Tesla Will Drive Malaysia’s EV Ecosystem More Competitive - Tg Zafrul

Tengku Zafrul stated that because the EV industry is still relatively new in Malaysia, many investors, both domestic and foreign, are still waiting for ‘market security’  before making any investment decisions. He believed that the opening of Tesla's charging station would help to instill confidence among EV investors who want to invest not only in charging stations but also in the entire supply chain, according to Bernama.

“We are, in a way, liberalising the industry, and we have to push. We want to make sure the regulations are clear. “They also want to know how fast the cars are coming in. So for the people investing in the charging stations, they want to see us opening up also. Tesla is setting a good example by installing the charging stations first,” he told Bernama.

Tengku Zafrul launched Tesla's supercharging station at Pavilion in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, on July 19, the company's first EV charging station in the country, with plans to build at least 50 charging stations nationwide.

The minister stated that nine charging station locations had been identified, including Bukit Jalil, Petaling Jaya, and Dengkil, while those outside of Klang Valley would be in Ipoh, Perak; Perai, Pulau Pinang; Seremban, Negeri Sembilan; and Iskandar Puteri, Johor, with the remaining two to be announced soon.

He said that, at first, charging stations would be concentrated in major cities, but that this would not be limited to shopping malls, as Tesla planned to have outdoor charging stations as well. The Minister also emphasised that Malaysia has a strong electrical and electronics (E&E) ecosystem that has been developed over the last 50 years, particularly in the semiconductor business, which is a critical component in the production of EV cars.