KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 — Driving through Kelantan with an EV would be less of a challenge soon thanks to a new EV charger being deployed in Gua Musang. A Plugshare user has spotted a new DC charger at Hentian Gua Musang by DC Handal. Located about 250km from Kuala Lumpur and 200km from Kota Bharu, this is a strategic midway point for drivers heading north to Kota Bharu.

From the listing, DC Handal has installed a 47kW Dynamic DC charger with two CCS2 nozzles at the location near the Surau. If two EVs are plugged in, each vehicle would get approximately 23kW of DC charging. This appears to be the same 47kW Autel charger deployed at The Vertical B1 in Bangsar South. From the photos, the charger is wrapped up and could go live pending necessary approvals. It isn’t unclear if this charger will be ready for the upcoming Hari Raya holiday season. DC Handal has also deployed a 200kW Kempower charger at WCE’s Assam Jawa Toll Plaza which has yet to go online.

For a critical route, a single 47kW DC charger won’t be enough and more chargers are still needed to address range anxiety. A multi-charging point setup similar to The Sphere at Bangsar South would be ideal but it depends on the available power capacity for the area.

One of the highlights of DC Handal is the acceptance of contactless payment cards such as credit and debit cards including Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay. Users can also activate and pay for these chargers via ChargEV and JomCharge apps. In most locations, DC Handal chargers are priced at RM1.50 per kWh but their lower-rated DC chargers that push an output of 47kW and 30kW are usually cheaper at RM1.30 per kWh.

Driving through Kelantan via Gua Musang is one of the most challenging routes for EVs as there are no DC chargers between the Klang Valley and Kota Bharu. Unless you have an EV with over 500km of real-world range, most EV owners will opt for the longer route through LPT highway which more DC charge points along the way.

In Peninsular Malaysia, Kelantan is one of the most underserved states which lacks an extensive highway infrastructure and EV charging network. However, there have been some improvements in the state capital as Kota Bharu now has four DC chargers with the addition of ChargeSini’s 60kW DC Charger at Mydin Kubang Kerian. — SoyaCincau