MALAYSIAN Higer Bus distributor GVT Sdn Bhd's (GVT or Gurun Vehicle Technologies) latest unveilment is also the company's first commercial electric van to be introduced to the local market.
The Go Auto-Higer Ace E1 comes with a 5.4-meter 70kWh battery specification and is available in two options: cargo van and passenger van.
It has a capacity of 15 seats and can travel as far as 300km with a full tank (based on the New European Driving Cycle). It takes an estimated 75 minutes with a 60 kW DC power charger to fully charge the battery.
It also uses a lithium-ion battery from CATL which is one of the largest battery manufacturing companies with an after sales service team in Malaysia - a main factor why it was selected as one of the main components by Higer.
Charging inlet uses a CCS2 DC and Type-2 AC (International Standard).
The van is 1,880mm in width, 2,335mm in height, 5,380mm long, with a wheelbase of 3,110mm. Among the features available includes 16-inch alloy rims with 215/75 tires, 8-inch LCD display (Android Player), and reversing camera.
GVT executive director Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the first unit of the Go Auto-Higer Ace E1 was handed over to the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) at the end of last year.
The company will deliver two units of this electric van to the Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) and four more to TNB.
"I want to thank the government for giving, as well as extending the tax exemption incentives for electric vehicles in Malaysia. This will boost the electric vehicle segment in Malaysia, in an effort to bounce back post-Covid-19," said Wan Ahmad.
"We will also be offering an automatic version later this year in line with the positive feedback and high demand from the customers. To all our potential buyers please continue staying for updates," he added.
GVT, formerly known as Go EV Solution Sdn Bhd, is a commercial vehicle distributor for vans, as well as electric and diesel buses that was established in December 2016.
It was established by the Go Auto group to focus on the acquisition of EV technology since 2015 from Fukuta Taiwan, Higer, and Yutong, aside from being their main distributor locally.
GVT has worked closely with various government agencies and higher education centres to develop knowledge and products in the EV sector. This includes: SIRIM, APAD, MIMOS, UTeM, MARA, UNITEN, ILP dan UMP.
More than 400 units of Go Auto vans have been distributed in Malaysia to date including to PDRM, Jabatan Pendaftaran Malaysia, the Health Ministry, and various government agencies and local authorities.
GVT also have six official distributors in Glenmarie, Gurun, Temerloh, Kelantan, Kuantan and Sarawak. The company has 88 service centres nationwide including in Sabah and Sarawak.
Starting price of the Go Auto-Higer Ace E1 is RM268,888. Every purchase of the vehicle includes a portable charger with a capacity of 7kW for free.
It also comes with a 5-year factory warranty, or 150,000km, whichever comes first. The battery is covered for 5 years or 200,000km, or whichever comes first.