The local EV scene has been buzzing in recent days with reports of a relatively new operator establishing a strong presence in the EV charging space with high-powered DC chargers being installed in Klang Valley and Penang. Who is DC Handal, and where did they appear out of nowhere?

DC Handal is part of a broader energy, oil and gas firm that has also operated the Johor Bahru Causeway Link buses for over a decade and have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Gentari to explore potential partnerships in commercial electric bus charging space.

According to Plugshare’s list of “coming soon”, DC Handal despite not having any active EV Chargers have managed to establish themselves in a number of strategic locations, particularly in Klang Valley.

They have been tagged in Bamboo Hills (next to DUKE Highway), Wisma MCA (KL), UOA Business Park (Glenmarie), The Vertical Bangsar South (Basement and also in-front of Lazada HQ), Choo Plaza (Penang) and Udini Square (Penang). All of these charges, with the exception of Udini Square, are expected to go live this month (September 2023). Furthermore from the information gathered, DC Handal plans to have at least 10 operational EV charging sites by the end of the year.

Additionally, it appears that all locations in Klang Valley would be powered by Kempower satellite charging units, while the Penang stations will use Autel charging units. The rates that EV users can anticipate to pay are based on kW/h at RM1.50/kWh.

We managed to pay a visit to the Bamboo Hills DC Handal station, which houses four Kempower DC charging satellites with a total rating of 200kW. This is a similar setup to the Gentari Bangi Golf Resort, where the power cabinet can be put independently and further away, optimising the space required to house the charging units. Furthermore, the Kempower chargers have an intelligent charging mechanism that distributes the 200kW power to the four guns based on the vehicle’s state of charge.

For the time being, what distinguishes the DC Handal charging stations from every other charging station in Malaysia is the flexibility it provides its users. EV owners can now pay with their debit or credit card, the JomCharge App, or the chargEV App. This is the payment mechanism that many EV users have been requesting, and it is finally available thanks to DC Handal.

Based on our understanding having gone through the Kempower unit in Bamboo Hills, users who choose to pay with their credit/debit card would be asked to tap/swipe their card twice. The charge is initiated with the first swipe and bay selection, and it is terminated with the second swipe and bay selection. The bay selection is performed twice as a safety precaution so that users do not end the wrong vehicle charging session. Users would also have the option to key in their contact number should they wish to obtain an e-receipt. We still don’t know if there will be a reversible holding amount for credit card payments as of yet.

Source from caricarz.com