Though EVs were around over 100 years ago, they faded away as technology then wasn’t advanced enough to provide performance as good as cars with internal combustion engines (ICE). So ICE cars were more popular and have grown to dominance over today. However, the combustion process gives off gases that are toxic and also cause global warming, so using ICE as a propulsion system has been considered detrimental to the future of the planet, hence the switch to EVs which have zero emissions. Of course, there is the other side of the matter concerning power-generating plants which use mainly coal to provide the electricity, but that’s a debate for another time.
It’s a good time to buy an electric vehicle (EV) in Malaysia as these few years will be one of the rare occasions when cars can be purchased duty-free throughout the country and not just in Langkawi and Labuan. It’s the government’s way of encouraging the switch to EVs as one way of achieving the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Malaysia has set this goal as one of the 195 signatories of the Paris Agreement in 2015 which has a target that must be met cooperatively in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. If the temperature rise cannot be limited, climate change is predicted to have a very serious effect on the planet.
You may be considering doing your part to save the planet by switching to an EV. Or you may just be interested in the electric lifestyle which can also save you money. You don’t have to buy liquid fuel any longer and though there is still the cost of electricity, it should lower running costs. EVs are the future so you may like the idea of being among the pioneers.
For a long time now, it has been possible to drive from Singapore on the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia all the way to Bangkok (and beyond) – a distance of around 2,200 kms. And the highway/road network had many petrol stations along the way so there’s no fear of not having enough fuel to make the journey.
However, with electric vehicles (EVs), it’s a different matter because the ‘fuel’ that such vehicles need is not readily available along the way. Unlike the petrol station network which is the product of over 100 years of development, the network of recharging stations in the region is only just being established.
By the first half of 2023, owners of EVs will be able to embark on road journeys between Bangkok and Singapore with the assurance that they can ‘fuel’ along the way when necessary. This will be possible with the establishment of recharging points at 11 Shell stations in Thailand.
The electrification of Malaysian motoring is progressing as the government and private sector are taking more initiatives to facilitate the use of electric vehicles (EVs). This is necessary to meet Malaysia’s Low Carbon Mobility Development Plan 2021-2030 to reduce greenhouse gas up to 45% by 2030, and to qualify as a carbon-neutral country by 2050.
One of the issues that those thinking of buying EVs is recharging the battery packs of their vehicles. Depending on the model and how they drive, the range on a full charge can be between 250 and 400 kms. So long-distance driving will only be possible if they are assured of place to recharge along the way, if needed.
As the sale of EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) which also need recharging has only started in recent years, the network of charging stations has been small, mostly confined to urban areas. At the moment, there are only 500+ stations in the country (compared to 3,700 petrol stations) but efforts are being made to grow this number quickly.
One of the private-sector initiatives in this area is a collaboration between PLUS Malaysia and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). Both parties have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to reduce carbon emissions on PLUS highways through 3 sustainability initiatives – the development of the charging station network, installation of energy efficiency monitoring, and solar photovoltaic systems at selected R&Rs along the PLUS highway network.
This collaboration will see EV charging stations being set up at selected strategic R&Rs along PLUS highway. Through TNB’s role as an enabler, PLUS is the first concessionaire to embark on a network of EV charging stations along its infrastructure. The availability of charging stations is expected to attract not only new users of EVs but also transport operators, especially multinational companies planning to switch their fleets from using vehicles with internal combustion engines to electrically-powered vehicles, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions while saving on operational costs.
According to PLUS Managing Director, Datuk Azman Ismail, the company’s other green initiatives include the use of green technology at its office premises, the use of recycled pavement to re-pave roads at the R&Rs, as well as applying more environmentally-friendly materials in its highway operations.
“This initiative to further increase the network of charging stations will provide EV customers the convenience for a smoother, safer and more comfortable journey on PLUS highways,” he said, adding that charging stations are expected to attract not only new users of EVs but also transport operators, especially multinational companies planning to switch their fleets from using vehicles powered with internal combustion engines to electrically-powered vehicles, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions while saving on operational costs.
“TNB will provide a reliable and stable electricity supply to the EV charging ecosystem that is agreed upon by both parties. In addition, TNB also offers solutions to PLUS that can optimize electricity costs and support green and sustainable energy sources in reducing carbon emissions,” said TNB President & CEO, Datuk Ir. Baharin Din.
As the electric car era approaches, it’s not just new types of vehicles that are needed but also supporting services, especially to recharge the battery packs. Unlike the petrol station network which is the product of many decades and has global coverage, battery recharging points and stations are only just beginning to be set up.
For companies that invest in recharging stations, there is a need to ensure sufficient demand and usage so as to get returns on their investment. That time is coming as the population of EVs (and also plug-in hybrids) rises and more vehicles need to be recharged daily.
Volkswagen is also exploring other approaches and has provided a glimpse into the future in which the search for charging stations becomes unnecessary. Instead, mobile charging robots will take over this task, going to the vehicle completely autonomously. After it is started via app or V2X communication, the mobile robot drives itself to the vehicle that needs charging and communicates with it.
Everything done autonomously
From opening the charging socket flap to connecting the plug to decoupling, the entire charging process occurs without any human interaction. The robot brings a trailer in the form of a mobile energy storage device to the vehicle and connects it. It then uses this energy storage device to charge the battery of the electric vehicle. The mobile energy storage device stays with the vehicle during the whole charging process. The robot, in the meantime, charges other electric vehicles. Once the charging service is complete, the robot collects the energy storage device and brings it back to the charging station.
“The mobile charging robot will spark a revolution when it comes to charging in different parking facilities, such as multistorey car parks, parking spaces and underground car parks because we bring the charging infrastructure to the car and not the other way around. With this, we are making almost every car park electric, without any complex individual infrastructural measures,” explained Mark Moller, Head of Development at Volkswagen Group Components. “It’s a visionary prototype, which can be made into reality quite quickly, if the general conditions are right,” he added.
Volkswagen Group Components is researching different approaches to the assembly of charging infrastructure and has already developed several successful products. The flexible quick charging station and DC wall boxes are already part of a future charging family. Customer-oriented, intelligent and flexible approaches to charging are at the centre of the research. Other innovative products such as the charging robot are currently being developed.
Autonomous, compact and flexible
The prototype consists of a compact, self-driving robot as well as flexible and agile energy storage devices, also known as ‘battery wagons’. When fully charged, these are equipped with an energy content of around 25 kWh each. A charging robot can move several battery wagons at the same time. With its integrated charging electronics, the energy storage device allows for DC quick charging with up to 50 kW on the vehicle.
The robot, which can move autonomously, is fitted with cameras, laser scanners and ultrasonic sensors. The combination of these systems not only allows the robot to carry out the charging process completely autonomously but also to move around freely in the parking area, recognising possible obstacles and to react to them appropriately. Depending on the size of the parking area or the underground carpark, several charging robots can be employed simultaneously so that several vehicles can be attended to.
The mobile charging robot can be put to use in various ways. It isn’t just a robot arm that connects a car to a fixed charging station. Instead, drivers have the choice to park in any available space, independent of whether a charging station is free or not. The robot brings the charging station in the form of a mobile energy storage device directly to the vehicle.
For operators of different parking facilities this is a quick and easy solution to electrify every parking space. “This approach has an enormous economic potential,” said Moller. “The constructional work as well as the costs for the assembly of the charging infrastructure can be reduced considerably through the use of the robots.”
The compact design of the charging robot is perfectly suited for use in restricted parking areas without charging infrastructures, such as underground carparks. Even the well-known problem of a charging station being blocked by another vehicle will no longer exist with this concept.
36,000 places to recharge by 2025
The project is among Volkswagen’s initiatives to establish a charging infrastructure at many levels. Together with its dealers, the company aims to install a total of 36,000 charging points throughout Europe by 2025. A large proportion of these will be in public areas.
Volkswagen is also launching its own wallbox for home charging called the ID. Charger. And as a co-founder of the IONITY joint venture, Volkswagen participates in installing 400 fast-charging parks on major European highways. Medium-term, charging an EV is to become as easy as charging a smartphone.