The proposed consolidation of electric vehicle (EV) charging applications into a single platform is welcome but the priority should be to fully develop the EV infrastructure, say the various stakeholders.

The President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Malaysia, Datuk Dennis Chuah, stated that while a consolidated platform would offer greater convenience for EV users, such a measure should not result in increased charging rates.

He emphasised that the government should prioritise enhancing the local EV ecosystem and ensuring industry sustainability.

"While such an application would facilitate easier access for current EV users, it will not significantly increase adoption if the issues of inadequate infrastructure and sustainability are not addressed first," he told the media.

Chuah highlighted the need to prioritise increased local manufacturing, the establishment of additional service support centres, the expansion of charging stations, and the provision of longer battery warranties. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of manufacturers' commitment to recycling EV batteries to foster greater EV adoption.

The President of the Malaysian EV Owners Club, Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, cautioned that enforcing a consolidated payment platform, while appealing in concept, could lead to substantial costs and reliability concerns for EV users.

"Rushing the implementation could create a potential single point of failure for all EV charging stations, where a single error may cause extensive disruption to the market and consumer confidence. It may also result in hidden costs associated with additional hardware and software required for proper consolidation, which could ultimately be passed on to EV users. In the long term, there is also a risk of the EV ecosystem becoming stagnant and unresponsive to market and user needs due to a lack of competition," he said.

To mitigate these risks, Shahrol suggested that the government should focus on fostering industry growth and allowing market players to develop their own user-friendly charging payment solutions.

"We are already observing roaming arrangements between major players, enabling users to locate and pay for most public charging points across the country. Additionally, some operators have introduced card payment terminals at their charging stations, eliminating the need for applications altogether," he said, noting that EV users are primarily concerned with the reach, reliability, accessibility, and cost of charging rather than the convenience of a payment application.

EV enthusiast Farhan Abdul Rahim, 46, argued that consolidating charging payment platforms would be impractical given the industry's current stage of development.

"Consolidation at this point could hinder ongoing innovation among charging point operators (CPOs) by removing the incentive to compete.

"This could also lead to increased costs for consumers if a single entity is granted exclusive control over the consolidated platform, thereby creating a monopoly.

"A consolidated payment platform should only be considered if it does not impose additional costs on end users and if CPOs are allowed to expand the network to 10,000 chargers nationwide," he further added.

At present, the cost of charging an EV varies based on factors such as location, the type of charger used, and the charging efficiency of both the vehicle and the charging point.