KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Key electric 2-wheeler stakeholders were informed and briefed of a voted decision to create a Battery Swapping Station (BSS) consortium, jointly led by NanoMalaysia Berhad and the Motorcycle and Scooter Assemblers and Distributors Association of Malaysia (MASAAM), during a BSS stakeholder engagement meeting held in Kuala Lumpur today. The mandate to lead was secured both from the National Electric Vehicles Task Force and National Electric Vehicles Steering Committee earlier this year.
The meeting gathered key stakeholders from Ministries, Agencies, and Industry Players to discuss the standardisation and harmonisation of the BSS system, focusing on accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia. The meeting was productive, gathering insights and recommendations from key stakeholders to shape the future of EV 2-wheelers locally, and the stakeholders’ meeting members unanimously reiterated their support for the BSS Consortium as the national way forward.
NanoMalaysia Berhad Chief Executive Officer Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad said: “By bringing together relevant entities, particularly MASAAM, MARii, MGTC and other industry players, the consortium aims to create a platform for technology and information sharing, foster collaborative discussions, and determine the best way forward for EV 2-wheelers with swappable batteries in Malaysia. The primary objectives of the BSS Standardisation Consortium include the standardisation and harmonisation of the BSS system to enable cross-brand battery swapping, establishing a platform for stakeholder involvement, reducing the price of EV 2-wheelers, and proposing strategic policies for the deployment of BSS in user-convenient areas as a quicker alternative to direct charging thus expediting electric motorbike ownership increase in Malaysia aiding the country to further reduce national carbon emission.”
With nearly 50% of registered vehicles in Malaysia being motorcycles, the BSS Standardisation initiative holds great potential to drive the shift towards EV usage in the country. According to road safety expert, Professor Dr Kulanthayan K.C. Mani of Universiti Putra Malaysia, there were 33.3 million registered vehicles nationwide in 2021, surpassing the human population of 32.6 million.
The BSS system utilises AC charging, ensuring seamless integration with the existing grid infrastructure. Moreover, the BSS operation company takes on the crucial responsibility of repurposing and recycling batteries, fostering sustainable consumption and production practices. Additionally, the widespread adoption of EVs through the BSS initiative is pivotal in reducing carbon emissions, thus positively impacting climate action. Subscribing to the BSS enables users to acquire EV 2-wheelers without the battery, enhancing the affordability of their purchase.
The decision to form a consortium approach for the BSS project was voted on during the BSS Focused Group Discussion (FGD) held by NanoMalaysia on 14 December 2022. A meeting was subsequently held between NanoMalaysia and MASAAM on 17 February 2023 to finalise the roles of consortium members, where NanoMalaysia offered to lead the consortium together with MASAAM.
The outcomes and discussions from these sessions were shared during the stakeholder engagement meeting. The consortium comprises six essential parts: the Standard and Certification Bodies, Policy Adviser, Policy Committee, Technical Committee, Battery Specification & Testing, and Vehicle & External Surface.
The proposed structure for the consortium includes a Policy Committee responsible for policy-related engagements, a Technical Committee focusing on battery and system specifications, testing, and vehicle interfaces, and an Economics Committee to investigate the socio-economic viability of the various standardisation strategies identified. The Policy Committee Lead is the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics & IoT Institute (MARii), while the Technical and Economics Committee Lead will be decided later. Notable members of the Policy Committee include the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change (MGTC), and Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia (PIAM).
The BSS initiative aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
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www.nanomalaysia.com.my SOURCE: NanoMalaysia Berhad
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--BERNAMA 
