TNB to allocate RM90m for building electric vehicle charging stations

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) will allocate RM90 million over a two-year period to build direct charging stations for electric vehicles (EV) in the country.

TNB’s programme director of the project management office for EVs, Mohd Junaizee Mohd Noor, said TNB had already built three charging stations at the Rest and Service (R&R) areas in Ayer Keroh, Malacca; Tapah, Perak; and Paka, Terengganu.

“We are targeting to build seven more charging stations in Malaysia, by the end of this year, along the North-South Highway.

“Insyaallah, by year-end TNB will have 10 direct charging stations for EVs throughout the highway,” Junaizee told Bernama after a panel discussion at the EV Conference 2023 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Apart from this, he said TNB was also in discussions to build charging stations along trunk roads.

Junaizee said TNB was committed to building consumer confidence in the use of EVs for long-distance travel without having to worry about their batteries running out on highways.

“With these charging stations, we want to reduce range anxiety and, at the same time, encourage the use of EVs in the future,” he said.

Asked about the challenges faced by TNB and providers of EV charging services in Malaysia, Junaizee said among the constraints were the approvals needed from local authorities for various forms and types of charging stations.

“Every local government has its own regulations and these should be streamlined soon to ensure this problem can be resolved.

“I hope with nationwide coordination, the period for approval from local governments can be shortened to two months at least,” he added.

He said other problems faced included the lack of suitable space or place to instal the charging stations.

As such, TNB is open to cooperating with local companies interested in providing the place while TNB will extend the electricity supply.

Apart from the lack of infrastructure, the local EV industry is also constrained by the problem of EV affordability, lack of mechanics and EV-friendly policies and high fuel subsidies.

- Bernama