BMW Group Malaysia has welcomed the efforts by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) to encourage the government to extend the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) extension for hybrid cars from two years to five years.

In a statement here Tuesday, BMW Group Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Dr Gerhard Pils said in 2012 alone, the FIT and hybrid car incentives increased the purchase and use of hybrid cars by 84 per cent over the year before.

Pils said: "The extension would help further strengthen the growth in the hybrid car segment, and ultimately lower carbon emissions in the country.

"As a leading automaker in the premium vehicle segment, BMW Group Malaysia's current focus towards sustainability is embodied through the principles, strategy and technology of BMW EfficientDynamics which is available throughout our entire product portfolio here in Malaysia.

"It is a positive step towards providing consumers with highly efficient and sustainable technologies, and in sharing with the public at large on the importance and the relevant role that sustainability and technologies of the future has against global concerns such as global warming and climate change," he said.

Pils said since the introduction of the BMW EfficientDynamics strategy in 2009, Malaysian customers have proven to be highly supportive of this initiative and today more than 20 per cent of BMW vehicles delivered are highly efficient advanced green technology alternatives such as BMW Advanced Diesel and BMW ActiveHybrid vehicles.

"We would like to reemphasise that green technology incentives should not be technology biased but be inclusive of all advanced sustainable and green technology alternatives which include diesel technology, hybrid technology and electric technology," he said.

BMW Group Malaysia are greatly encouraged by the government's effort to focus on sustainable green technology as an enabler of socio-economic growth for the nation, Pils added.