KUALA LUMPUR - Medan Quantum Sdn Bhd (MQCars), through its high-tech engineering-based subsidiary MQ Finique, will venture into the manufacturing of electric buses for exports.
MQCars will initially invest RM20 million on the project, managing director Hamzi Khairiri said.
Hamzi said the investment would be used to produce prototyping, purchase of robotic arms, computer, high-tech machines, equipment for research and development and human capital.
“MQ Finique, which plans to export the electric buses, will be responsible for developing the chassis of the bus, rechargeable batteries, electric motors and other high-quality support systems,” he said.
The electric buses will use 100 per cent local content and comply with European standards, Hamzi added.
MQCars is the second company to announce electric bus venture in the past one week.
Last Thursday, GETS Global Bhd announced a partnership with India’s KPIT Technologies Pte Ltd to produce 50 electric buses for commercial use from March next year.
GETS Global managing director Datuk Che Azizuddin Che Ismail said the project would cater for Southeast Asian market, with each bus costing about RM2 million.
MQCars’ Hamzi said its production would initially be based on foreign technology transfer and complemented with domestic technology before eventually evolving into full-fledged local operations.
He said MQ Finique will be led by local engineers and technicians in the automotive sector by leveraging on their extensive experiences in Europe and Japan.
Ruslin Tamsir, managing director of MQ Finique, will spearhead operations using his vast experience in the automotive industry culled from Continental, Bosch, Harman, BMW, Volvo and McLaren.
Ruslin was also a patent holder for McLaren P15 Senna Speaker Design, which he solely developed in 2017.
MQ Finique now operates at Autoville@Cyberjaya, which houses its workshop, factory, and depot.
Hamzi said the firm had studied all aspects of bus manufacturing since 2016 and had had partnerships with leading companies in Turkey, the United Kingdom and Poland.
Established in 2006, MQCars is a luxury car importer and distributor with its flagship showroom in Jalan Ampang here, and three other showrooms each in Damansara, Kota Bharu in Kelantan and Alor Setar in Kedah.