PUTRAJAYA: GETS Global Bhd, formerly known as KBES Bhd, plans to manufacture 50 electric buses for commercial usage beginning March 2020.
The express bus services provider said the project can only be materialised after the completion of its current production of three electrical buses comprising two double-decker electric and one electric busses for rescue purposes.
Managing director Datuk Che Azizuddin Che Ismail said company’s electric bus project would cater for the Southeast Asian market and each of the bus will cost about RM2 million.
“We have already received interest in buying our electric bus from several local and overseas players including Indonesia," he told reporters at the joint venture (JV) signing India-based KPIT Technologies Pte Ltd here today
Azizuddin said both GETS Global and KPIT had agreed to establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) known as GETS E-Mobility Solutions Sdn Bhd (GEMS). GETS Global will hold a majority stake of 80 percent in GEMS.
The SPV is aimed to establish an E-Mobility Centre to pursue opportunities in Malaysia and other Asean countries, while planning to strengthen, promote and develop sustainable electro mobility projects.
He said this would in turn support green development initiative by developing electric vehicles for commercialisation, including commercial production of electric buses.
"The JV is expected to open up market opportunities in Asean in cities such as Putrajaya, Jakarta and Bangkok that are moving towards becoming global smart cities,” he added.
Azizuddin also said the company will also be working on producing third generation batteries, latest motors and cooling system for the electric vehicle technology by 2020.
He said the Malaysian and Japanese governments had spent over RM40 million for the research and development of the first generation batteries used in 10 electric buses in the past three years.
"The current third generation battery that we are developing will be a better version and more suitable for our climate and humidity," said Azizuddin.