Tesla Partners with 45 Malaysian Suppliers to Drive EV Growth

The Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI) in a written reply to a parliamentary query, detailed that Tesla has collaborated with approximately 45 local Malaysian suppliers.

Said local players are focused on providing semiconductor components, machinery inspection, and factory automation systems which we would assume is for its service centres and charging network expansion.

Despite reports of Tesla abandoning plans to set up factories in ASEAN including Malaysia, the American EV giant is in discussions with MITI and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) to encourage Tesla’s deeper integration into Malaysia’s manufacturing supply chain.

The ministry clarified that Tesla’s continued presence reflects its confidence in Malaysia’s EV market and the government’s supportive EV policies.

Tesla’s entry into Malaysia in 2023 was under the Global Leaders Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) programme, which aims to attract top EV manufacturers.

Under this program Tesla is committed to set-up at least 50 DC chargers (180kW up) with 30% (15 units) made available for multi-brand use. It is also required to cooperate with at least 10 local companies for its local charging network development.

To date Tesla has established 12 Supercharging stations featuring 56 chargers, as well as 72 Destination Chargers housed at 14 locations and service centres at Cyberjaya, Penang and Johor Bahru offering customer and vehicle support.

Additionally, MITI highlighted Tesla’s role in boosting local capabilities and advancing Malaysia’s automotive industry. The government remains committed to attracting investments to strengthen the EV ecosystem and promote the localisation of automotive components, fostering sustainable growth in the sector.