Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) CEO Datuk Madani Sahari said the lithium ion battery produced for electric vehicles would be similar to the battery used in Tesla car models in terms of size and energy retention. “We are looking at possible production sites in Negeri Sembilan or Selangor which will be finalised in the first-half this year,” he said. Madani said the company is completing its feasibility study of the battery prototype within three months, while evaluating its energy retention capability to suit the local’s tropical climate. Madani said the country’s battery production plan would instill foreign automotive industry investors’ confidence, which in turn attract more potential foreign direct investments into Malaysia. “We want to establish Malaysia as the lithium ion’s battery producer in the region. Globally, there is insufficient of lithium ion batteries for automotive as the demand is rising,” he said. Madani said the initiative would be the enabler to grow the electric mobility segment in the country.

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New Straits Times