KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — The government is considering exempting electric vehicles (EVs) entering cities from having to pay local authority parking fees, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said today.

He added that he hopes the initiative will spur the adoption of electric vehicles among motorists.

"We are currently studying the possibility of giving parking exemption for EV cars as a push factor for more people to buy EVs rather than traditional fossil fuel cars,” Nga was quoted as saying to reporters by new portal The Star after attending an Asean-China Roundtable Talks on Urban Construction and Housing today.

He said his ministry is holding discussions with local councils to assess the feasibility of the proposal, citing London’s model where EVs are exempt from parking fees while non-EVs face congestion charges.

On a related note, Nga acknowledged slower progress in establishing 10,000 EV charging stations nationwide by 2025, with about 3,000 currently operational.

Nga’s comments come on the heels of Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s recent announcement of up to 85 per cent lower road tax for EVs, accompanied by special "green plates” for easy identification during emergencies, to support Malaysia’s EV initiatives.