PERODUA-UTM xEV Engineering Program

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn. Bhd. (PERODUA) today signed a new phase of cooperation in the country's automotive development through the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) Document Exchange Ceremony for the implementation of the 'PERODUA-UTM xEV Engineering Program'.

The strategic collaboration focuses on human capital empowerment and research into Electric Vehicle (xEV) technology to meet the challenges of green mobility in Malaysia. Through the five-year collaboration, 10 to 15 outstanding students from the Bachelor of Electrical Engineering with Honours program will be selected each year to participate in this special program. In total, these students will follow this program for one and a half years starting from the second semester when they are in their third year of study.

Selected students will undergo industrial training at PERODUA for 10 weeks and have the opportunity to obtain the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) Level 3 international certification. In addition, their Bachelor's Project (FYP) will be jointly supervised by PERODUA expert engineers to ensure that the research results meet industry standards. UTM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ts. Dr. Mohd Shafry Abdul Rahim described this collaboration as a paradigm shift in bridging the gap between academia and industry needs.

"Through the establishment of the PERODUA-UTM xEV Engineering Laboratory equipped with cutting-edge equipment, our graduates will have a high competitive advantage. The integration of battery electric vehicle (BEV) engineering elective courses in the curriculum and access to the latest simulation technology such as the Hardware in the Loop (HIL) system will make UTM graduates always relevant and 'future-ready'," he explained. Meanwhile, PERODUA President and Chief Executive Officer, Dato' Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said, the initiative is the company's proactive step in building a sustainable and competitive xEV ecosystem at the global level.

"This collaboration is not just a technology transfer, but rather a long-term investment to produce 'future' engineers who are skilled in electric vehicle engineering. With direct guidance from our engineers, students will be exposed to the true realities of the modern automotive industry," he said.

In support of the program, PERODUA also donated technical equipment and two (2) PERODUA QV-E vehicles for practical learning purposes at the PERODUA-UTM xEV Engineering Laboratory. Through this collaboration, UTM will continue to strengthen strategic relationships with the industry to ensure that the country's talent and innovation development is always in line with current needs, thus contributing to the sustainability agenda and progress of the country's automotive sector.