Iskandar Puteri City Council Leases 4 EVs From Sime Darby Rent-A-Car

As part of an innovative EV leasing deal, Sime Darby Rent-A-Car (SDRAC), the Hertz franchise holder in Malaysia, has officially turned over four electric vehicles (EVs) to the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP). This deal was made at the most recent International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM) 2023.

In addition to their collaboration with MBIP, the SDRAC-Hertz partnership with IGEM is designed to promote the adoption of EVs in the car rental sector, serving as IGEM's official EV rental partner until 2030.

Nahar Hakimy, the Chief Operating Officer of Sime Darby Rent-A-Car–Hertz Malaysia, stated, "These two strategic partnerships reflect our commitment to sustainable transportation solutions, aligning perfectly with the Sime Darby Group's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) target of having over 50 percent energy-efficient products in its portfolio by 2025."

This partnership between MBIP and SDRAC-Hertz represents a major turning point for both companies. In accordance with this historic arrangement, Hertz will lease four electric cars to MBIP for a year beginning in October 2023, with assistance from SDRAC.

Notably, with this deal, Hertz becomes the first car rental firm in Malaysia to provide a municipal council with EV leasing services. As a result, MBIP is now the first municipal council in the nation to utilise the benefits of leasing electric vehicles for its operating fleet.

The lease of these four EVs and the collaboration with SDRAC-Hertz, according to Mayor Dato' Haji Mohd Haffiz bin Haji Ahmad, are just the beginning of their efforts to lessen Iskandar Puteri's carbon footprint.

The leased electric vehicles were presented to Housing and Local Government Exco Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor at the handover ceremony held at Iskandar Puteri, Johor. Chief Operating Officer Nahar Hakimy represented SDRAC-Hertz, and Chief Whip Datuk Abd. Rashid Kasman and Mayor Dato' Haji Mohd Haffiz bin Haji Ahmad represented MBIP.

One of the four electric vehicles that were leased is a Hyundai Ioniq 5 Plus, which will be used by Iskandar Puteri Mayor Dato' Haji Mohd Haffiz bin Haji Ahmad as his official car. The three remaining Hyundai Kona E-Max cars will be used by council enforcers for their regular work.

The comprehensive package is included in the lease agreement which includes unlimited mileage, the availability of a replacement vehicle, maintenance coverage, protection against wear and tear, insurance, road tax, and round-the-clock roadside assistance. Additionally, SDRAC-Hertz handles fleet maintenance so that MBIP can manage the Iskandar Puteri township as an operational entity with the least amount of downtime and disturbance possible.