Malaysian start-up company EV Innovations is hoping that its electric vehicle tech will eventually form the basis of a locally-made EV. The firm, which is a subsidiary of System Consultancy Services (SCS), a local information and communication technology (ICT) provider, has come up with a prototype EV to highlight that potential.
Work on the MyKar, as the concept is called, began in January 2019, and the vehicle made its first public appearance at the Kuala Lumpur Engineering Science Fair last November. Running trials began this year, but was interrupted due to the appearance of Covid-19. The company held another test session yesterday at the Putrajaya Airstrip, and invited a number of people to have a closer look at it.
As the photos show, the MyKar is far from a finished article, but the test bed is fully-functioning, even if there are almost no mod-cons – or road-legality – to speak about. The exterior shape may look familiar at points, and that’s because the outline essentially mirrors that of the Honda Jazz, an example of which the company bought and used for engineering purposes.
The doors and suspension of the MyKar are taken directly from the Jazz, which also provided the general lines for the EV’s fibreglass composite bodyshell, which was built by DK Composites. The exterior sits on a ladder frame/tubular chassis fabricated by EV Innovations.
Motive power for the 900 kg vehicle is provided by two 12 kW hub motors, driving the rear wheels. The car is juiced by a 10 kWh capacity battery pack, made up of 32 China Aviation Lithium Battery (CALB) lithium-ion phosphate (LiFePO4) cells, which weigh 100 kg in total. Located under the rear seat bench, the layout is basic, with no cooling system present.
Energy consumption in this particular configuration is 6.6 kWh per 100 km, giving the MyKar an operating range of around 150 km, with a charging time of about three hours. The company says a 16 kWh battery will increase that range to 200 km, although this will also increase the charging time needed to 4.8 hours and the car’s weight to 1,016 kg.
Output specs for the 10 kWh version are a 24 kW (32 hp) rated output and 30 kg/m (295 Nm), and performance-wise, the claimed maximum speed is 104 km/h, with a 0-100 km/h time of 16.7 seconds. It doesn’t sound very fast, but the MyKar is faster than a Perodua Myvi at completing a quarter-mile run, as shown from a couple of drag tests between the two cars at the event.
The company has a video of the same tests carried out earlier this year. Prior to its showing yesterday, the car had undergone a couple of field tests before the pandemic began. The first was a range and durability test at the Sepang International Circuit in February, and the second, a performance test at the Putrajaya Airstrip in March, which is when the video was shot.
Elsewhere, the MyKar eschews side view mirrors for a camera system and dual LCD screen viewers inside the car, and the solar panel strips seen on the roof of the vehicle charges a separate battery, which powers the car’s solid-state air-conditioning system.
We had a brief go in the car, and from the EV system’s viewpoint, there’s enough pep to suggest that in a far more commercial, well-fleshed out monocoque chassis, it could very much provide a good putter around the city. The powertrain feels fairly responsive and there’s decent tractability.
That the vehicle it is housed in is rough around the edges is unquestionable, highlighted by the absolute lack of power assist in the steering, the inability to belt up (there are seatbelts in the car, but no buckles) and a cobbled-up interior, although a couple of tablet screens do their best to gloss up the presentation. It’s all very much a means to an end, a package to deliver the workings of the electric system and accompanying software.
According to SCS executive chairman Datuk Khalilur Rahman Ebrahim, the company has so far spent RM600,000 on development costs for the MyKar. However, it isn’t looking to develop the MyKar commercially, but is merely carrying out research and development of the EV system and utilising the vehicle as a test bed to showcase the possibilities of the tech.
“We hope to show that electrification can provide a more economical alternative in manufacturing a mass-produced car, and are looking for potential partners to develop the project further,” he said. The company added that it is set to carry out further trials on different hub motors and batteries, and has promised to provide updates on the project as they come along.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Good move!
But instead of developing everything from scratch, why not study how to convert existing vehicles to EV.I believe that’ll be more cost effective in terms of investments .https://www.hybridcenter.org/electric-car-conversion-companies/
Converting existing car can be done (https://paultan.org/2015/09/10/proton-iriz-ev-300-km-electric-car-on-display-at-igem/ ) but the idea of EV Innovations is more towards test-proving the EV systems. This is far away from ready to produce car you see. A self developed bodyshell would given them more liberties for system placements and routing without the challenge of adapting their system to an existing car with limitations plus they not having to deal with the ori car ECU, body weight and such.
Actually it is a bad move because it is using Honda Jazz platform. That means there must be some problematic Honda techs fitted in it. This car will have a lot of problems due to Honda problematic parts
If Li-On and solar roof Iriz EV, true Game-changer.
Tesla is giving all their blueprints to create an EV for FREE.
This is a fact. Proton can save billions just by getting all the blueprints from Tesla FREE. But they refuse to do so.
They have asked billions from the Malaysian government to design and make the Iriz.
Yet, we cannot see this car at all despite 8 years ago soft launch
ALL? FREE? REALLY?
Then why no one, NOT ONE, of any global EV players, even the Chinese, took up Tesla’s blueprints and recreate Model S, 3, X, & Y? Are you saying the world have wasted trillions of dollars redeveloping EV tech by themselves? So why isn’t your Perodua taking up that offer and come out with your first national EV car? What is stopping you?
this is converted from honda jazz… it’s not from scratch dude…
The doors and suspension of the MyKar are taken directly from the Jazz, which also provided the general lines for the EV’s fibreglass composite bodyshell, which was built by DK Composites. The exterior sits on a ladder frame/tubular chassis fabricated by EV Innovations.
Its not converted. They use the body sample of jazz, but custom design chassis.
I am not interested in this car. Where is our Proton Iriz EV?
Malaysians have been waiting for this car for 8 years now.
So if Proton didn’t make it happen, why didn’t your Perodua take Tesla’s blueprints and come out with our first national EV car? What’s stopping you? It’s free right?
Here you go
https://paultan.org/2015/09/10/proton-iriz-ev-300-km-electric-car-on-display-at-igem/
Please stop repeatedly asking on that when there is a search function.
It’s unveiled in 2015 but why is it not sold yet?
MAI said that it would be released in 2017.
You see it was by MAI, not Proton. Proton only commits if it makes business sense, right now EV still don’t sense as charging facilities are far too lacking for rakyat marhaen pakai.
MAI said in 2014 that it will come out in 2017.
Proton revealed the car in 2015.
Now in 2020, it is still not released yet
MAI, not Proton. Proton only commits if it makes business sense, right now EV still don’t sense as charging facilities are far too lacking for rakyat marhaen pakai.
They just showcasing the power train and its potential. Body shell? Leave it to the carmaker. This local company can approach any carmaker to use their system. Maybe a potential retrofit to classic and old fuel guzzling cars.
myvi 1.3? hmmm…0 to 100 take near to 20sec for myvi 1.3? come on..it’s sibling of road king in malaysia…
2005 got Myvi 1.0L, maybe they used that one
They are talking about “a quarter-mile run”, not 0-100km/h.
Example: A scooter with 15hp is faster than a Myvi (or any other car) on a 25 meter run, even the car is faster 0-100km/h.
Also known as The King of Longkang when Myvis invariably ends up in there.
This type of company must have been going up and down to MITI, MIGHT and all other gov agencies seekin R&D grant and macam2 grant.
BTW, it looks like school project.
Its only Rm 600k, so much better than previously spending Rm20mil and got nothing, not even a concept car.
… it isn’t looking to develop the MyKar commercially, but is merely carrying out research and development of the EV system and utilising the vehicle as a test bed to showcase the possibilities of the tech.?
RM600k to reinvent the wheel?
If someone can turn this into a viable car, habislah Myvi nanti!
well done… use a honda jazz to mod it as own EV… with 150km range… what a joke…
https://paultan.org/2020/08/26/2020-mini-cooper-se-launched-in-malaysia-rm218k/
Mini Cooper SE top speed 150km/h 234km Range RM 200k for Kelisa EV
MyKar Top speed 104km/h 16kwh battery for 200km range, not a bad start.
typical netizen. its 2020 bro, ubah sikit sikap tu
it has to have tiny wheels?
whats wrong with designer in malaysia…almost all our local design cars are designed with tiny wheels
Do malaysian have any talented ppl on car design, what kind of design is that? Ugly!.
This is really miles behind. No need to do publicity lah, what is so hebat about
the claimed maximum speed is 104 km/h, with a 0-100 km/h time of 16.7 seconds. It doesn’t sound very fast, but the MyKar is faster than a Perodua Myvi at completing a quarter-mile run
Bapak lambat myvi tu
Salute, it does not matter too me if “borrowed” like many things, but it is important to start.
Great job EV Ennovations! Don’t let anyone say NO to you, just keep on research and development and prove the product to be attractive to westerners since some small brains Malaysians still think we are incompetent of making our own products.
The sharp front end which is more aerodynamic efficient coupled with electric motor barely beat a MYVI of all things?? It was supposed to have instant acceleration instead of the MYVI which gets the headstart.
I think more work needed to be done on this to make it attractive to sell.
Good job. Hopefully will increase horsepower to at least 200
The biggest obstacle to promote EV is there are none zero electricity power utility providers that could offer competitive electricity tariff for charging stations.
anyone knows like any companies in malaysia is really trying to work on anything related to ev/hybrid cars?
Nissan got leaf. Some brand already have their own hybrid model. These all car’s are currently being available for sale in Malaysia.
All of this nonsense like a trash product will be demolished when Tesla officially enter our market soon. Only 150 km for this crap? Even ZOE can give more mileage than that. Damn, I hope this company can think masak-masak before make any plan on selling it.
Reason for not sale yet is, they test the car for many year with enought durable with high quality.