Travelling with an EV to Kelantan and back via the Gua Musang Highway has just become more feasible as DC Handal has just turned on its EV charger in Hentian Gua Musang. Come just in time for the upcoming Hari Raya holidays, It is the first-ever deployment of a DC charger within the route.
DC Handal’s Gua Musang EV charger can accommodate two EVs at a time
For this particular location, DC Handal has installed a 47kW Autel MaxiCharger DC Compact charger which is similar to the one that the company has deployed at the basement parking of The Vertical in Bangsar South. Equipped with a pair of CCS2 nozzles, the charger can serve two EVs at once.
DC Handal has also confirmed that it has turned on the dynamic charging feature on this charger. This means that each EV will only get around 23kW of DC charging when the charger is fully occupied.
The beauty of EV chargers operated by DC Handal is that you don’t need an app to use them. Instead, there is a dedicated payment terminal that allows users to pay for their charging using a credit or debit card.
If you still prefer to use an app, DC Handal chargers are still accessible via ChargEV and JomCharge mobile apps. When it comes to the charging fee, it currently costs RM1.30 per kWh to use the new DC Handal charger at Hentian Gua Musang.
More CPOs need to come on board to grow EV infra on the East Coast
As noted earlier, DC Handal’s new charger has generally unlocked the Gua Musang route for many EV owners out there. Before this, they had to rely on Kelab CEE4EV’s AC charger which is located at this homestay to charge their vehicle.
Alternatively, EV owners can take the East Coast Highway (LPT) instead which already has DC chargers in several spots along the route including Gambang, Kuantan, and Paka. However, it takes more time to reach Kota Bharu if you coming from Kuala Lumpur using this route given that the difference is almost 150km when compared to the Gua Musang route.
Truth be told, a sole 47kW DC charger is not enough to cover a major route such as Gua Musang Highway. While it is indeed a great start but the route certainly needs more chargers to match with the increasing number of EVs on the road.
This applies not only at Gua Musang but throughout the whole region as well. Hopefully, other Charge Point Operators (CPOs) will pick up the mantle and we get to see more chargers being deployed in East Coast very soon.
