Electric cars are a step towards making the world a greener place. Malaysians are starting to get a feel for these vehicles, as the cars made their debut here earlier this year (2013).

With the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Nissan Leaf already out in Malaysia, those who are planning to make the jump from gasoline to electricity should find out where public electric vehicle chargers are located throughout the country. There’s nothing worse than having a dead car with no immediate means of getting it juiced up again. Potential and existing electric car owners should take note of these locations to ensure that they have a place to charge up when their car batteries are running low.

First Energy Networks Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd, has established all charging stations mentioned here. I’ve covered the first four charging stations to be established in Malaysia in more depth, and then listed where the other electric vehicle charging stations are located. Much of this list was obtained via Nissan Malaysia.

You can also scroll to the end of the post to see an interactive map showing the locations of all the electric charging stations in Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur / Klang Valley

Suria Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)

One of the first two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to be built in Malaysia, this station is located on Level P2 of the Suria KLCC mall car park. Situated right in the city center, the station features a dedicated bay for electric vehicles, be it the Mistubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Leaf, or EVs from other car manufacturers. The station offers a Level 2 240V AC Panasonic Elseev charger, capable of giving a typical EV a full charge in six to eight hours if set to a normal charging mode.

Lot 10 Shopping Centre

The next of the first two charging stations to debut in Malaysia is located in Lot 10 Shopping Centre’s car park on the 5^th floor. It comes equipped with a Level 2 240V AC charger, similar to the one found in KLCC. The only difference is the make of the charging stations. While the KLCC station uses a Panasonic Elseev charger, Lot 10 runs a Greenlots charger. Although they are of a different make, charging time is similar, with a full charge time ranging from six to eight hours on the normal charging mode . The KLCC and Lot 10 charging stations also aim to educate potential EV buyers by providing on-site information on the benefits of using an electrical car.

Petronas Solaris, Serdang

Over in Serdang, owners can charge their electric vehicles at Petronas Solaris, a gas station cum garage. Situated south of the KL city centre, this EV charging station was the third station to be built in Malaysia, giving non-city dwellers in the area a chance to charge their electric vehicles nearby. Should you happen to be in need of a charge whilst travelling south of KL, use Google Maps or other navigation apps to conveniently locate this charging station.

Bangsar Shopping Centre

In the middle of this year, First Energy Networks Sdn Bhd launched its fourth EV charging station in the affluent Bangsar suburb. The charging hub is located in the lower ground floor of the Bangsar Shopping Centre car park. The mall was chosen due to the concentration of people living in Bangsar who would fall into the target market for EVs. Additionally, BSC’s proximity to other amenities is convenient, as one would have to wait a bit even for a quick charge.

The station houses a General Electric Durasation Level 2 charger, which is capable of fully charging a 24kWh battery in four to eight hours. That being said, when your car’s computer estimates that you have a very limited amount of power left in your car, any amount of juice you can get is better than none.

Other Charging Stations around Klang Valley

• Wisma Tan Chong: Director’s car park
• Nissan Petaling Jaya: Visitor’s car park @ Lot 9, Jalan Kemajuan 12/18, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, (+60 3-7955 3288)
• TC Euro Cars Sdn. Bhd: Visitor’s car park @ Jalan Kemajuan, Seksyen 12, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, +60 3-7956 3103
• Nissan TCEAS Setapak: Visitor’s car park
• Nissan TCEAS Kota Damansara: Visitor’s car park
• Nissan TCEAS Batu Caves

Penang Island

Here are the electric car charging stations in Penang.

• Straits Quay Marina Mall: Block G Car Park, Level 1B @ Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang, 10470 Tanjong Tokong, Penang Malaysia, (+60 4-891 8000)
• Autobinee Sdn. Bhd: Visitor’s carpark @ 2497 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 11700 Gelugor, (+60 4-657 1321)
• Nissan Bayan Lepas: Visitor’s carpark @ 196 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Sungai Tiram, Bayan Lepas, Penang

Melacca

Here are are two electric charging stations in Melacca.

• Seri Negeri: Visitor’s carpark near guard house
• Hattan Hotel Melaka: Multistorey Car Park, Level 3, Hatten Square Jalan Merdeka Bandar Hilir, 75000 Malacca, +(60 6-286 9696)

Johor Bahru

Here is an electric charging station n Johor Bahru.

• Nissan Johor Jaya: Visitor’s car park @ Unit 3A, Jalan Johor Jaya, Kawasan Perindustrian Plentong, 81750, Johor Bahru, Johor, 81100, +60 7-355 1880

The Electric Way

Thankfully, electric charging stations in Malaysia currently offer free services. That is, until the Malaysian government can come up with a standard pricing scheme to introduce payment charges—this is expected to happen sometime at the end of the year. Further, users should take note that stations have different charging capacities, which varies the time it will take for EVs to charge fully.

In a report on electric vehicles published by the New Straits Times, they mention that there are two types of chargers—a fast one and a normal one. While Malaysia currently has only normal chargers, once the use of electric cars becomes more commonplace, fast chargers will eventually be installed in areas that have a greater concentration of electric vehicles. (Fast chargers are capable of fully charging a car within half an hour.)

The NST report also notes that it costs 50 cents for a typical combustion engine to travel one kilometer, while it only costs 5 cents for an EV.

Do you think you’ll be purchasing an electric car or perhaps a hybrid in Malaysia anytime soon? Post a thought in the comments below.

Map of Public Electric Charging Stations in Malaysia