If you’re a big fan of electric vehicles (EV) or just a big fan of Elon Musk in general, you’re in luck. Tesla, arguably the world’s most popular EV producer is officially launching in Malaysia, and is projected to start selling their EVs by the end of this month (July).
Tesla announced their foray into the Malaysian market in a particularly understated way, with a teaser on a newly minted Instagram page stating their arrival in the Malaysian market, and announcing an official launch date on the 20th of July 2023.
Tesla’s expansion into Malaysia has long been speculated, ever since it was reported that the Tesla Services Sdn Bhd subsidiary has undergone a name change in October 2022 to Tesla Sdn Bhd.
Due to the name change and the change in industry to specifically mention wholesale and retail of new motor vehicles, industry experts have predicted that Tesla is looking to set up shop on our shores.
Then in March 2023, Tesla’s arrival in Malaysia was first confirmed when the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Tengku Zafrul announced the BEV Global Leaders initiative, an initiative that allows successful applicants of the programme to obtain franchise APs to start distributing their EVs here. And according to Tengku Zafrul, Tesla is the first successful applicant.
As part of the deal with the BEV Global Leaders initiative, there are some requirements that Tesla Malaysia needs to meet. First, Tesla Malaysia needs to set up an office, sales and service centers in Malaysia, install at least 50 units of DC fast chargers with a minimum charging power of 180 kW, and hire and develop the skillsets of at least 100 Malaysians, among others.
Tesla Malaysia has already taken steps to fulfill some of these requirements, as evidenced by their walk-in recruitment day held last May. The recruitment drive was a roaring success, as people started queuing up before 10am and reportedly hundreds of Malaysians hoping for a chance to work for the leading EV manufacturer.
So in case you’re looking to pick up an EV for yourself, you might just want to keep an eye out for Tesla and its offerings, now that it will be more widely available in Malaysia.
