by NURUL SUHAIDI / pic by TMR FILE

SOCAR Mobility Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Socar Malaysia) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to leverage on shared demand data on electric-vehicle (EV) usage in Malaysia.

It is also to boost the country’s EV adoption, in line with national and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation.

Under the MoU, TNB will leverage Socar Malaysia’s data on vehicle usage and travel behaviour to identify strategic locations along key travel routes for the installation of charging infrastructure.

“The demand data shared would determine the location, number and type of chargers for installation, including direct current (DC) fast chargers,” Socar Malaysia said in a statement yesterday.

The company plans to expand its fleet by hundreds of EVs in the next two to three years, as well as roll out up to 50 EV zones by the end of next year, through its fleet knowledge and extensive data resources.

Socar Malaysia CEO Leon Foong said through this partnership, Socar’s platform and resources will enable more drivers to experience the benefits of driving an EV, thus helping them transition from conventional fossil-fuel-powered cars.

“Our car-sharing model also supports drivers who wish to own an EV, as they can generate income to offset ownership costs by listing their EV on our Trevo people-to-people car sharing marketplace,” Foong added.

Both Socar and TNB aim to provide a wide room for growth in adoption by establishing more EV charging zones that would be utilised optimally based on known travel routes.

TNB chief retail officer Datuk Ir Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan said the utility is set to take a leading role in driving EV adoption in Malaysia, especially among fleet management operators.

“The collaboration between Socar Malaysia and TNB will be an instrumental step in giving the public first-hand experience of what it truly means to adopt the electric car lifestyle,” he said.

However, Megat Jalaluddin highlighted that long-term education, sufficient infrastructure and lower battery costs are keys to encouraging EV adoption in Malaysia.

“There is an urgency to expedite the EV roadmaps and we are optimistic about fostering more interest from other players in the EV infrastructure ecosystem to achieve a robust synergistic business environment that would benefit the EV community at large,” he added.