by Prof. Dr. Mohd Farid Muhammad Said
Edited by Dr Zuhaili Idham
As Malaysia accelerates toward its carbon neutrality target by 2050, electric vehicles (EVs) stand as a cornerstone in the national decarbonization strategy of Malaysia towards sustainable transportation. However, challenges such as high costs, limited infrastructure, and reliance on foreign technology hinder widespread adoption. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia researchers, in collaboration with NanoMalaysia Berhad, have successfully converted a Perodua Myvi, a symbol of affordable Malaysian mobility, into a fully electric vehicle. This project not only electrifies the Myvi but also incorporates a cutting-edge Hybrid Electric Storage System (HESS) that combines batteries and supercapacitors for superior performance.
This initiative aligns with national agendas like the National Automotive Policy, aiming to position Malaysia as an EV hub in Southeast Asia. It also exemplifies how interdisciplinary R&D can transform conventional mobility into a sustainable powerhouse, directly supporting Malaysia’s Low Carbon Mobility Development Plan 2021–2030. Furthermore, it addresses a critical gap in Malaysia’s EV landscape: the need for cost-effective and locally developed solutions.
EV conversions provide a fast, cost-effective route to test real-world powertrain concepts without waiting for carmakers to build brand-new EV models. By retrofitting existing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles rather than building new ones from scratch, the project promotes sustainability through reuse and reduces waste. For UTM, a converted Myvi offered a compact, familiar vehicle envelope to evaluate how hybrid storage strategies affect acceleration, regenerative braking capture, and robustness under campus driving cycles. The project aimed to demonstrate that pairing batteries with supercapacitors can improve power quality during high transient demands, such as sudden acceleration or repeated stop-start traffic, while protecting battery life by smoothing current spikes.
Batteries excel at storing energy for range, and supercapacitors excel at delivering and absorbing high power quickly. In the converted Myvi, the supercapacitor reduces peak current draw from the battery during accelerations and captures high-power regenerative braking energy with lower losses. Supercapacitors help extend battery cycle life by reducing strain on the batteries, and they enhance vehicle performance.
Figure 1: Example of Supercapacitors
At the heart of the project is the conversion process itself. The conversion was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FKE) and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FKM) at UTM. The team started with a standard 2021 Perodua Myvi, a compact hatchback beloved for its reliability and affordability. The first step involved dismantling the ICE components, i.e., the petrol engine, fuel tank, and transmission system, to make way for an electric powertrain. In the meantime, the electrical team, employing a modular design approach, conducted a comprehensive study in order to design the EV powertrain and determine the size of its components, such as the electric motor, supercapacitor, battery, gearing system, and all other essential power electronics.
Figure 2: Block Diagram of Converted Myvi EV with Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS)
The converted electric Myvi ( e-Myvi) runs on a powerful electric motor that delivers 95kW power and 235 Nm torque, enabling the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 10 seconds. The energy to power this motor comes from a 26 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which provides a practical driving range of up to 250 kilometers on a single charge. For convenient recharging, an onboard charger is installed in e-Myvi that can top up its battery to 80% in about an hour.
Converting a vehicle is not without hurdles. Packaging the battery modules within the limited volume of a small hatchback required a custom design of a battery enclosure accompanied by a thermal management system. Adding battery packs (around 200 kg) causes an imbalance of weight, which requires reinforced mounts to meet safety standards and suspension upgrades to preserve handling.
Synchronizing batteries and supercapacitors also comes with its technical challenges. It demands sophisticated control algorithms to switch seamlessly between energy sources. The team developed a custom energy management system to integrate supercapacitors into the EV powertrain.
The project delivered more than a prototype vehicle. It created hands-on learning for students in power electronics, control systems, and vehicle engineering. Industry partners can benefit from a working demonstrator that highlights how HESS can mitigate battery degradation, which is a key concern for fleet operators and commercial EV conversions. The collaboration with Nano-Malaysia helped frame technical outcomes in terms of commercialization potential and national energy initiatives.
Looking ahead, the next steps include improvements on battery packaging, developing more advanced Battery thermal management systems, an enhanced Energy Management System for HEES, and exploring fast-charging protocols that leverage the supercapacitor module to reduce peak battery stress.
In conclusion, UTM’s Perodua Myvi EV conversion exemplifies how local ingenuity, powered by strategic partnerships like with NanoMalaysia Berhad, can drive sustainable progress. By blending batteries and supercapacitors in a HESS, this project not only electrifies a national icon but also paves the way for a greener Malaysia. As we accelerate towards an electric future, such initiatives remind us that transformation begins at home. It also fosters skill development, with UTM students gaining hands-on experience in EV engineering, preparing a workforce for Malaysia’s green economy. Environmentally, scaling such conversions could cut national transport emissions by significant margins, aligning with the country’s net-zero goals by 2050.
