PETALING JAYA: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and Sime Darby Motors (SDM) Malaysia plan to team up to support the country’s low carbon mobility ambition.

       In a joint statement, both companies announced that they had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a two-year collaboration to explore various initiatives to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EV) including ensuring a network of highly efficient EV charging infrastructure to support the growth.

       The companies aimed to look into other energy-efficient and renewable energy initiatives to optimise the cost of EV charging infrastructure and reduce carbon emissions.

       Sime Darby Bhd group CEO Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson said the diversified conglomerate had a clear EV ambition, and TNB plays a crucial role in ensuring that its goal is within reach in Malaysia.

       “TNB plays an important role as enabler in helping us achieve our target of a more energy-efficient product portfolio by 2025 and becoming a leader for EV in Asia-Pacific,” he said.

       TNB Baharin Din

       “We are in 19 markets in the Asia-Pacific, all of which are at different stages of the EV revolution.

       “As the partner of choice for some of the world’s most admired automotive brands and with capabilities across the full value chain, we believe that we are strategically positioned to be the preferred partner for the transition,” he added.

       Meanwhile, TNB president and CEO Datuk Baharin Din said TNB’s interest to accelerate e-mobility stems from the group’s ambition to create a conducive EV environment that encourages a higher EV adoption rate among the public, and therefore will support the low carbon mobility footprint agenda for the country.

       “As a primary driver of the nation’s energy transition, this initiative also builds on our effort to lead the development of a conducive ecosystem for a wider EV adoption in Malaysia,” he said.

       Baharin added that under the collaboration, TNB would provide reliable and stable electricity supply to the EV’s charging ecosystem based on the selected geographical areas that are mutually agreed upon by TNB and SDM.