PETRONAS DAGANGAN, MERCEDES-BENZ, EVC SIGN MOU TO DEPLOY DC FAST EV CHARGER AT PETRONAS STATIONS BY H1 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25  -- Petronas Dagangan Bhd (PDB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd and EV Connection Sdn Bhd (EVC), the operator of JomCharge network in Malaysia, to deploy direct current (DC) fast electric vehicle (EV) charger at Petronas stations by the first half (H1) of 2022. 

In a joint statement, it said the strategic partnership aims to address EV drivers’ pain point of insufficient fast chargers in Malaysia. 

Under this collaboration, PDB plans to strategically install the fast chargers at five Petronas stations in the pilot phase, to enable end-to-end coverage between North-South Expressway and part of East-Coast Expressway. 

Petronas' marketing vice-president Ahmad Adly Alias said through this partnership, fast chargers will be available at strategic locations leveraging its wide network of Petronas stations, to make customers’ life simpler and better. 

"We view this investment in EV charging facilities a necessary step towards promoting the adoption of EVs in Malaysia," he said. 

This tripartite collaboration is also aligned with PDB’s future-proof strategy given the inevitable shift to cleaner mobility in the future, he said.

Vice-president of sales & marketing, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, Michael Jopp meanwhile said that 2022 marks the beginning of its Mercedes-EQ model offensive strategy. 

He said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia will be introducing a range of its premium all-electric models to define the future of mobility, in line with Mercedes-Benz’s global strategy to go all-electric by the end of the decade where market conditions allow. 

"Therefore, we are fully committed to invest in our local infrastructure together with PDB and EVC to encourage the EV adoption among Malaysian drivers," said Jopp.

Also, EVC's managing director Lee Yuen How said given the clear policy and support from the government in Budget 2022, it believed that next year will be a tipping point for EV adoption in Malaysia. 

"This tri-party partnership is a big step forward to support Malaysia in the transition to EVs as part of our Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (LCMB)," said Lee. 

EVC has supplied and installed over 800 units of EV chargers and currently has the largest network of DC fast chargers under the JomCharge network. 

-- BERNAMA