Owning a Tesla is a dream for many since the car symbolizes a new status of success and luxury, thanks to its technological edge. Additionally, the revolutionary features of their electric vehicles (EV) make it one of the most coveted drives to experience.
In most first-world countries where Tesla is popular and supported, Tesla owners wouldn’t have to worry much about recharging their car since they have the necessary infrastructure over there.
But what about Malaysia? How would someone go around charging an EV over here? In the United States, it would be quite a breeze since they have the Supercharger Network infrastructure spread across the country. But this has yet to be implemented in Malaysia and the nearest Supercharger Network is in Singapore – a bit too far from home.
But fret not, Malaysia is catching up in terms of its EV implementation and it is still possible to own a Tesla here. So, here’s how you can charge your Tesla in Malaysia.
Is It Free or Is Payment Required?
One of the main concerns of owning an electric car will be how much it will cost to charge it, especially a powerful one like Tesla.
The good thing is, most public EV charging points in Malaysia are free and these can be found in public spaces such as malls, hotels, fuel stations, or at most rest stops (RnR) along our highway. These free charging facilities can be used any time and they are available for all EV owners where some may even have dedicated parking spots. But since they’re located in public spaces, just be sure not to hog these facilities to yourself.
Meanwhile, some come with a cost. The pricing usually varies according to the service provider of your choice, with some opting for subscription-based payment, pay per session, or credit-based payment. So, it is best to check first which service is most suitable for you. The most notable EV charging providers in Malaysia are ChargEV, ParkEasy, and EV Connection to name a few.
Let’s look at ChargEV and its subscription-based charging network as an example. You can subscribe to the ChargEV card with a yearly subscription of RM240 and you can use the card to access all ChargEV stations located across Malaysia. Best of all, the charging usage is unlimited! If you do the calculations, you’ll end up paying RM20 a month for unlimited charging – compare that to paying an average of RM200 a month for a full tank of fuel, that’s quite a bit of savings.
Source: ChargEV Facebook
If you decide that you want to charge your Tesla at home, it comes with its own cost. In fact, the cost will be reflected on your residential electric bill, based on your usage. So, how much will the cost be? Let’s calculate.
The basic Tesla Model 3 has a battery capacity of 50.0 kWh. According to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), it only costs you RM10.90 to have your Tesla fully charged at home. That’s the price of a happy meal from McDonald’s!
Here’s how it’s calculated. This calculation takes into account TNB’s first 200kWh usage tariff for residencies that is rated at 0.218sen/kWh. The base Tesla Model 3 has an estimated battery capacity of 50kWh.
To calculate the rate for a single full charge for a base Tesla Model 3, we can use the following formula – Usage X Rate = Total Bill. Here’s how the calculation looks like – 50kWh X 0.218sen/kWh = RM10.90. If you’d like to find out more, check out TNB’s Bill Calculator here.
What Charging Facilities Can You Use?
There are a few types when it comes to EV charging facilities in Malaysia. We’ve detailed them as per below.
- Residential Charging Point
The first one is a home or residential charging point – this is probably the most economical and convenient type of all. A Tesla usually comes with a mobile connector and adapter that can be plugged directly into your wall socket at home. Since the standard wall plug voltage in Malaysia is 240V, you can expect a full charge for your Tesla overnight.
With a full charge, a base Tesla Model 3 can operate at an estimated distance of 448 kilometers. If you drive an average of 80 kilometers daily, that means a full charge will last you about five days, with some extra juice to boot!
- Wall Charger
You can also opt to install a wall charger at home for your Tesla but the cost of installation, usage fee, and power usage might vary between the brands or models available. It is best to check which one would suit your usage the most before installing one.
For example, if you plan to get one of Tesla’s own Wall Connector, the device alone will cost you around RM2,056, not including the installation cost and wiring cost (if needed).
Source: Tesla
- Third-party Wall Connector
You can also get a third-party wall connector that supports Tesla from providers such as EV Connection, Charge N Go, ERS Energy, to name a few – at a much lower price. But do note that you must check with these providers first to confirm that their wall chargers would work with your Tesla. Additionally, these wall chargers are best used in landed properties.
- Alternating Current (AC) Charger
Next up is the public charging facility which consists of AC charging stations. When it comes to public charging facilities, the charging capacity will differ at each station. But the most prominent charging capacity in Malaysia is 3.7kW and 22kW.
With the AC charging station, you can achieve a full charge for your Tesla roughly within eight hours, depending on several conditions such as the state of your battery, battery temperature, and charging rate variation, among others.
You can find AC charging stations from a provider such as ChargEV across Kuala Lumpur (KL), Selangor, Johor, Melaka, Kedah, Sarawak, Penang, Negeri Sembilan as well as hotels, shopping malls or even, Petronas stations on highways.
- Direct Current (DC) Charger
Other than that, there is also the DC charging facility, where you can charge your Tesla much faster and it only takes 20 to 30 minutes to charge up to 80 percent power, while taking just one hour for a full charge. This depends on several conditions such as the state of your battery, battery temperature, charging rate variation, and more.
However, there are only nine public DC Fast Charging stations across Malaysia so it might be quite difficult to gain access to one, especially if you are not located in major cities. As of now, you can find DC Fast Charging stations deployed by EV Connection along the North-South Expressway (NSE).
How to Charge a Tesla
With the hype surrounding Tesla, some people might be worried that charging it would be difficult since it is such an advanced car. On the contrary, it’s very easy. All you need to do is connect the cable from the charging unit to the charging port on the Tesla and you’re done!
Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about your cables being removed or stolen while you’re charging since there are locking mechanisms on the car that keep your cable plugged in.
You can also use a third-party charging lock that can be purchased at Amazon or teslachargerlock.com for extra security and you can monitor your Tesla through the mobile app (which we will discuss below) as well! But keep in mind that you might require adapters to use certain charging stations since the connection port is not universal.
Are There Any Apps to Make Charging Easier?
Tesla owners or EV owners, in general, may face “range anxiety” especially when travelling long distances. This is because they are constantly worried their car might not have enough power to reach their destination since charging stations are scattered, especially along the Malaysian highways, compared to traditional fuel stations.
But fear not, fellow EV owners! These days, there is always a mobile app that can save the day. A few examples of such apps for EV charging include JomCharge, ChargeMap, Electromaps, PlugShare, and many more. Some of these apps help you to look for a nearby charging station.
JomCharge, for example, lists down all the charging stations near you and it also displays other information including how many charging stations are available, socket type, charger type available, operator, and more. This is especially useful if you’re looking for a place to quickly top up your power levels while you’re on the move.
Using the JomCharge app to find nearby charging stations.
For long-distance travel, there’s ChargeMap. It allows you to plan your trip by showing the route you should take to keep your Tesla powered along the way. For example, on this trip from Shah Alam to Port Dickson, ChargeMap directs you to a charging point along the route while also estimating how long you should charge your Tesla to achieve the power level you’ve set when you arrive at your destination.
Using the Charge Map app to find charging stations along a route.
These apps are easy to use, and they are also free to download so this should reduce the range anxiety experienced by electric car owners by a large margin while massively increasing their confidence to travel whether short or long-range.
Looking at all the points above, it can be said that it is very convenient to charge a Tesla in Malaysia. The only downside is you need to be located in major city centers like Selangor or Kuala Lumpur to be able to utilize the facilities properly and fully. The learning curve is not too big either as with some time and effort, charging your Tesla will be a breeze and you’ll never look back at fossil fuel again.
Regardless of the current situation of EV charging in Malaysia, rest assured that there is a continuous effort in developing and improving the present landscape of EV charging. So, Tesla owners should look forward to a better charging experience in the future.
Buy a Brand-new Tesla with Carsome for Peace of Mind
Carsome is joining the EV movement with brand-new Tesla models available now on our website starting with the Tesla Model 3. Now, you can experience Tesla’s coveted driving intelligence as we bring their exceptional and well-designed automobiles to our Malaysian roads.
These Tesla models are available on a pre-order basis, while a Tesla Model S P100D demo car is available for test drives at our Petaling Jaya Experience Center (No 2, Lorong 51a/227c, Seksyen 51a, Petaling Jaya). To book a test drive, you’ll need to pay a booking fee beforehand.
Additionally, to ensure our customers have complete peace of mind, all Tesla models purchased with us come with the Official Manufacturer’s Warranty.
Keyword: How Can You Charge a Tesla in Malaysia?