RimbaWatch says claims made by some carmakers that their electric vehicles (EV) are “zero-emissions per km” do not take into account the emissions factor of Peninsular Malaysia.

The emissions factor includes the emissions released in powering charging stations, it said in a statement.

It said the emissions factor would be higher because 90% of West Malaysia’s energy comes from non-renewable sources.

RimbaWatch said failing to include the local emissions factor in calculations of a car’s emissions “doesn’t paint an accurate picture of the emissions of the vehicle”.

It said this could ultimately “mislead consumers into believing they have achieved net-zero personal mobility”.

“Manufacturers should report the embodied emissions associated with the manufacture of each vehicle model, for both electric and petrol-powered products,” it said.

The statement also called on the transport ministry to revise the road tax structure.

For EVs, it said, taxes should be based on the vehicle’s energy consumption, whereas petrol and diesel cars should be taxed based on their CO2 emissions per km.

“This would encourage more efficient EVs and incentivise off-grid charging solutions while also encouraging lower-emissions petrol vehicle ownership,” it said.

Funds from these taxes could be channelled specifically to increase public transport frequency and coverage.

RimbaWatch also warned against being “emissions-blind” when building EV charging stations.

“The priority should be to ensure that EV chargers utilise energy from low-emissions sources,” it said.