British-based charging startup EZ-Charge has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see its tech form the backbone of a new Malaysian charging network.
The MoU, signed with Mobility Werk Group Sdn Bhd – the Malaysian subsidiary of the global corporation MW Group – will see EZ-Charge’s car charging units be manufactured, installed, and operated in-market, under licence.
The deal could be worth tens of millions of pounds and was signed in front of Malaysia’s Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, at an event to mark Malaysian Mobility Week.
EZ-Charge’s hardware and software, including its electricity load-sharing technology, will become central to the country’s rapidly expanding EV ecosystem. This expansion has been identified as a priority by the Malaysian government as part of its National Automotive Policy (NAP) and carbon-cutting targets set at the COP26 summit last year.
“We intend to make the development of charging stations cheaper compared to overseas,” said Dr Adham.
“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.”
“Not only are we able to develop our own EV technology and components, but we also want Malaysia to be a hub for EV supply components.
“In order to be a leader in EV component supply, we need international networking due to supply chain and network. This requires us to also deal with raw materials such as plastic, advanced materials and also techniques in the use of the battery life cycle.”
EZ-Charge founder and CEO Phil Shadbolt was very pleased with the deal.
“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.
“It’s a country of more than 32 million people and so the benefits this project delivers could be huge, not only in terms of carbon reduction but also in terms of things like local job creation, economic regeneration and skills training.
“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.”
Keyword: British Startup Wins Contract for Malaysian National Charging Network