EPMB signs MoU with MARii to facilitate EV, Super Delivery Ecosystem
KUALA LUMPUR: EP Manufacturing Bhd (EPMB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) to collaborate and venture into a Super Delivery Ecosystem and Electric Vehicles (EV).
In a press statement, it explained that EPMB and MARii agree to explore the establishment of a Production and Localisation plan to assemble two-wheel and four-wheel EVs.
This will include a Marketing infrastructure to sell these EVs in the local Malaysian market, together with a charging network to support them.
As the first application, both parties also agree to establish a Super Delivery Ecosystem, and to incorporate this with an Electronic Payment system.
There will be a redefinition of the present delivery infrastructure, and a consolidation to take it to the next level.
This will give rise to a Structured Integrated Platform to better serve all involved.
The MoU shall remain in effect for a period of two years starting yesterday.
Commenting on the MoU, MARii chief executive officer Datuk Madani Sahari said: “The government has taken a proactive step in incentivising the use of EVs in its recent announcement in the Budget 2022.
“The activities to be implemented through this MoU contain important building blocks to complete the ecosystem of electromobility, which will chart the future use of electric vehicles.”
EPMB executive chairman Hamidon Abdullah added: “The recent Budget 2022 announcement on elimination of all taxes on EVs in Malaysia shows the government’s seriousness to accelerate the EV uptake and development of EV infrastructures and ecosystems.
“There will be new norms, and these are opportunities for EPMB.”
He explained that EPMB’s new direction is a logical next step, as it already has the building blocks and infrastructure.
“The appointment of new directors recently will also accelerate our business agenda with their wealth of experience, network and accomplishments both locally and overseas,” concluded Hamidon.
To recap, on October 28, 2021, EPMB announced the appointment of two new directors to its board namely independent non-executive director Derek Cheng and executive director Mac Ho, as it seeks to undertake a new business agenda.
MARii is an agency established under the purview of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia (MITI) that serves to spur the development of strategic and operational intelligent systems through the humanisation and utilisation of smart platforms, applications and digital technologies such as Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence.
This shall include the focus on enhancing technology, human capital, supply chain, market outreach and aftersales capabilities in the automotive industry and connected mobility ecosystem.
EPMB is listed on the main board of Bursa Malaysia, with its core business in manufacturing and supply of metal body panels, chassis parts, metal modular assembly and engineering plastics modular assemblies to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the Automotive industry.
Its main customers include national car makers Perodua and Proton as well as non-national car makers such as Honda, Mazda and Toyota.