PLUS to Deploy 350 EV Charging Points Across Major Expressways by 2028

By 2028, PLUS Malaysia plans to have 350 electric vehicle (EV) charging points installed across the North-South Expressway (NSE) and the East Coast Expressway 2 (ECE2), marking a significant scale-up of the country’s highway charging infrastructure.

According to a report by the original publisher, the initiative is a key component of the company’s Phase II Development Plan. PLUS Malaysia managing director Datuk Nik Airina Nik Jaffar stated that this expansion is designed to bolster the national low-carbon mobility ecosystem and aligns with both the Low Carbon Mobility Development Plan (2021-2030) and the PLUS 2.0 Green Roadmap.

The infrastructure build-out is currently in a state of progression, following a successful initial phase. Currently, 118 DC fast charging points are already operational across various strategic locations, including Rest and Treatment (R&R) areas, roadside stops, and selected petrol stations. These existing facilities serve as the foundation upon which the 2028 target is being constructed.

A major milestone in this expansion is the development of a large-scale charging hub at the R&R Seremban (southbound) facility. This project, being executed in a joint venture with Yinson Green Tech (YGT), will feature approximately 20 DC charging points. Touted as the first integrated EV charging hub on a Malaysian highway, it is expected to reach completion in 2027.

To address immediate demand, PLUS intends to add between 20 and 30 additional charging points within this calendar year. These will be focused on high-traffic areas, particularly along the north-south corridor, where the company has identified potential capacity constraints during peak travel periods and festive seasons.

For the average Malaysian driver, this infrastructure expansion is a critical step in addressing "range anxiety," which remains a primary barrier to EV adoption in the country. With the government’s recent shifts in fuel subsidies—where unsubsidized RON95 petrol stands at RM3.77 per litre compared to the subsidised RM2.05—the economic argument for switching to electric mobility is becoming more pronounced. As more drivers consider the total cost of ownership, the reliability of a highway-based charging network will likely become a deciding factor for those choosing between internal combustion engines and EVs.

Furthermore, the introduction of the "Charge and Chill" pilot project suggests that PLUS is focusing on the user experience beyond simple power delivery. By integrating EV charging infrastructure with food and beverage facilities, the company aims to mitigate congestion at R&Rs during peak hours. This shift suggests a move toward treating highway stops as destination hubs rather than mere transit points, which may benefit local SMEs operating within these R&R sites.

This expansion sits against a backdrop of resilient national economic performance, with real GDP growth currently at 6.0%. As the economy matures and inflation remains relatively stable at 1.8%, the investment into green infrastructure reflects a broader national strategy to facilitate the energy transition. Given that Malaysia’s unemployment rate remains low at 3.0%, a sustained shift toward EV adoption could also signal potential growth in related service and technical sectors.

Looking ahead, the industry will be watching how these charging hubs manage high-density traffic during major holidays. While the roadmap for 2028 is clear, the specific distribution of the remaining charging points beyond the Seremban hub and the exact pricing structures for these services at all locations remain unconfirmed. Continued monitoring of how these charging points handle peak-load demand will be essential to ensuring that highway transit remains efficient for both EV and non-EV users.