When Elon Musk made the decision for Tesla to focus only on electric vehicles, he realised that in order to sell more EVs, having places (besides the home) to charge them was crucial. He therefore decided that Tesla would develop, make and set up its own network of EV charging stations which were called Superchargers.
That was 12 years ago – long before the EV era really got started – and today, Tesla has the largest high-speed charging network in the world with over 50,000 charging points.
Likewise, when PRO-NET (smart Malaysia) started up last year, it understood that support for customers not only meant the usual aftersales support but also ensuring that those who buy its smart EVs would be able to recharge them easily.
The government has already set a target of 10,000 charging points to be available by the end of next year and companies like smart Malaysia are helping to meet that target by also developing their own network.
With a mission to facilitate convenient travel for EV owners, PRO-NET has been growing its charging network as quickly as possible around the country. This includes East Malaysia where there are imminent plans to introduce additional charging stations along with its dealership network expansion in Sabah.
Since installing a DC fast-charging station at Proton’s headquarters in October last year, PRO-NET has also been growing the number of charging stations at Proton Edar dealerships. Collaborating with partner Gentari, the energy provider, there are now 6 charging stations (each with two charging points) with high-speed DC power supply ranging from 50 kW to 120 kW.
This is a substantial addition to the existing charging stations at dealerships around the country which now total 22 charging bays. These complement the charging stations also available at smart dealerships.
However, owners of smart vehicles are not limited to just these facilities as they can also use the growing number of public charging stations in many towns and cities, and along highways.
Collaborating with charging station operators such as chargEV, JomCharge, and Gentari, PRO-NET has incorporated in its Hello smart app over 70% of charging stations in the country. Using this app (or referring to the navigation display on the car’s infotainment panel) will show where the charging stations are, how to get to them, and whether they are in use or available.
With this integrated charging map, smart owners will have less to worry about when travelling long distances. And as part of its support for the government’s push towards EVs, PRO-NET says its charging stations are also available to EV owners of other brands. The only exception is at Hap Seng smart outlets where the charging stations are only for smart and Mercedes-Benz EVs.
“As PRO-NET advances into new markets, we are steadfast in asserting our leadership in this rapidly evolving sector. With our robust ecosystem of digital solutions, exemplified by the Hello smart App, and the continuous expansion of charging facilities, we are not just keeping pace; we are driving the movement towards modern urban living. Each strategic initiative underscores our commitment to providing innovative solutions that deliver unparalleled convenience and sustainability for EV owners nationwide,” said Zhang Qiang, Chief Executive Officer of PRO-NET.