KUALA LUMPUR: Finally, the long wait is over as fans of Tesla CEO Elon Musk will soon get to drive the official version of his company's all-electric vehicles locally.

In a message posted on International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz's Twitter account at 10.45am today, Tengku Zafrul said his ministry (MITI) had approved Tesla's application to import battery electric vehicles (BEVs) into Malaysia.

"Tesla will establish a head office, Tesla Experience & Service Centres, and Supercharger network, simultaneously creating skilled & better paying jobs for Malaysians," the message read.

Tengku Zafrul did not say when Tesla would set up shop.

He said the entry of Tesla had been facilitated by MITI through the introduction of the BEV Global Leaders initiative which aims to help boost BEV demand in the local market.

"Tesla is the first applicant of this initiative by MITI," he said.



With the official entry of Tesla into the local EV scene, expect Tesla models such as S, 3, X and Y to be introduced.

For years, Tesla vehicles sold locally were brought in by grey vehicle importers who do not provide comprehensive warranty nor aftersales support to the American branded EVs.

At one time, a pre-owned Tesla Model S was priced similar to a brand-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Keywords