chargEV Is Driving Malaysia’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

Before electric vehicles can become truly mainstream in Malaysia, there first needs to be a solid, working infrastructure for owners to be able to keep their cars charged as they go about their days. To that end, chargEV has been working with the Malaysian government and various other parties to help develop the infrastructure that will fuel the growth and increase acceptance of electric vehicles.

Back in 2016, the government granted Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (MGTC) RM 5 million for the first phase of the EV charging infrastructure to be rolled out across Malaysia – to the tune of 200 charging points in the Peninsular alone. Convincing site owners to install charging stations proved to be an initial hurdle, even with GreenTech Malaysia managing the sites. chargEV has also now reached the shores of East Malaysia with 4 sites up in Kuching - with help from their newest partner Sarawak Energy Berhad.

But three years in, and things have changed drastically – thanks in no small part to the widespread adoption of plug-in hybrid vehicles which make use of the same charging technology. 61 charging points have been made available at Petronas stations along the highway, while the Selangor state government has consented to making charge points available in municipal or council buildings, and BMW Malaysia has come onboard as a partner for chargEV memberships.

While one part of the operations is to provide the network for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle owners, another significant portion is in data collection. Understanding the charging habits of owners, as well as the projected drain on our national electricity grid, is the key to projecting future demand with market growth and upgrading the grid to handle the potential draw.

With 257 charging sites installed to date, chargEV has a wealth of information that it can use to better serve both customers and site operators. An average of 2.5 hours per PHEV, along with between 6 and 7 kWh of electricity consumption makes it easy to understand the expected electricity costs, as well as an understanding of the demand for charging locations in different areas.

Encouraging e-mobility has been one of GreenTech Malaysia's core goals with its push for electric cars, and for good reason. In a cyclic sense, a better infrastructure draws more buyers towards EVs and PHEVs, which in turn makes it more profitable to develop a charging infrastructure. As car buyers transition to EVs, carbon emissions and tailpipe emissions go down, which in turn benefits both pedestrians and the environment as a whole.

If you have any suggestions that you would like to provide for the chargEV team on expansion, you can email them at chargev@greentechmalaysia.my. The support team for chargEV can be reached via their hotline, WhatsApp, email, or Facebook via their website. To find the locations of chargEV stations along your route, head to https://my.newmotion.com.