MyZEVA: BEV Growth, Charger Deployment Playing Catch-Up

Recent data from the Malaysian Zero Emission Vehicle Association (MyZEVA) projects Malaysia’s BEV adoption to reach 717,640 units by 2030. Said figure will mark a 2.9% growth trajectory. To support this, 89,705 EV Charging Bays (EVCB) are required to maintain an ideal 1:8 charger-to-vehicle ratio.

The situation has shown progress, with the recent deployment of 183 chargers bringing the total EVCB count to 3,345 (2,349 AC and 956 DC). This results in a current charger-to-vehicle ratio of 1:10. However, CPOs face challenges in meeting the government’s ambitious goal of rolling out 10,000 EVCB (8,500 AC and 1,500 DC) by 2025.

Interestingly, the term EVCB itself lacks a consistent definition, leading to confusion among Charge Point Operators (CPOs). Despite this, MyZEVA reports steady progress for DC chargers, with an average deployment rate of 70 units per month, suggesting the target will be achieved by Q2 2025, six months ahead of schedule.

Conversely, AC chargers lag significantly, with an average of only 20 units deployed monthly, pushing the completion timeline to Q3 2026.

The Energy Commission (ST) has licensed 92% of chargers nationwide, though some recently deployed units remain unaccounted for. MyZEVA highlights the leading CPOs by deployment, ChargeSini: 686 EVCP (543 AC, 143 DC), JomCharge EVC: 453 EVCP (289 AC, 164 DC) and Gentari: 303 EVCP (193 AC, 110 DC).

While the list also includes Tesla and Mercedes-Benz, we at Carz.com.my question their inclusion as their chargers cater exclusively to brand customers, limiting broader accessibility.

Despite MyZEVA’s conservative outlook, we remain critical of the slow growth of EV charging infrastructure. As previously noted, Tesla’s delayed Supercharger deployment at Skudai R&R Southbound went live just recently. Our most recent finding was Gentari JomCharge’s Kempower facility at Harmony BYD in Desa Sri Hartamas which has been sitting idle since June.

The facility remains non-operational after six months, raising questions about the root cause. While licensing delays with ST seem unlikely, we suspect the issue lies with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and power supply constraints.

If this is the case, why hasn’t the issue been resolved after such a prolonged period, especially in older buildings with known power limitations? This lack of speed in rectifying matters will surely hamper the government's call for EV adoption, don't you think so?