 is a testament to the commitment the government has made to further understand the requirements of EV, he said, adding players such as Brunei Shell Marketing Company Sdn Bhd (BSM) and others in the private sector had been brought into the committee.

The minister lauded Brunei Automobile Traders Association (BATA) who also plays a significant role in EV adoption as they receive real time information from manufacturers on plans to shift away from producing internal combustion vehicles.

The minister said it is important that the public is aware of practices and knowledge of EV ownership and its requirements.

The minister is also looking forward to seeing a range of EVs to be introduced in Brunei Darussalam, especially more affordable models to facilitate adoption.

The minister also noted that it is also encouraging to observe that BSM has entered and positioned itself in the e-mobility space as early pioneers with access to knowledge of international experts.

He is confident that BSM with its worldwide access to information and technical expertise can support the adoption of EVs.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin