KUALA LUMPUR, 2 December 2022 – PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad (PDB) recently launched its first electric vehicle (EV) charging hub at PETRONAS Station Bandar Baru Ayer Hitam along the North-South Expressway (NSE), marking the completion of key milestones under its collaboration with Mercedez-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd and EV Connection Sdn Bhd which started November last year.
The first of its kind at a petrol station in Malaysia, the hub comprises three direct current (DC) fast chargers – two 180 kW and one 50 kW – and two alternating current (AC) Gentari EV chargers, which will allow up to seven drivers to park and charge their vehicles at a time. Its strategic location makes it well-positioned for EV users travelling south- or north-bound to access the hub and charge their vehicles, thus ensuring worry-free long-distance journeys.
Speaking at the event, PDB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Azrul Osman Rani said, “PDB is committed to doing our part in the greater adoption of EVs in support of Malaysia’s aspiration to be a low-carbon nation by 2040. By establishing an extensive, accessible, convenient and reliable EV charging network at PETRONAS stations, we are confident that this will help facilitate the transition to take place at scale, via collaborations and strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations.”
“With the support of our partners, we will continue to expand the number of EV charging points at our stations in tandem with growing market demand for EV charging facilities. Alongside this, we have also integrated the EV charging facilities with the Setel app to ensure a seamless and frictionless customer experience,” he added.
Sagree Sardien, Chief Executive Officer and President of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia said, “This collaboration is an affirmation of our commitment to enhance the local charging infrastructure and therefore further promotes the adoption of electric mobility. Together we share a vision of creating sustainable mobility solutions for the next generation in Malaysia.”
EV Connection’s Managing Director, Ir Lee Yuen How said that the tri-party partnership is a huge step towards supporting Malaysia in the transition to EVs as part of Malaysia’s Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint. “It is also the first attempt to bring together an oil and gas company, auto manufacturer and charging service provider towards a common goal of driving electric mobility revolution in the region. I am extremely honoured to be part of this and I hope that this project will set precedent towards more collaborations to come and building a cleaner and sustainable future.”
At the launch event, guests were treated to a first-hand look at a range of Mercedes-EQ all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and experienced the ease of charging the cars via the Setel app. In line with Setel’s long-term plan to innovate for inclusive mobility and support global decarbonisation efforts, Setel has added a feature in its app that enables users to locate the nearest EV charging station, activate the charger through their Setel wallet and immediately earn Mesra points with every transaction.
The first 50 customers to recharge at this hub can redeem the PETRONAS Green Reversible Bag 2.0 by simply showing their EV charging receipt via the Setel app. In addition, PDB is also giving away the PETRONAS Grow Your Stationery sets to the first 1,000 customers who make any fuel or retail purchase at the station.
In an effort to pursue its sustainability agenda, PDB recently entered into two tripartite Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) to roll out battery swap stations for electric two-wheelers and charging infrastructure for electric buses at its stations. PDB will also increase installation of solar panels as well as enhance its suite of non-fuel offerings including the expansion of Café Mesra, to future-proof its business and deliver better value to its stakeholders.