Travelling with an electric vehicle (EV) between towns in Sarawak has gotten a lot easier thanks to the recent deployment of DC Chargers by Gentari x SEB.
Besides Kuching, there are now Gentari x SEB EV Charging stations located in Sri Aman, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.
For those who need to charge their EV along the Pan Borneo Highway, there’s now an R&R based EV charging location deployed by SEDC Energy and JomCharge in Betong.
However, the DC charging rate is quite slow for a highway stop and the cost to charge is insanely expensive considering Sarawak has the lowest electricity tariffs in Malaysia.
SEDC Energy and JomCharge have deployed a 30kW DC Charger at R&R Mid Layar Betong which is about 250km away from Kuching and 150km from Sibu. Equipped with two CCS2 nozzles, it can deliver a maximum of 30kW per nozzle, or 15kW when two EVs are plugged in.
While the charging rate is very slow for a quick top up, the biggest surprise is the charging rate of RM1.60 per minute.
Assuming if there’s only one EV that’s plugged in, you will only get approximately 15kWh in 30 minutes and the charging session would cost you RM48. That’s equivalent to RM3.20 per kWh, making it the most expensive DC charger for a highway R&R in Malaysia.
If two cars are plugged in, the speeds would drop by half and each vehicle would still have to pay RM1.60 per minute. So it is advisable not to split the charging power.
As a comparison, Shell Recharge’s 360kW DC Chargers at Genting Highlands are priced at RM2.80 per kWh, while their 180kW DC Chargers along highway R&Rs are priced at RM2.20 per kWh.
It is worth pointing out that this isn’t the most expensive charging rate in the country. Last year, SEDC Energy and JomCharge deployed a 200kW DC Charger at Petros MFS Batu Kawa that’s priced at RM3.20 per minute. While the EV charging costs twice the price of the R&R Mid Layar Betong charger, at least it offers 6x the speed where 800V EVs can get up to 200kW, while 400Vs can get up to 120kW.
For EV drivers who need to top up between Kuching and Sibu, the ideal charging location right now is Gentari x SEB’s 120kW DC Charger at Lepapa Hypermarket in Sri Aman.
This EV charger is priced at RM1.40 per kWh and users can also enjoy 50% off with their Gentari Go Power Pass membership.
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