Anticipation is brewing as Tesla, the renowned automaker, and clean energy company, announces its foray into Malaysia, marking the country as its third official Southeast Asian market following Singapore and Thailand. The confirmation came four months after Tengku Zafrul, the Minister of International Trade and Industry, revealed Tesla’s intentions to penetrate the Malaysian market. Tesla’s arrival, scheduled for July 20, has stirred tremendous excitement, evidenced by the large turnout at a recent recruitment event in Cyberjaya.
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Despite Tesla not divulging specifics about the models set to launch in Malaysia, the company’s operations in Singapore and Thailand revolve around two primary models – the Model 3 and Model Y. Notably, these models account for a whopping 96% of the 479,700 vehicles Tesla produced in the last quarter. It’s also crucial to note that Tesla discontinued the right-hand drive variant of its Model S and Model X, alluding to the high probability of Model 3 and Model Y gracing the Malaysian shores.
The Model 3, first revealed in 2016 and marketed a year later, was Tesla’s inaugural foray into the mass market of Electric Vehicles (EVs). The “mass market” classification may appear skewed considering the steep price tag attached to the EV, a topic we will explore further in this discussion.
The Model 3 is offered in several variants. The Standard Range (SR) model, equipped with a rear-wheel-drive setup, packs a robust 208kW (283hp) of power and a peak torque of 420Nm. It also boasts an impressive top speed of 225km/h and can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in just 6.1 seconds.
At its core, the Model 3 features a 57.5kWh battery allowing the EV to deliver a maximum range of 491km as per the WLTP standard. Alternatively, the Model 3 also comes in Long Range (LR) and Performance variants, which flaunt a larger 82kWh battery pack and a dual motor all-wheel drive (AWD) setup. However, these two options present variations in power output and range.
The LR AWD variant can deliver a 258kW (351hp) output and 510Nm of torque, with a WLTP-rated range of 614km, a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.4 seconds, and a top speed of 233km/h. The Performance AWD option, on the other hand, offers a more dynamic driving experience with an output of 340kW (462hp) and a peak torque of 638Nm. It can achieve 0 to 100km/h in an astounding 3.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 261km/h. It’s important to note that the higher performance of this variant results in a slightly reduced range, with a WLTP-rated 567km on a single charge.
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Regarding charging capabilities, the SR RWD variant can support DC chargers with a power rating of up to 170kW, while the LR AWD and Performance AWD variants can accommodate up to 250kW. Regardless of the variant, all Model 3 units come with an onboard 11kW AC charger. The official Model 3 units released in Singapore and Thailand sport a CCS2 port, and it’s expected that the Malaysian units will follow suit.
On the other hand, the Tesla Model Y, sharing around 75% of its components with the Model 3, can be seen as the compact crossover SUV counterpart of the Model 3. The Model Y has been incredibly successful among consumers globally, so much so that it claimed the title of the world’s best-selling car for Q2 this year, outperforming renowned vehicles from Toyota, including the Corolla, Hilux, and Camry.
The SR RWD variant of the Model Y, powered by a 57.5kWh battery pack, boasts a WLTP range rating of 455km. Its single electric motor can deliver a maximum output of 255kW (347hp) and 420Nm of torque, facilitating an acceleration from 0 to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 217km/h. The Model Y also has a Long Range AWD variant, which, despite having the same top speed, packs a more powerful punch and offers greater distances with a WLTP range of 533km, thanks to its larger 75kWh battery.
As far as charging capabilities go, the Model Y mirrors the Model 3, with its on-board AC charger capped at 11kW across all variants. Through its CCS2 charging port, the base variant can support DC charging with a power output of 170kW, while the LR AWD and Performance AWD can handle up to 250kW.
When it comes to pricing, the picture becomes slightly more complex due to variances between different markets. Tesla’s Singapore website listed the retail price of Model 3 SR RWD as S$75,990 (~RM262,638), although the actual estimated price is significantly higher due to the addition of taxes and various fees. After taking into account the rebates offered by the Singaporean government for EVs, the price for Model 3 in Singapore rounds off to S$102,268 (~RM353,834). However, this does not include other related costs such as the Certificate of Entitlement (CoE), registration fee, and road tax.
In Thailand, the Model 3 pricing structure is more straightforward. The base variant of Model 3 is listed at 1,759,000 baht (~RM234,554), while the LR AWD and Performance AWD variants are priced at 1,999,000 baht (~RM266,557) and 2,309,000 baht (~RM307,894), respectively.
If we were to anticipate the Malaysian pricing for Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, we would base it on the Thailand pricing structure, taking into account the current incentives that the Malaysian government provides for electric vehicles, which include a full exemption on import and excise duty for fully imported CBU EVs.
Based on these estimates, Tesla’s entry into Malaysia heralds stiff competition in the EV market, with the likes of BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, and Volvo already offering various EV models in similar price brackets. However, all speculation will be put to rest during the official Tesla Malaysia launch happening on July 20.
This comprehensive analysis is based on data from Yahoo Malaysia News.
