The automotive engineering division of the road transport department (JPJ) has issued guidelines for converting internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). These guidelines cover the technical and legal requirements for such conversions to make sure they are carried out in a proper manner that doesn’t compromise the functionality and safety standard of a vehicle.
At present, the construction and usage of vehicles in the country is controlled via the Road Transport Act 1987 as well as The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Rules 1959. Every vehicle model is subject to the department’s Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) process to ensure they meet safety and environmental standards in line with United Nation (UN) rules as per Section 66(1)(pp) of the RTA 1987.
Referring to Rule 94(2) of The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Rules 1959, no component, system, part of accessory installed on a vehicle can be modified, altered, changed or replaced in a manner that doesn’t meet the original specifications of the manufacturer without prior approval from the director of the JPJ, subject to set conditions.
It is through this rule that EV conversions are allowed, and there are plenty of conditions that need to met before approval is given. As a start, the guidelines do not apply to vehicles that will be used for off-roading (or “special”) purposes or prototypes for R&D purposes, which were previously allowed with authorisation prior to the new guidelines were issued – we covered this matter before.
According to the approval flow chart in the guidelines, the ICE to EV conversion process starts with submitting a conceptual modification design to the JPJ. This includes details of the vehicle being converted as well as all the changes and additions that will be made to the vehicle, including detailed diagrams of featured systems. Once submitted, the department will perform its evaluation and provide feedback.
Only when the department is satisfied can the conversion work be carried over, after which the completed vehicle is subject to the department’s inspection and testing to ensure it meets the requirements for designated technical service assessment.
As you can tell by the guidelines posted here, there are numerous standards and functions that the converted vehicle must meet and be capable of in order to pass. The workshop carrying out the job also has its own set of requirements to meet in order to be allowed to carry out the conversion.
If the vehicle passes this stage, the owner of the vehicle being converted or the workshop carrying out the conversion (with the vehicle’s owner consent) will send in the application with the necessary documentation to the JPJ for final approval before the finished vehicle is allowed on the road.
Based on these guidelines, it’s clear that ICE to EV conversions will be a time-consuming process that will likely cost a pretty penny to get done. Even so, the department’s issuing of these guidelines opens up an avenue for those with the means or desire to convert their beloved ride to run purely on electricity, which wasn’t allowed previously. Go through the guidelines posted here and let us know what you think in the comments below.
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aint onbody is converting ice car to ev car, this is third world country
Why does JPJ come up with these kind asinine ideas instead of useful one ?
Is so that people accuse them of only selling fancy number plates and nothing else. Blame Loke for that.
It’s not great but at least it’s a start.
What? Based on all the rules it is a nonstarter for any venture to doing ICE to EV conversion.
Not making it outright illegal is a start regardless of the hassle. Before this you wouldn’t even be entertained unless you’re doing prototyping for R&D. You would have to start a research company to do so.