Perodua and CATL may try something new in Malaysia to advance the EV market: battery swapping.
Malaysia’s largest carmaker, Perodua, has confirmed it is working with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) to develop its first electric vehicle (EV). In comments to local media, Perodua’s CEO hinted at the possibility of rapid battery replacements “within 30 minutes” at selected service centres. While this sparked speculation about battery swapping, he stopped short of confirming such a move—instead mentioning “Battery-as-a-Service” (BaaS) as a consideration.
This raises an interesting question: will Perodua adopt battery swapping technology in Malaysia or will battery swaps be reserved for replacement of batteries under a warranty claim?
CATL, the world’s biggest EV battery manufacturer, is heavily invested in battery swapping. In China, it is building a nationwide battery-swap ecosystem in collaboration with oil giant Sinopec. This technology has seen major traction in commercial fleets and increasingly in personal vehicles, especially through brands like Nio, which operates over 3,300 swap stations across the country.
Battery swapping offers compelling advantages: it can restore an EV’s range in minutes, addressing range anxiety and downtime concerns. In early-stage EV markets like Malaysia—where charging infrastructure remains limited—swapping could, in theory, accelerate EV acceptance. A car buyer might feel more confident knowing they could “refuel” in minutes, like at a petrol station, rather than wait 30–60 minutes for a fast charge.
However, there are obstacles. For one, battery swapping requires purpose-built vehicle platforms with swappable battery packs—a significant engineering commitment. This limits the technology to specific vehicle models. Moreover, battery swapping infrastructure is capital-intensive and requires standardisation across models and manufacturers—something the fragmented Malaysian EV landscape does not yet support.
Another major concern is battery ownership. In a battery swap model, drivers may end up exchanging a brand-new battery for one with lower capacity. China has addressed this by separating car and battery ownership—selling vehicles without batteries and leasing the packs. This “Battery-as-a-Service” model could work in Malaysia too, and the Perodua CEO’s comments suggest this may be the more likely path forward.
However, the key to this is the investment required to make this system work for just one brand in a market that is EV averse for the most part. EV sales make up just 3-4% of total industry volume. Perodua will need to ask if building out a battery swapping infrastructure for just one model makes sense or if it should join its rivals in building out Malaysia’s already weak charging infrastructure.
So while Perodua’s partnership with CATL opens the door for battery innovations, true battery swapping for passenger EVs in Malaysia remains unlikely—at least in the near term. A BaaS model paired with fast charging infrastructure seems the more realistic approach, especially as the country builds up its EV ecosystem. Still, if any local carmaker is in the right position to trial battery swaps, it’s Perodua—with its national reach, service network, and mass-market clout.
