Graphene NanoChem and Sync RD partner to develop graphene-enhanced Li-ion battery for shuttle bus in Malaysia

18 October 2014

Malaysia-based Graphene NanoChem’s wholly-owned subsidiary Platinum Nanochem Sdn Bhd has entered into a product development and collaboration agreement with Sync RD Sdn Bhd jointly to develop a graphene-enhanced lithium-ion battery solution for electric buses under the Electric Bus 1 Malaysia program (EB1M Program).

The partners will develop and integrate a graphene-enhanced Li-on battery into a prototype electric shuttle bus in Malaysia designed and developed by Sync RD, with Graphene NanoChem taking the lead role in the applications development activities to design and produce the battery.

Under the Malaysian Economic Transformation Program, the Government has announced its aim to accelerate the Electric Vehicles policy and regulations for public and private transportation, targeting 2,000 electric buses and 100,000 electric cars on the road by 2020.

The 2015 Malaysian Budget, announced in October 2014, set the target to introduce 50 electric buses initially, with the first anticipated in early 2015. A critical component to this initiative is the development of the infrastructure to enable electric vehicle component manufacturing in Malaysia, including for Li-on Battery technology and manufacturing.

A prototype of the graphene-enhanced Li-on battery is expected to be completed in 2016.