Malaysia is set to venture into the production of lithium-ion batteries, with plans to manufacture 18650 cells in the coming future. According to Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) CEO Datuk Madani Sahari, battery development forms part of the technology growth slated for the industry in 2019.
A feasibility study is currently being conducted in the country together with a local listed company, which is set to manufacture these cells. The study is expected to be concluded in three months, he said at a press briefing earlier today.
The eventual plan is for the country to become the regional hub for the production of lithium-ion batteries, and production will not just be limited for automotive applications, Madani said.
“The whole idea of making Malaysia the regional production hub for lithium-ion batteries is because of the importance of it (the battery). Not just for electric cars, buses but as a form or electric storage. As you know we have a lot of sunlight and this can be harnessed as a form of energy. However, there is no form of storage,” he said.
“Lead-acid units are not a good energy retention medium, but lithium-ion is, so this project contains a two-prong strategy. One is to provide lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and the other, for the purpose of establishing energy storage systems,” he said.
Madani said that these energy storage systems can be used in rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak that are off the electric utility grid, where traditional cabling involves long distances and would be too expensive. In these cases, solar power and battery storage would be able to provide electricity to rural folk on a 24-hour basis.
He indicated that the project is expected to kick-off this year, but the line set-up to produce the 18650 cell – as seen in some Tesla battery configurations – will take another 12 months to complete, to accommodate cathode production for the cell.
“Malaysia already has an electrolyte supplier, and the anode can be gotten off the shelf, but to build the cell, the facility needs to be able to handle cathode production. so in order to manage this the line has to be set-up,” he explained, adding that once this is done then development will progress to cell production and eventually to module assembly, with different layouts for automotive and non-automotive applications.
Madani said that the plant location is still being decided on, with Negeri Sembilan and Selangor being considered as a possible location to house the facility, but unlike the past where similar plans were envisioned, things are expected to move in rapid fashion in this case, given that the country is eyeing regional dominance in this area.
“If we start things off this year, Malaysia will be the first country in the region to produce lithium-ion battery cells. Thailand has assembly, yes, but we want to produce the cells, because the technology is in the cells,” he said, adding that the long-term aim is to look at technological autonomy.
“There are not enough batteries in the world, what more for Malaysia. And when automotive OEMs start production of their full EVs or hybrids (or even buses) there will be more than enough demand, so there’s really a big market. This project will be a key enabler to grow electric mobility in the country. After all, the battery is the core and heart of an electric vehicle,” Madani said.
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Lolz! 18650 battery is use for RC cars and torchlights how is this even relate to cars only PH ministers can brain. Perhaps NNCP shud rename as NRCCP, National Remote Control Car Project. Hahahaha!
FYI, Tesla uses 18650 batteries.
FYI, Tesla will also replace current 18650 with 21700 batteries, as do other EV manufacturers.
john and his fake news again. Don’t know your facts don’t talk yea
john is now expert in battery technology
MAI pls wake up from your deep sleep. Hello MAI….WAKE UP!!!!!
Tesla uses this kind of battery. Made by panasonic.
Only people who never read will say this battery is used for remote control car
Lame..
Tesla older model use 18650 battery. There are 7000 + batteries underneath the car providing 150kW of power.
Li-Ion battery is already old tech soon to be replace by Graphene battery!
Why are you so stupid? You are not an engineer obviously John.
And you obviously didn’t see the first image of this article. Car battery? Ya, RC car that is. Lolz! MAI cheated u bulat bulat oso u can still belip, just like u belip they will come out with their autonomous Perotiga car. Hahahahaha!
aiyo. I know your beloved previous PM lost badly, but dun need to be so dengki with the new awesome government
Now, our regular fake news king is an expert in batteries. We don’t need to hear your fake news anymore john
What’s with all the keyboard warriors? Tesla uses high discharge 18650. Next time before you type, at least use your brains. Oh wait, you don’t have any.
Go Lazada can find 18650 battery from China for Rm10. Want to fight with world factory China on tech which is not even new or breakthru? Hahahahaha! Better go develop new battery that dun need recharge for 10 years lor.
These batteries are used in Tesla in an array. Wonderful how people see so confident in their own knowledge. Anyway, this project is just another doomed failure for someone to make money out of.
Better to ignore fake news and those who don’t know their facts. Like they know so much. BN keyboard warriors talk a lot
never heard about electric vehicle ?
john lives in a cave. Only knows how to sleep
Im Vapers, China low price 18650 is all fake. Power never last and will result to low bat. I prefer Malaysian 18650 local made, will be genuine and can claimed with manufacture easily without sending to china. U can try cheaper with branded battery. Its total different.
hi, can you tell me which Manufacturer does sell 18650 battery?
Genuine 18650 cells from Panasonic, LG, and Samsung are about RM30 each.
Only a clown will say to buy these Tesla batteries in Lazada
Vaping battery 18650. Will lower the price for vapers to own.
I hope they study this correctly cause from where things are moving, lithium ion might get replaced soon.
Solid state is the way to go
Lithium Ion already out of date. Lithium polymer is the next tech after lithium ion.
Its still lithium ion battery. Lithium polymer uses polymer ekectrolyte instead of liquid.
EV moving towards 21700 cells, why produce 18650?
This is a new factory, get it right from the get go!
All you people do is complain. There is nothing inherently wrong with producing an “older” battery topology. If you don’t need the extra capacity why bother? 18650’s production capabilities and performance has stood the test of time. They have been very easy to manufacture to very high standards, and the size is a good compromise between discharge performance and cooling. Compact laptops will never use the fatter 21700 cells, making the market options broader.
And it’s not like the production capabilities are set in stone. They are not doomed to producing just one battery size. They can choose to expand if they want, when the cost and market pressure is right.
Should move ahead with solid state instead of lithium ion
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-10/samsung-and-hyundai-investing-in-solid-state-battery-producer
https://electrek.co/2018/11/20/china-production-solid-state-batteries/
Tesla uses this kind of battery. Made by panasonic.
which is going to be replaced with 21700 entirely for newer models
When the world is going for solid state battery soon why would you go for lithium?
Solid state battery is also lithium based.
Great idea. This is what we want. Not 3rd national car project shit
Set to manufacture… set je… belum pun become… tapi sudah aim to become regional hub. Dasar syok sendiri. Just like Asia’s BMW.
where to dump all its toxic byproduct? lynas 2.0 coming soon.
A project doomed to fail. Is this a joke?
could be explosive prone batteries they r planning ^^
I was about to believe this news, but the moment I saw this guy’s picture, I skipped to the comment section. Lo and behold, no supportive comment whatsoever, just as expected.
PH cybertrooper basher want to sapot his fellow kroni but he got no modal to sapot with so he just kept quiet. Lolz!
The whole MAI organisation just talk and talk and talk and talk every few months, nothing happens, next year repeat the same tactic..wat an easy job!!!
So our government is not even aware that Samsung SDI in Senawang has been producing 18650 lithium ion cells for years *facepalm*
Do you make versapak batteries? 3.6 v 2100mAh or greater?
do want to buy lithnium metal