WATCH: Malaysia or Thailand could be next Tesla market in S-E Asia, says EV observer

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia or Thailand could be Tesla's next market in the region, according to a Tesla investor and EV enthusiast.

Singapore-based Daren Yoong believes the island republic, which is already selling Teslas, is the staging ground for Tesla to expand into the lucrative South-East Asian region, home to over 650 million people and with some of the world's fastest growing economies.

Yoong backs up his argument with facts and figures in a YouTube video he posted last month.

He believes Malaysia stands a good chance to be the next market after Singapore, with the Government offering EV incentives under Budget 2022.

But it could take Tesla two to three years to make its move as it needs to scale up and offer a US$25,000 (RM106,000) compact sedan in Malaysia, he cautioned, adding that Tesla could beat expectations - as it often has - and could enter sooner than later.


Meanwhile, Thailand is the largest vehicle market in the region with over 50% sales being pick-up trucks, which is ripe for Tesla to introduce a mini-Cybertruck, said Yoong.

He said the video was sparked by people who had often asked him when Tesla would come to their country.

Yoong, a Google sales manager who hails from Malaysia, operates a YouTube channel called "Investing with Daren".

His channel is a platform to talk not only about investing but is also heavy on everything Tesla, which covers, among others, its stock, its cars and people who buy them, its Superchargers and his recent visit to Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory.

Tesla started an online sales portal in Singapore in February this year and opened its showroom and Superchargers in July. It has already begun deliveries to customers with the first batch of cars being Model 3s.

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