South-East Asia lags in electric vehicles. Can it catch up?

An electric vehicle being charged at a charging station at Siam Square in Bangkok, Thailand. South-East Asian nations offer more tax breaks, subsidies and investment in charging stations to boost electric vehicle (EV) sector. — Bloomberg

KUALA LUMPUR: For self-confessed tech geek and adrenaline junkie Farhan Abdul Rahim, becoming one of the first Malaysians to own an electric car in 2020 was a no-brainer – but he didn’t simply stop there.

Last June, Farhan embarked on a three-day journey around the Malay peninsula in his Tesla – covering about 1,700km (1,050 miles) – seeking to prove that electric vehicles (EVs) can operate beyond cities and in rural parts of the South-East Asian nation.