Gentari Rolls Out Autocharge Feature Exclusively For Power Pass Subscribers

Many electric vehicle (EV) users here are not quite familiar with the term "autocharge." This is particularly true given that EVs only constitute about 1.6% of vehicle sales this year, with the bulk of the adoption having occurred in the past two years.

Furthermore, Charge Point Operators (CPOs) have only recently begun actively rolling out EV chargers since late 2022.

Autocharge technology, popularised by Tesla, allows users to start a charging session simply by plugging in their vehicle without needing to fumble with a charging app. In Malaysia, besides Tesla, which supports autocharge at its own network, Chery has partnered with JomCharge to introduce the autocharge system for its Omoda E5 model.

However, recently we got wind that another CPO, Gentari, has quietly rolled out its autocharge feature, which is expected to be officially launched in the upcoming weeks. What sets Gentari apart from JomCharge’s model is that it will be the first CPO in Malaysia to offer autocharge functionality directly to the general public and not through any automotive brands collaboration.

During its pilot stage, Gentari will initially offer autocharge at sixteen (16) DCFC stations, with plans to gradually expand this feature to other facilities. It is important for users to however first verify if their EV supports this feature.

According to a source at Gentari, the autocharge function will be exclusively available to Gentari Power Pass subscribers, who will also receive a 50% discount on charging at any of Gentari’s 400 charging points nationwide. Note that this discount and the autocharge feature will not apply at Gentari’s affiliate roaming partner stations.

Opting into the autocharge function is straightforward. Once you have enrolled in Gentari’s Power Pass, visit one of the 16 autocharge-enabled stations, such as Petronas Juru Layby NB in Penang, Petronas Sg Buloh Lay-by in Selangor, or XPark Sunway Serene in Petaling Jaya. Use the app once to start a charging session at a DC charger with the Autocharge sign. The app will then prompt you to enrol in Autocharge — just follow the instructions to opt-in. Once done, your future charging sessions at autocharge-enabled Gentari chargers will be as simple as pulling up, plugging in your vehicle, and starting the charge instantly.

The chargers, like any other autocharge system, would authenticate, authorise charging, and bill based on the vehicle's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which was entered during the enrollment process. This also implies that if you own multiple EVs, you'll need to sign up for separate Gentari Power Passes.

You can still use the app to monitor your charging sessions if needed, though many users like us were only excited for the first few times to constantly check the charging data. Gentari’s autocharge stations will be marked in the Gentari Go app with a unique autocharge logo for easy identification.

For those interested, you can sign up for Gentari’s Power Pass online at a fee of RM899. This pass provides access to discounted charging worth up to RM2,400 over a year.

Based on our understanding, several CPOs in Malaysia are also already working towards implementing this feature and are in various stages of developing it. Guess soon all your charging sessions would be app free, which is what the market demands for quite some time now.