Malaysia selects UK startup for EV charging network

A UK-based startup has cemented a deal to provide a network of electric vehicle charging stations to aid in the country's transition at an event to mark Malaysian Mobility Week.

EZ-Charge entered into a memorandum of understanding with Mobility Werk Group, a subsidiary of MW Group, to supply the hubs under licence in a deal that could be worth tens of millions of dollars.

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The deal will see both EZ-Charge's software and hardware, including its electricity load-sharing technology, integrated into Malaysian stations.

Increasing adoption of EVs remains a top priority for the Malaysian government, with it pledging to slash emissions at the COP26 summit in November.

The deal was signed in the presence of the Malaysian government’s Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, who said the deal could stand to aid the government's transition away from combustion engines.

“We intend to make the development of charging stations cheaper compared to overseas.”

“With localised manufacturing and technology development, we believe in developing this technology as well as providing talent in the end-to-end process of, design, testing, prototype, commissioning," he added.

Malaysia has set itself a goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050, in line with many other nations.

Dr Adham continued by saying that the country will push toward becoming a hub for the production EV parts, which will require forging relationships with international partners.

He has long been a proponent of increasing the adoption of EV charging stations within Malaysia. A 2020 target laid out plans to construct 5,000 new stations.

EZ-Charge was selected for its technology due to its reliability and the company's track record, according to MW Group Executive Chairman, Zulkefli Kasim

“We identified EZ-Charge as our technical partner and believe our partnership will help us to realise the development of EV in the automotive industry in Malaysia," he said.

Malaysia is a country of 32 million people, so the transition to electric vehicles could be huge for slashing emissions.

The country is lagging behind other nations in the region when it comes to the adoption of EV charging stations, but some goals to increase the number of hubs have been suggested.

Read more: Vauxhall-backed community charging could make EVs more viable

“We are absolutely delighted to be partnering in such a massive and prestigious project and one that will totally transform the viability, usability and sustainability of electric vehicles in Malaysia," EZ-Charge CEO Paul Shadbolt said in a statement.

“From the point of view of our business, this deal has already brought us lots of international attention and other countries and governments are reaching out to us to replicate the Malaysian project in their own markets," he added.

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