Electric car maker Tesla is set to make its debut, import its battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and establish a network of charging stations for its cars in Malaysia
Tesla is offically coming to Malaysia with its electric vehicles in tow.
This was confirmed by Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) Malaysia minister Tengku Zafrul via an announcement on his social media platforms. “Malaysia Welcomes Tesla! Miti Malaysia has approved Tesla's application to import BEVs into Malaysia,” Zafrul wrote.
The carmaker, the brainchild of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, will establish a head office in Malaysia, introduce Tesla's Experience and service centres, and establish its supercharger network.
Read more: Is Elon Musk planning to open restaurants under Tesla?
Its entry into Malaysia is also expected to create skilled and better-paying job opportunities for workers in the BEV segment and increase the participation of local companies in the Tesla ecosystem, both domestically and globally.
How do I buy a Tesla in Malaysia?
For the uninitiated, Tesla's sales model is very different from other carmakers and far removed from the traditional concept of dealer franchises—there's no dealership per se. The carmaker encourages its customers to book the cars online through the company's website, even if you're browsing in person at a Tesla Experience centre, which is Tesla's version of a showroom. This means there's no way of buying a Model X SUV on the spot.
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The Tesla Experience centre is where you can see the cars in person, ask questions, and take one out for a test drive (which has to be scheduled in advance because Tesla keeps a limited number of cars in their showrooms). Once you've decided on a model, you'll have to make your purchase through Tesla's website. You can then choose to have the car delivered to you or directly at a Tesla store.
