The Malaysia Automotive Recyclers Association (MAARA) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) have set a target to cultivate a robust End-of-Life Vehicle Blueprint (ELV) industry valued at RM10 billion by the year 2025.
Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (centre in the image), expressed that this memorandum of understanding (MoU) paves the way for the formulation of a comprehensive action plan for the transformation of the ELV sector. He noted that a consortium for ELV research had been established at the academic level back in January 2021, comprising UTM, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.
Dr Adham Baba stated, “We are confident that, within a few years, with the guidance of experts and well-defined guidelines, we can develop this plan, which will eventually be presented to the Malaysian Automotive Robotic Internet of Things Institute. By 2025, it could be incorporated into the 13th Malaysia Plan and become an official policy for ELV adoption.”
Regarding electric vehicles (EVs), he identified the lack of adequate charging infrastructure as a significant challenge. Despite having 9,000 registered EVs in Malaysia, there are only 700 charging stations nationwide. He mentioned that the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, through Nano Malaysia Bhd, has initiated an ecosystem for lithium-ion battery development. Their goal is to establish 10,000 charging ports nationwide by 2025.
In the context of the EV initiative, Mosti has encouraged assembly and battery companies to create job opportunities for the bottom 40% income group (B40). Additionally, the government has offered a two-year free road tax incentive for the use of two-wheel EVs to attract B40 users and ride-hailing riders.
Under the MoU, UTM will collaborate with MAARA through the ELV Research Excellence Consortium, focusing on fostering academic collaboration, research, and technological advancement in the ELV field. This partnership aims to address ELV-related challenges, offering solutions through various components and materials that can find applications in other products.
Dr Adham expressed hope that this MoU would serve as a catalyst for industrial sector development, particularly in innovation and technology. Such advancements can contribute to the creation of a robust economic ecosystem and enhance the quality of science, technology, and innovation education and research in Malaysia.
According to the Transport Ministry, there are approximately 33 million registered vehicles in Malaysia, nearly equivalent to the country’s population. However, there is a lack of policies focused on proper disposal methods for end-of-life vehicles.
The research outcomes from this collaboration are expected to empower the manufacturing and recycling industry by providing action plans, statistics, frameworks, guidelines, and references aligned with the National Automotive Policy 2020. The study also encompasses the 11R elements: Return, Recover, Recycle, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Refurbish, Repair, Redistribute, Reuse, Reduce, and Reject.
Experts within the consortium have visited countries like Singapore and Japan, which possess expertise in ELV recycling. These visits were aimed at gathering implementation insights from relevant national authorities to formulate an ELV roadmap and establish a suitable approach for Malaysia.
UTM Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Fauzi Ismail emphasized ongoing studies in automation and EV technology development. He posed the question of how to manage end-of-life vehicles and suggested identifying vehicle components suitable for production, repair, or reuse. Ahmad Fauzi mentioned that nearly 99% of vehicle components earmarked for disposal could find new uses in various applications.
MAARA President Datuk Khan Mohd Akram Khan underscored the significance of this collaboration in enabling universities to design a curriculum tailored to produce graduates proficient in the ELV industry.
Source www.maara.com.my
