Perodua and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop Malaysia’s next generation of electric vehicles (xEV).
Under the MoU, both parties agree to work together to educate and train future engineers in developing new xEV-related technologies, encompassing knowledge-sharing and exposure to xEV technology for academicians and engineers alike.
The fields of collaboration include academia, research and development, talent development and training. For these purposes, a satellite lab is set to be established at UTM’s main Skudai, Johor campus.
“We look forward to exploring a future where Malaysia can develop its own xEV technology and its benefits be shared with our future generation. With this MoU, Perodua is taking a step further from our original mandate from being a vehicle for technological transfer to becoming an entity that drives technological development,” Perodua president and CEO Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said.
“This collaboration underscores the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry that can empower graduates with the skills and knowledge,” said UTM deputy vice-chancellor of research and innovation Prof Dr Rosli Md Illias.
Perodua’s other recently-inked partnerships are with TM, Petronas, Gentari and Malaysia Rail Link, seemingly in preparation for its production EV, which is set to surface in the fourth quarter this year and which was previewed by the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) 2024’s eMO-II Concept (pictured above).
The EV – developed in-house in Rawang as there’s no suitable donor car from partner Daihatsu – will have around 400 km of range and a RM50k-90k price tag – learn more here.
Last year, Perodua sold a record 358,102 vehicles – 8.4% more than its previous 330,325-unit record, which was achieved just the year before. Based on an estimated 814,000-unit total industry volume, Perodua should have 44% of the pie.
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