A Malaysian influencer says he regrets selling his Honda Civic to buy a Tesla, claiming the electric vehicle has not been as convenient or cost-effective as he expected.
Bryan Wee shared on Facebook that after driving the Tesla for about a year, he is now considering buying a Perodua Myvi as a second car, particularly for daily use and long-distance travel.
He said the Myvi would be a more practical option because of its lower running costs, affordable monthly instalments and fuel efficiency. Bryan added that after owning a foreign-made car, he no longer feels the need to pursue luxury vehicles.
“I just hope my car doesn’t give me too many problems,” he wrote, joking that he would also be less upset if a Myvi were scratched.
Bryan also questioned whether electric vehicles (EVs) actually save money in Malaysia, pointing out that petrol prices remain relatively affordable.
While he acknowledged that EVs can be useful for short city trips, he said he disagreed with claims that they are automatically more convenient or cheaper to own.
“If you use it as a backup electric car within the city, it’s genuinely quite good. But if you say it is convenient and saves money, I can confidently tell you that is not the case,” he said.
In a separate video, Bryan revealed that his household electricity bill had risen significantly since owning the Tesla.
According to him, his electricity bills were RM368 in May and RM346 in June, before jumping to RM694 in the latest billing cycle. He claimed that before purchasing the Tesla, his monthly electricity bill was usually below RM200.
Bryan said his electricity usage was almost the same as the previous month despite the bill nearly doubling. He questioned why there were no specific electricity subsidies or incentives for EV owners, given that the public has been encouraged to switch to electric vehicles.
Responding to claims that EVs are cheaper to operate, Bryan said the increase in his electricity bill alone was higher than what he believed he would spend on petrol each month if he drove a Myvi.
“So don’t tell me electric cars save money,” he wrote.
Despite wanting to sell the Tesla, Bryan admitted he would likely suffer a significant financial loss if he did so after owning it for only a year. He said he plans to keep the vehicle for now while considering adding a Myvi as a more practical alternative.
However, not everyone agreed with Bryan’s conclusion.
Some social media users questioned whether the Tesla alone was responsible for the higher electricity bill, arguing that the increase appeared inconsistent with the amount of electricity normally required to charge an EV.
Another Tesla owner said the vehicle had served them well, claiming they had driven between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru without major issues and had no regrets about using it as their only car.
