KUCHING – Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and Melinau EV Sdn Bhd have partnered on a research project to better understand the factors shaping consumers’ decisions to switch from conventional internal combustion engine vehicles to green vehicles in Sarawak, with findings expected to support efforts to accelerate green vehicle adoption in the state.
Scheduled to run from August 2026 to January 2027, the six-month study aims to provide the first dedicated behavioural examination of green vehicle switching intention across Sarawak’s major urban centres. It will explore the psychological, emotional, and perceptual factors that influence consumers to adopt green vehicles, including environmental concern, perceived value, trust in green vehicle technology, confidence in vehicle range, brand image, social influence, perceived risk, and established mobility habits.
The research will also investigate why consumer uptake of green vehicles remains relatively low despite increasing public awareness, with particular attention to perceived barriers such as vehicle affordability, charging accessibility, resale value, technology reliability, and consumer confidence.
The study’s findings are expected to provide evidence-based recommendations for industry, policymakers, and other stakeholders working to expand green mobility in Sarawak.
A group photo taken following the kick-off meeting at Swinburne Sarawak. Seen are (from left) Ms Amanda Thian Hui Yee, Sales Specialist, Melinau EV; Mr Yii Teck Sing; Dr Gabriel Wee Wei En; Mr Clinton Lim, Operation Support Manager, Melinau EV; Ms Belinda Chiong, Marketing cum Sales Support Manager, Melinau EV; and Ms Sharon Tan, Research Assistant, Swinburne Sarawak.
The project, titled “Developing an Integrated Framework to Examine Consumer Switching Intention to Green Vehicles in Sarawak”, was formally initiated during a kick-off meeting held at Swinburne Sarawak on 15 July 2026. Representatives from Melinau EV and the university discussed the project’s research direction, implementation schedule, data collection strategy, and anticipated contributions to the development of Sarawak’s green mobility ecosystem.
Professor Brian Wong Kee Mun, Dean of the Faculty of Business, Design, and Arts at Swinburne Sarawak, said the collaboration reflected the university’s commitment to strengthening industry engagement and preparing graduates for the evolving needs of industry.
“In today’s rapidly evolving economy, building an industry-driven university is no longer a choice but a necessity to ensure graduates remain relevant and future-ready. Through Swinburne Sarawak’s School of Business and Entrepreneurship Hub, our research partnership with Melinau EV demonstrates our commitment to applied research that delivers actionable market intelligence for industry while equipping our students with real-world insights from the forefront of the EV sector,” he said.
During the meeting, Mr Yii Teck Sing, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Melinau EV Sdn Bhd, commended Swinburne Sarawak’s world-class facilities, state-of-the-art technology, and modern learning environment.
“At Melinau EV, we believe the best innovation comes from strong collaboration between academia and industry. We hope this visit marks the beginning of a long-term partnership that creates real value for Sarawak,” he said.
He said the partnership’s first initiative would be developing an evidence-based framework to identify the key factors influencing consumers in Sarawak to switch to green vehicles, expressing his hope that the research would deliver practical insights that help accelerate green vehicle adoption.
Representatives from Swinburne Sarawak and Melinau EV discuss the research project.
“We also look forward to working with Swinburne on applying artificial intelligence (AI) to transform the automotive industry by developing practical frameworks that improve efficiency, productivity, and customer experience across the entire customer journey – from marketing and sales to after-sales service, customer satisfaction, and long-term customer retention.
“Together, we aspire to deliver impactful research, practical AI solutions, and future-ready talent that will support a smarter, greener, and more sustainable mobility ecosystem for Sarawak and Malaysia,” said Mr Yii.
The Principal Investigator, Dr Gabriel Wee Wei En, Chief of the Entrepreneurship Hub at Swinburne Sarawak, said the project would address a significant gap in existing green vehicle research by examining the demand side of Sarawak’s mobility transition.
“Existing reports provide useful information on the number of green vehicles sold or registered, but they do not fully explain why consumers decide to adopt or reject the technology. There remains limited state-specific behavioural evidence concerning consumers in Sarawak. This project therefore seeks to understand how consumers evaluate green vehicles, what concerns them, and what would give them the confidence to make the switch,” he said.
He added that the study would combine academic rigour with industry relevance, with findings translated into practical recommendations for consumer communication, market education, stakeholder engagement, and policy discussions. He further explained that comparing respondents in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, and Miri would help identify whether consumer concerns and readiness differ across Sarawak.
Dr Wee also acknowledged Melinau EV’s contribution as the industry grant partner, noting that their involvement provides valuable access to industry knowledge, market insights, and consumer engagement opportunities.
“This strengthens our ability to produce research that is both methodologically sound and directly applicable to the development of Sarawak’s green vehicle ecosystem. It also creates opportunities for our students to learn from a live industry challenge and understand how research can support business and societal transformation,” he said.
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