While Tesla vehicles aren’t officially sold in Malaysia, some of the models have previously been available for sale in the country, as shown by examples brought in by Vision Motorsports last year. These have very much been ad hoc, but now, in anticipation of the proposed EV tax exemptions announced by the government during Budget 2022, the Malay Vehicle Importers and Traders Association of Malaysia (PEKEMA) has announced that it has begun taking orders for Teslas on a much wider basis.

The association has revealed a detailed listing of Tesla models that can be purchased through its network, as well as their indicative pricing, with tax exemptions in place. Potential buyers can pick from the entire range, with prices anticipated to start from RM288,888 for a Model 3. This is for a new unit brought in from Hong Kong.

There’s another price mention of a Model 3 rear-wheel drive, with that starting from RM323,928. This is for a unit from the UK, and the reasoning for the price difference between both versions is due to a difference in infotainment specifications, or rather the software available – the HK unit follows China’s more restrictive regulations on specific apps that can or cannot be accessed through the screen, so there’s no on-board games or Internet browser.

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Meanwhile, the price of the Model 3 Long Range is expected to start from RM370,728. Comparatively, the single-motor Standard and dual-motor Long Range had prices starting from RM390k and RM450k respectively when they were brought in by Vision last year, so prices look like they are set to drop by quite a bit with the exemptions. For the same amount paid for a Long Range last year, buyers can now get a Model 3 Performance, with prices for it set to start from RM453,528.

Elsewhere, pricing of the Model Y is expected to begin from RM417,528 for a Long Range, with the Performance going from RM489,528. As for the Model S, it starts from RM712,656 for a Basic, going up to RM878,256 for an S Plaid, while for the Model X, a Basic will start from RM817,128, while the X Plaid will go for RM950,328.

All the cars that will be sold here are new units, according to PEKEMA VP Raja Petra Marudin. Speaking at the sidelines of the Bumiputera Development Action 2030 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre earlier today, he said nearly 40 units have been booked so far, and first deliveries of these vehicles are expected to begin from January.

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He added that all the cars are covered by the warranty as defined by Tesla – for example, Hong Kong lists a four-year warranty on the vehicle and eight years for the battery/drive unit. However, this will need to be claimed from the country of origin from which the car was sold, which would entail the vehicle having to be shipped back for major claims.

He said the selling price of the vehicles have factored in the cost of transportation (if it needs to be shipped to Tesla Singapore or the country of origin of the car concerned) in cases where major problems develop, on a one-off or one-time basis.

However, Raja Petra said this was unlikely to be needed. “Since 2019, when PEKEMA first brought in Tesla vehicles, we have never faced a big problem that has required such movement to be made. However, if necessary, PEKEMA can help and arrange it for customers,” he said.

He added that remote diagnosis services on the vehicle can also be done. “The system used by Tesla allows its cars to be diagnosed remotely for the purpose of detecting possible problems, and the report will be submitted to the customer,” he said.

He explained that PEKEMA technicians undergo training at Tesla Singapore to prepare them in dealing with problems that customers may face, and it will be possible in some cases for these technicians to go to the customer’s home for the necessary minor repairs.

“In simple language, customers do not have to worry after buying a Tesla model from us, because PEKEMA will help if they need after-sales support for the vehicle they own,” he said, adding that the association can also source out genuine Tesla spare parts for customers.

He said that PEKEMA can also assist its customers in the installation of a local telco provider’s SIM card (to enable OTA updates to the system), downloading and setting up Tesla applications for customers’ smartphones, performing map system updates and navigation for use in Malaysia (for units imported from the UK) as well as installing device and software upgrades for the systems used on their cars. However, all these will involve separate costs.

He said that all Tesla customers will be able to enjoy DC fast charging facilities provided at PEKEMA member premises nationwide. There are currently seven such charging stations, and by the end of this year, the number is set to increase to 12.

Raja Petra said that PEKEMA is aiming to sell 500 Teslas a year over the next two years of the EV tax exemption period. To that end, the company is also working to bring in Tesla units from other markets such as Australia and New Zealand. “We also hope the government will consider our application to bring in Tesla units through Tesla Singapore, which will further facilitate logistics for customers,” he said.


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