Tesla will build a head office and establish its Supercharger network in Malaysia following approval from the Ministry of International Trade & Industry (MITI).
Heaptalk, Jakarta — An American automotive company, Tesla, received the green light to import battery electric vehicles (BEV) into Malaysia. The Ministry of International Trade & Industry (MITI) in Malaysia announced its approval through an official statement at the end of February.
Following the approval, Malaysian authorities allowed Tesla to build a head office in the country. The company will also introduce Tesla Experience Centers and Tesla Service Centers as well as establish its Supercharger network.
Through this investment, the Malaysian Government expects to create skilled and better-paying job opportunities for workers in the BEV segment. Together with that, local companies are wished to participate in the Tesla ecosystem both domestically and globally.
“We are pleased by Tesla’s decision to establish its presence in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem in Malaysia. This demonstrates Tesla’s confidence in our economic fundamentals and conducive business environment,” said MITI Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz in a written statement.
Minister Zafrul Aziz further delivered that MITI and its agencies will continue to enhance efforts to improve the ease of doing business, while continuously profiling Malaysia as pro-trade, pro-industry, and pro-investment. He added, “We will also strategically leverage on our established Electrical & Electronics ecosystem to make Malaysia the preferred investment destination for technology related to electric mobility.”
Strengthening foothold for the Singapore and Thailand markets
In more detail, Tesla’s investment in Malaysia is facilitated by MITI through the introduction of the BEV Global Leaders initiative which aims to help boost BEV demand in the local market and further promote the development of the entire ecosystem to support BEV adoption.
The initiative also seeks to secure investments from leading global BEV manufacturing companies in the country with Tesla being the first applicant of the Global Leaders initiative. The Ministry itself carries out objectives and roles focusing on driving Malaysia’s rapid economic development and achieving the country’s stated goal of becoming a developed nation.
In recent years, this American EV company has begun to look at the Asia-Pacific region market. According to a Techwire Asia report, Tesla started official sales in Singapore in mid-2021 and in Thailand in 2023. Meanwhile, sales in Malaysia are still limited through private importers.
The absence of an official presence in Malaysia results in a lack of after-sales support which plays an essential role in ownership. Although the country has had a subsidiary in Penang handling back-office operations since 2017, it has not generated any retail sales. With an approved presence in Malaysia, Tesla will be able to fill the void between Singapore and Thailand with Superchargers.
