MALAYSIA is set to accelerate the development of its electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem with the government refining plans to support the rollout of 30,000 public charging facilities nationwide as part of efforts to boost consumer confidence in cleaner mobility.
Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said EV adoption could not be driven solely by attracting vehicle manufacturers, but required a comprehensive ecosystem supported by sufficient charging infrastructure, reliable electricity supply and strategic planning.
He said MITI would work with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), local authorities and relevant agencies to ensure Malaysia’s EV infrastructure keeps pace with industry growth.
“The challenge is not only bringing in vehicle manufacturers. We must ensure the entire ecosystem develops together so that consumers have the confidence to switch to this technology,” he told reporters after launching the locally assembled (CKD) Proton e.MAS7 PHEV model in Tanjung Malim on Friday.
Johari said the government had introduced various incentives to encourage EV industry development, including import duty and excise duty exemptions, with the total revenue forgone reaching RM3.3 billion over the past four years.
However, he acknowledged that the expansion of public charging facilities remained a key challenge, particularly for consumers who depend on a single vehicle and those living in high-rise residential buildings.
“This challenge is more significant for residents living in apartments and condominiums because many buildings do not have sufficient electricity capacity to install AC chargers for every residential unit,” he said.
Johari stressed that the government remained committed to EV development, including hybrid technology, as these vehicles represented the future of the automotive industry.
However, he said the transition must be supported by realistic planning and infrastructure readiness, unlike the internal combustion engine (ICE) ecosystem which had benefited from decades of development.
Malaysia currently has around 3,500 petrol stations nationwide, with each station operating an average of 10 fuel pumps, providing approximately 35,000 refuelling facilities for motorists.
“The success of any technology does not depend solely on vehicle sales, but also requires a network of facilities that gives consumers confidence.
“That is why EV development cannot move ahead of ecosystem readiness because users need to know that sufficient public chargers are available, whether for urban travel or long-distance journeys from Johor to Perlis,” he said.
Johari said Malaysia should draw lessons from countries such as China, where rapid EV adoption was supported not only by incentives for manufacturers and buyers but also by substantial government investment in nationwide charging infrastructure.
“Malaysia cannot simply replicate another country’s success without understanding the factors behind it.
“In the local context, the government has already forgone revenue through various EV incentives, and now infrastructure development must receive equal attention so that investments brought into the country can truly benefit consumers,” he said.
He added that MITI would engage with TNB to assess the need for additional electricity substations and sufficient power supply to support the expansion of public EV charging facilities across the country. - July 31, 2026
