2025 marked yet another year of massive growth for electric vehicles in Malaysia. The data from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) showed that there were 36,690 new electric vehicles registered in Malaysia from January to November 2025 – almost double the numbers that we had within the same period in 2024.
As we step into 2026, it is now time to honour the best EVs that have made their way into our shores in 2025. Due to the timing, the models that we have considered for the SoyaCincau Awards 2025 are those that were launched in Malaysia between 1 November 2024 and 1 November 2025.
For this year’s edition, we have introduced a new category specifically for MPVs. We also have also changed the scope for our Value EV of the Year category to only consider EVs that cost RM100,000 and below. As per last year’s outing, we still have a category specially for Charge Point Operators (CPOs).
To identify these EVs, the tech experts at SoyaCincau.com, comprising Alex, Chapree, Putra, Sam, Aisyah, Zul, and Duke, convened and went through several rounds of fight discussions, which eventually resulted in the list you are looking at today.
So, here we go – presenting the winners of SoyaCincau Awards 2025: The Best EVs and CPOs of the Year:
Check out our other categories:
In general, BYD Atto 2 carries forward the legacy left by BYD Dolphin, SoyaCincau’s EV of the Year for 2023. While it might not be as powerful as the Dolphin ER, Atto 2 still packs more punch than the Dolphin SR and has more space than the hatchback. Being an SUV also helps, as it is the most popular form factor in the market at the moment.
There is no other electric sedan within the sub-RM150k space in our market that can match the value offered by the BYD Seal 6. Being a sedan, it offers plenty of space, which made the Seal 6 a rather interesting proposition for those who are already tired of SUVs or didn’t want a van…we mean, an MPV.
Proton e.MAS 5 is the first EV in Malaysia that comes with a true sub-RM100k price tag without resorting to any “creative” pricing methods. The new electric hatchback is quite a formidable entry-level model, especially for those who are looking to try out EVs as well as those who are in the market for an electrified city car or a second car.
The Zeekr 7X is a fantastic premium SUV. This EV has the performance and features to match the Porsche Macan EV, and it is cheaper than the Tesla Model Y. It has fast DC charging up to 450kW, 22kW AC charging and the long-range model can do over 600km of range.
The updated Tesla Model Y is truly the king of efficiency. The new Juniper upgrade brought notable improvements, including ventilated seats, better suspension, improved aerodynamics and efficiency. We even drove it from KL to Kuantan and back on a single charge for the Long Range AWD model.
Also, not forgetting that Tesla still reigns supreme for its ecosystem, including its Supercharging network.
The Proton e.MAS 7 ticks all the right boxes when it comes to an SUV. It has the space, the performance and it is loaded with features including a head-up display, panoramic sunroof and that awesome sound system. And most importantly, the price starts from RM109,800.
It’s no wonder, it is the best-selling EV model in Malaysia for 2025.
The 2025 version of BYD Seal carries a number of updates, including a new wheel design, suspension system upgrades, a slightly larger frunk, and a powered sunshade for the sunroof. It may look subtle, but at the same time, the 2025 Seal is priced much lower than the Seal’s original launch price, and this allows the electric sedan to continue being relevant in our market.
As noted before, the BYD Seal 6 (not to be confused with the original BYD Seal) is all about value. With a price range of RM100k to RM120k, Seal 6 offers plenty of room inside alongside over 400km of range and up to 215hp of performance. Seal 6 is currently the only sub-RM150k electric sedan available in our market, and thankfully, it is a decent one.
The “Long Range” in its name is not just for show – this electric sedan is indeed a range grandmaster. The Tesla Model 3 LR RWD is capable of delivering up to 750km of range with a single charge, and it costs less than RM200,000! But the pricing is likely going to change next year, though…
The XPeng X9 might look weird, but this is a very techy and efficient electric MPV. This is the only fully electric MPV that has an 800V architecture, and despite being about 5.3m long, it is easy to manoeuvre with its active rear-wheel steering. It also gets air suspension, and it is very efficient at highway speeds thanks to its low drag coefficient rating of 0.236Cd.
The Denza D9 is currently the most affordable premium electric MPV in the market, and it makes you wonder why bother with a recond Alphard and Vellfire market. Priced from RM259,000, it offers competitive value, comfort, performance and ease of use for both family and chauffeur duties
Nothing says you’ve arrived quite like the Zeekr 009. As the most powerful electric MPV on the market with over 600hp, it delivers effortless performance while projecting a commanding, majestic presence on the road. Its refined ride is elevated further by air suspension, ensuring limousine-like comfort for every journey. The Zeekr 009 sets the gold standard for what a modern luxury MPV should be.as
In general, the Zeekr 7X delivers a high-performance premium EV experience without breaking your wallet. It comes complete with a sleek exterior design and is packed with plenty of tech features. In addition to being a long-range cruiser since it can go over 600km, the 7X has a blazing-fast charging speed too, thanks to its 800V architecture.
Up to 750km of range – that’s enough to cover the distance from Kangar in Perlis all the way to Batu Pahat, Johor…with just a single charge! With the Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD, range anxiety shouldn’t be in the owner’s vocabulary unless they choose to live on the edge.
Since its arrival in the market at the end of 2024, the Proton e.MAS 7 immediately rose to the top of Malaysia’s chart throughout 2025, and almost 8,000 units were registered as of November this year. This electric SUV comes with modern aesthetics inside and outside, spacious interiors, plenty of features, and enough range as well as performance headroom – all for under RM120,000.
Hence, it is not surprising that many have opted for Proton e.MAS 7 as their EV of choice.
DC Handal went big this year by opening the Medini EV Forecourt in Johor, which can serve as a template for large-scale DC charging hubs in the near future. Not only does it have 28 charging bays, but it also has a capacity of 1.6MW (according to the Energy Commission EVCS licence database) – the largest for a publicly-accessible EV charging location at the moment.
The CPO also expanded its payment option by adding support for Touch ‘n Go eWallet QR payment to its card terminal. Not to forget, DC Handal didn’t implement any price hike on its charging fee, with quite a number of its DC chargers priced at under RM1.50 per kWh.
Gentari may seem a little quiet this year compared to 2024, but that doesn’t mean the CPO is sitting on its laurels. The Petronas green energy and mobility subsidiary has continued deploying chargers throughout Malaysia, with many of them have significant impact in strengthening the national EV infrastructure.
Among such examples are the 200kW DC chargers in Gua Musang and Mersing, as well as BESS DC chargers at LPT2 in Terengganu, and the 180kW DC charger in Bintulu. Gentari has also introduced the Power Pass Lite, which provides 50% discount on the charging fee for 3 months – an enticing teaser for new EV owners to help them understand the idea of a subscription scheme under the full-fledged Power Pass.
TNB Electron continue to deploy DC chargers in numerous underserved areas throughout Peninsular Malaysia. This includes locations such as R&R Gurun, Jitra, Bagan Serai, Muadzam, and Kuala Selangor.
TNB Electron has also made the Gerik – Jeli Highway more feasible to EV owners by deploying the highway’s first EV charger in Batu Melintang. The CPO has also installed a DC charger at PSAS Behrang in Perak to help augment the polytechnic’s EV technology training ecosystem.
From just 22 charging bays in November last year, TNB Electron has since increased that number by over 300% to 99 bays. While the figure is still much lower than what the CPO originally targeted, TNB Electron’s deployments in 2025 help reduce the charging deserts and connect the dots for EV users in Peninsular Malaysia.
Will 2026 be the year that EV goes mainstream? It is rather hard to predict, frankly speaking.
At the moment, government agencies such MITI and MoF have yet to clearly address the policies for New Energy Vehicles (NEV) moving forward. As it stands, import tax and excise duty exemptions on fully imported (CBU) EVs have expired on 31 December 2025.
The only related update that we have seen is the new rulings for Franchise AP, whereby there is now a minimum pricing of RM250,000 and 200kW minimum motor output for new brands that intend to release their EVs in our market.
For existing EV makers, they continue to be tied to the existing RM100k floor price policy. That being said, this only applies to models that have been approved for release in Malaysia between 2023 and 2025 – things are still up in the air for 2026 models and beyond.
On the other hand, numerous manufacturers have announced their plan to assemble their EVs locally in Malaysia this year. The list includes BYD, Leapmotor, MG, and XPeng while Zeekr and Volkswagen are also in the mix although their timeline has not yet been revealed at the moment.
They will be joining several automakers that have already assemble their EVs in Malaysia including Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Chery, and TQ Wuling. Of course, let’s not forget our hometown heroes, Proton and Perodua.
With the establishments of these CKD operations, this means it is quite possible that we going to see more affordable EVs in our market. But before that can happen, the government need to clarify its NEV policies as soon as possible, rather than leaving the automakers and consumers in the dark.
On the EV infrastructure side, unfortunately, Malaysia failed to meet the national target of having 10,000 EV charge points by the end of 2025. That being said, things have improved tremendously in the past year with DC chargers being available for every 200-250km along most interstate routes in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of underserved areas that need to be covered especially in Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Pahang, and Sabah. So, we hope CPOs can tackle the challenge as best as they could while the government can consider in providing proper, meaningful, and impactful assistance to the CPOs.
Meanwhile, we expect to see more large scale EV charging hubs to be established in 2026. Having such hub is a more efficient approach to improve Malaysia’s EV charging infrastructure especially along highways and interstate route – instead of having single or dual nozzle DC chargers being scattered in random spots.
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