KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 5,624 public electric vehicle (EV) charging units have been installed nationwide, representing 56% of the overall target, says Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said of the total, 1,923 units are direct current (DC) fast chargers, while 3,701 units are alternating current (AC) chargers.
"The installation of DC chargers has exceeded the initial target by 128% against the original target of 1,500 units, while AC chargers have achieved 40% of the target of 8,500 units.
"Although the total number of chargers has yet to reach the target of 10,000 units, the achievement of DC chargers exceeding the target reflects the need to focus on the installation of public EV charging facilities in the form of DC fast chargers," he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address for the ministry in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Feb 5).
He added that this aligns with industry feedback, indicating that the availability of fast chargers is a key factor influencing consumer confidence in switching to EVs.
"At the same time, the government also wants to encourage EV owners to install chargers at their own residences," Johari said, stressing that the cost of charging EVs at home is far cheaper than using DC fast chargers.
He also said that the development of EV charging infrastructure will continue to be strengthened sustainably despite facing challenges from high installation costs, particularly for DC chargers, which are estimated at RM210,000 per unit.
"The installation process also involves various authorities and technical agencies such as local authorities, the Energy Commission and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.
"The need for technical coordination, site approvals and upgrades to electricity supply capacity results in longer approval timelines, particularly for strategic locations and high-demand areas," said Johari.
Responding to a question from Datuk Azman Nasrudin (PN-Padang Serai) on the number of electric charging stations in the northern region, Johari said EV charging facilities have been developed at 21 key locations involving 45 DC EV charging units operated by various charging point operators (CPO) such as TNB Electron, Gentari, Shell Recharge and JomCharge.
"These chargers have capacities ranging from 24kW to 240kW. Additionally, more than 15 public EV charging units are already in operation to meet the needs of local users.
"At the same time, demand for EV charging along routes such as the Gerik-Jeli federal route remains low and seasonal in nature. Therefore, any additional development must take into account demand factors, feasibility and operational sustainability," he said. – Bernama
