Malaysian clean energy solutions provider Gentari Sdn Bhd (Gentari), a subsidiary of Malaysia’s Petronas Group, is collaborating with Finland-based electric vehicle (EV) charging business solution provider Virta through its subsidiary Gentari Green Mobility to expand the EV charging network across Southeast Asia.

Leveraging Virta’s digital platform services, technology and industry expertise with Gentari’s deployment and operation of EV charging infrastructure, the partners will also work with third-party entities to enable EV charging interoperability in the region, the duo said in a statement on Tuesday.

In line with its long-term aim to become Asia Pacific’s leading green mobility solutions partner, Gentari is deploying technologically advanced EV charging services across the region through its clean energy platform, Gentari Go.

Launched in Malaysia in February 2024, Gentari Go also offers customers access to chargers in Thailand and Singapore, strengthening Gentari’s market-leading position in high-powered direct current (DC) charging.

More than 2,400 charging points across the three countries are already available, with a target to onboard another 2,000 charging points on the Gentari Go network by the end of 2024.

“This partnership has vast potential to capture the momentum of the energy transition in Southeast Asia,” said Virta Co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer Elias Pöyry.

“Gentari Green Mobility has grown from its inception into a leading market player in e-mobility in only a year and a half, and we are happy to further catalyze growth with our market-proven, end-to-end global EV charging services and experience, including in Singapore, Thailand and Australia,

“Our customers and partners will benefit from our ecosystemic approach in enabling faster EV penetration across the whole region – ‘Powered by Virta’,” he added.

Shah Yang Razalli, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gentari and Chief Executive Officer of Gentari Green Mobility, said he is confident that Gentari is well-positioned to be a market leader in Southeast Asia.

“We already have a large footprint in the region and a deep understanding of local business needs and consumer expectations,

“Recognizing the value of teaming up with a partner that brings global standards and industry experience, we see this collaboration as crucial in executing our plans with speed and scale,” he added.

Founded in Helsinki in 2013, Virta is a global firm in developing smart electric vehicle charging services.

The leading European EV charging platform, brings its ten-year track record in EV charging services to the partnership, having enabled over 1,000 charging networks to manage their charging business on Virta’s platform in 36 countries, including the most mature EV markets in Europe.

The firm has also established itself in Southeast Asia since 2022.

According to the statement, there is an increasing need for robust charging infrastructure as Southeast Asia and Oceania pick up pace in EV penetration; several countries in the region are already showing double-digit EV share in new car sales.

It is expected that the market in the region will develop much faster than the United States and European Union to date, as there is a wide selection of EVs already available due to local and Chinese EV makers entering the market with affordable models to meet demand.

Virta offers both the modular solutions for large enterprises looking to operate EV charging networks at a continental level and end-to-end charging solution including everything you need to build, operate, and scale a smart EV charging business in a fast and cost-effective way.

Its digital EV charging platform is used by over 1,000 private and public companies and organisations in retail, hotel, real estate, parking, petrol retail, automotive, and energy industries.

These customers operate over 100,000 chargers in 35 countries, forming the “Powered by Virta” network.

Featured photo credits: Gentari 

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