Gentari partners with Virta to grow EV charging market in Southeast Asia 

• Gentari leverages Virta's technology, expertise for EV charging infrastructure
• Aims to add 2,000 charging points to the Gentari Go network by the end 2024

Gentari Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s Petronas Group, is collaborating with leading EV charging business solution provider Virta as a platform partner to expand the EV charging network across Southeast Asia. 

In a statement, the clean energy solutions provider said that through its subsidiary Gentari Green Mobility Sdn Bhd, it will leverage Virta's digital platform services, technology, and industry expertise to support the deployment and operation of EV charging infrastructure.

The partners will also work with third-party entities to enable EV charging interoperability in the region.

In line with its long-term aim to become Asia Pacific’s leading green mobility solutions partner, Gentari said it is deploying technologically advanced EV charging services across the region through its clean energy platform – Gentari Go. Launched in Malaysia in February 2024, Gentari Go also offers customers access to chargers in Thailand and Singapore, strengthening Gentari’s market-leading position in high-powered direct current charging. 

The firm stated that more than 2,400 charging points across the three countries are already available, with a target to onboard another 2,000 charging points on the Gentari Go network by the end of 2024.

Virta’s co-founder and chief business development officer, Elias Pöyry, said, "This partnership has vast potential to capture the momentum of the energy transition in Southeast Asia. Gentari Green Mobility has grown from its inception into a leading market player in e-mobility in only a year and a half, and we are happy to further catalyse growth with our market-proven end-to-end global EV charging services and experience, including regionally in Singapore, Thailand, and Australia.”

He added that the firm’s customers and partners will benefit from its ecosystemic approach in enabling faster EV penetration across the whole region - 'Powered by Virta.'

"I am confident that Gentari is well-positioned to be a market leader in Southeast Asia. We already have a large footprint in the region and a deep understanding of local business needs and consumer expectations. Recognising the value of partnering with an entity that brings global standards and industry experience, we see this collaboration as crucial in executing our plans with optimal speed and scale," said Shah Yang Razalli, deputy CEO of Gentari and CEO of Gentari Green Mobility.

Virta, the leading European EV charging platform, brings its ten-year track record in EV charging services to the partnership, having enabled over 1,000 charging networks to manage their charging business on Virta’s platform in 36 countries, including the most mature EV markets in Europe. Virta has also established itself in Southeast Asia since 2022.

Presently, there is an increasing need for robust charging infrastructure as Southeast Asia and Oceania pick up pace in EV penetration; several countries in the region are already showing double-digit EV share in new car sales.

The firms expect that the market in the region will develop much faster than the US and EU to date, as there is a wide selection of EVs already available due to local and Chinese EV makers entering the market with affordable models to meet demand.