Licence to build

APPROVAL WITHIN 2 MONTHS: First EEVs to be rolled out in two to three years, says Mustapa

Malaysia is set to announce the first licence to manufacture
energy-efficient vehicles (EEVs) under its revised automotive
blueprint in the next two months.

Under the new National Automotive Policy (NAP) unveiled on January 20, foreign companies are allowed to produce energy-efficient cars of any size without local partners.

Prior to this, they can produce vehicles of 1.8 litres and above on their own, while production of vehicles with smaller engine capacity must be undertaken with local partners.

“Since the announcement of the NAP, there have been numerous enquiries by major international automotive players,” said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between four local and foreign parties to develop electric
buses and lithium ion batteries, here, yesterday.

“We are in the process of approving the EEV licence and will announce it in two months.

The company can start production in two to three years.”

Malaysia aspires to become an export hub for EEVs, which include hybrids, electric vehicles (EV) and those fuelled by compressed
natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen and fuel cell.

The government has projected that about 85 per cent of vehicles produced in Malaysia by 2020 will be EEVs.

Mustapa said the country is moving forward in becoming a hub for EEVs to increase export receipts from the automotive sector.

In line with the goal, the Malaysia Automotive Institute yesterday sealed the MoU with ARCA Corp Sdn Bhd, AutoCRC Ltd and Australia’s Swinburne University of Technology to locally develop and manufacture electric buses, lithium ion batteries and a public transport information system.

The RM200 million deal over the next four years will see the research, development and commercialisation of the three areas.

The parties expect the first electric bus to roll out in the first quarter of next year. The bus will have a range of 200km and will initially be used in Putrajaya and Langkawi, and subsequently in Indonesia and China.

At the event, Mustapa also launched NAP’s six roadmaps. They are for automotive technology, automotive supply chain development,
automotive human capital development, automotive remanufacturing, automotive Bumiputera development and automotive authorised treatment facilities framework.

Read more: Licence to build http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20140207001841/Article/index_html#ixzz2sad3eei8