KUALA LUMPUR: The government will focus on providing direct current (DC) electric vehicle charging bays to resolve range anxiety concerns of electric vehicle (EV) users making long journeys.
Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong said the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) and Malaysia Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) are examining and refining the feasibility of increasing DC charger targets.
He said the proposal to reevaluate the target of 10,000 EV chargers was raised during the first meeting of the National EV Steering Committee (NEVSC) for this year.
“The results of the study will be presented in the NEVSC meeting in the second quarter of 2024,“ he said when winding up the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address on behalf of MITI in the Dewan Rakyat today.
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Liew said that to help achieve the government’s EV charging bays target, a concession company will collaborate with Tenaga Nasional Bhd to ensure sufficient power for the needs of DC-type EV charging stations.
He added that the Malaysian Highway Authority will also assist the concession company and EV charging station operator to expedite the required approval process.
As at Jan 1, 2024, 2,020 EV charging bays had been established nationwide, excluding in Labuan, comprising 429 DC-type bays and 1,591 alternate current bays.
Meanwhile, Liew said that to complete the automotive ecosystem, including EVs, the government introduced the Authorised Automotive Treatment Facility (AATF) initiative to ensure the handling or management of abandoned vehicles and used automotive components are orderly and in accordance with the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
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The deputy minister said that currently, two AATFs have been licensed by the Department of Environment, and five companies are still in the evaluation stage for AATF licensing, and one of these companies can recycle EV batteries.
“Apart from this, the government is developing the Guideline for EV Battery Recycling and Remanufacturing in Malaysia based on MS 2697:2018 (4R), which is expected to be finalised in the second quarter of 2025,“ he added. - Bernama
