It’s 2025 and range anxiety shouldn’t be part of the EV conversation anymore, especially when it comes to long-distance travel. There are more EV chargers deployed along major interstate routes, and there are also more EVs that can go the distance on a single charge.
To prove that point, we recently took the Tesla Model Y (“Juniper”) Long Range AWD on a full Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan to Kuala Lumpur road trip on a single charge. Yup, that’s one complete trip without making any charging stops. One fully charged battery, one run, and no drama.
This EV road trip covered about 500km of real-world highway travel on a weekend (Saturday to Sunday) through Karak and the East Coast Expressway (LPT).
The goal was to showcase the efficiency and real-world range of the Model Y Long Range AWD without hypermiling or babying the throttle. The air-conditioning ran throughout the journey and we even used the ventilated seat function. Autopilot with Autosteer was also engaged whenever we had a clear highway stretch.
Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD Recap
To recap, this EV is the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD that has already clocked over 17,000km of mileage. This is the pre-updated model with the WLTP-rated range of 551km. It runs on the base 19″ Crossflow wheels wrapped with Pirelli P Zero E 255/45 R19 tyres.
The Model Y recently had gotten an update which bumps the WLTP-rated range to 600km, but that’s not the EV we took for the road trip.
In terms of pricing, the Model Y RWD starts from RM195,450 while the Long Range AWD starts from RM242,450.
KL to Kuantan to KL on a single charge
We started the EV road trip on Saturday 1st November 2025 after charging up to 100% at Gentari’s 22kW AC charge points located at Kiara Bay.
Departing at approximately 3:30pm, we encountered heavy congestion on the way to Gombak Toll Plaza and after that, it was mostly smooth driving all the way to Kuantan.
Along the way, we did a quick stop at Petronas Bentong R&R and there was nobody charging at Gentari’s 40kW DC Charger. We saw the same situation as well at Petronas Gambang R&R Eastbound and there were also no EVs plugged in at Gentari’s 180kW DC Charger.
For the most part, we tried to maintain within the national speed limit of 110km/h and we were constantly driving above 100km/h when the roads are clear.
Eventually, we arrived at Menara Kuantan 188 with 53% battery remaining. For this Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan, we covered a distance of 246km in 3 hours and 25 minutes, while clocking an efficiency of 13.4kWh per 100km which is very impressive for a 5-seater SUV.
On Day 2, we made our way back to Kuala Lumpur and we departed the hotel with 51% battery remaining.
Before we enter LPT, we made a quick stop at Petron Makmur Gambang Jaya 2 to check out TNB Electron’s new two 200kW DC Chargers. To our surprise, there was nobody charging at the location. This just goes to show that there are more DC chargers being deployed but they are still severely underutilised.
As we set Pavilion Damansara Heights as our intended destination, the onboard navigation told us that we would reach there with just 1% battery remaining. We were confident that we would be able to make it without charging as there will be a downhill stretch on Karak, a great opportunity to gain extra energy through regenerative braking.
In fact, Tesla’s built-in navigation is super helpful as it even provided us with a tip to drive below 108km/h in order to reach the destination with more than 3% remaining. After maintaining between 103-105km/h along LPT for about 30 minutes, the estimated range remaining upon arrival gradually increased to 5km. Once we were comfortable with the remaining range, we continued setting our autopilot speed back to 110km/h for the rest of the journey.
We also made one final toilet stop at BHPetrol Bentong R&R after the toll plaza and at this point, we had 14% battery remaining. From Kuantan city to this point, we had covered 188.6km over 2 hours and 25 minutes, and we did an efficiency of 13.64kWh per 100km.
By the time we reached the Gombak Toll Plaza, the Model Y still has 7% battery remaining and we were estimated to reach our final destination with 5% battery remaining. To make matters worse, it started to rain heavily as we entered Kuala Lumpur.
After going thru the rain and heavy traffic, we arrived at Pavilion Damansara Heights with 4% battery remaining and that’s where we charged the EV at the Tesla Supercharger. The Supercharger was quite a busy at the time but we didn’t have to queue as there was an empty slot upon arrival.
Overall for the round trip from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan and back, the Model Y did a total distance of 498.9km on a single charge with an efficiency of 13.33kWh per 100km. In fact, the drive between Bentong R&R to Damansara Heights was very efficiency due to the downhill stretch and we did an efficiency of 11.85kWh per 100km.
What can we learn from this 500km EV road trip?
From this road trip, we can conclude that the Tesla Model Y is very efficient at highway speeds. This is made possible with the aerodynamic tweaks in the Juniper update which include redesigned hood and bumper, which resulted in a lower drag coefficient rating of 0.22Cd. With almost 500km covered at highway speeds, this EV can deliver over 90% of its claimed WLTP-rated range.
With a total energy consumption of 66.5kWh for the entire trip, it would cost you less than RM40 if you charge at home or even lower if you have solar on the roof.
Obviously, in the real world situation, it is highly recommended to top up the battery whenever it is possible. The thing about owning an EV is to get rid of the old petrol car mindset of waiting until the fuel level is low to charge up. So instead of stopping when you need to charge, why not charge whenever you make a stop?
A quick 10-minute top up with a high-power DC charger during a toilet break would have given at least 100km of extra range. There’s no need to charge up to 100%, just top up what you need and keep going as you can charge at the destination.
If you’re driving a Tesla to Kuantan, there’s also a Tesla Supercharger at Majlis Bandaraya Kuantan. Not only the Superchargers are quick with up to 250kW output, but it is also cheaper at RM1.07 per kWh.
It is also worth highlighting that Tesla’s built-in navigation is pretty accurate with its range estimation, making it very easy for first time EV owners. Depending on your driving style, it will adjust the estimated range dynamically and will automatically suggest charging stops or tips to drive more efficiency in order to reach your destination comfortably.
In fact, when we departed from Kuantan, the navigation did suggest to perform a quick 10-minute top-up at the Kuantan Supercharger but we ignored it since we were on a single charge challenge.
So overall, the Tesla Model Y Long Range is able to deliver the consistency, efficiency and range you need for long distance trips. The built-in tech is useful in guiding first time EV drivers with their first road trip and it is also great to see that Malaysia’s EV charging infrastructure is growing at a healthy pace.
In October 2025 alone, there were 20 new DC charging sites which covers not just urban areas but also vital and underserved locations along vital interstate routes such as Sri Aman, Bintulu, Gerik-Jeli, Kuala Selangor, Seri Manjung and Gambang Jaya.
Last month, EVs hit a new record high with 4,345 units registered in October 2025, which represents a 177% YoY increase compared to October 2024. In addition, there are more sub-RM100,000 EVs entering the market which includes the Proton e.MAS 5, TQ Wuling Bingo and Perodua’s upcoming EV.
With more EVs on the road, you can expect more chargers being deployed and increase in densification of DC chargers along interstate routes.
Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD: KL–Kuantan–KL on a single charge — and yes, with zero range anxiety
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