Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister Of State, Ministry of Sustainbility and the Environment, Ministry of Transport, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Signing Between Nanyang Technological University And Gotion Singapore

Professor Ho Teck Hua, President, NTU

Dr. Cheng Qian, Executive President, Gotion Global

Mr Yin Qiushi, CEO, Gotion Singapore Co. Ltd

Distinguished Guests  

1.     Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to witness the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between NTU and Gotion.

2.     Six years ago, I was here to officiate the opening of the Guoxuan-NTU Smart Energy Laboratory on NTU’s campus. The lab was set up to pursue joint research projects on battery technologies, with a key focus on improving battery performance for electric vehicles (EVs) under humid tropical environments. I am pleased to note that the lab has since completed many projects, and has also patented technologies to advance the design and performance of batteries specifically for our local climate in Singapore.

Importance of improvements in battery technology for EV adoption

3.     Singapore has set an ambitious target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The land transport sector accounts for 15% of our national emissions, and it is critical for this sector to decarbonise. Electrification is a key prong of our strategy, and we have seen encouraging progress in our EV adoption, from 3.8% of new cars registered in 2021 to around 18% of new cars registered in 2023 thus far. Specifically in November 2023, 22% of new cars registered were EVs.

4.     Beyond government policies, the growth of the EV industry – including automakers, battery manufacturers, and charging operators – has developed the ecosystem to make EVs an attractive option to go green and make our environment better. Importantly, the improvements in various aspects of battery technology, from performance and safety to cost, have reduced some of the initial concerns about the long-term viability of EVs. Continued pioneering work in improving battery specifications and performance is hence crucial to maintain the momentum of adoption of EVs. 

Continued opportunities for research and advancement in technology 

5.     I am glad that NTU and Gotion is taking your partnership forward. Today’s MOU signing reflects your commitment to advance the areas of collaboration in battery research and applications. I am also heartened that the new Joint Talent Development Programme will support 85 researcher positions in various disciplines from material engineering to product design and project management. This programme will provide great opportunities in both academia and industry to develop and groom talent in this rising field of battery technologies, which will have wide-ranging applications beyond just vehicular electrification.

6.     A new area of focus within the Joint Lab is research on battery-based Energy Storage Systems (ESS). Beyond the potential applications of ESS solutions to support our EV charging needs at areas with limited electrical infrastructure, ESS will be key to mitigating intermittency issues and ensuring a reliable and consistent energy supply, particularly as we scale up solar energy deployment.

7.     Thank you once again for inviting me today. With the successful partnership between NTU and Gotion, I hope to see the fruits of your labour in pushing the frontiers of battery technologies. Thank you.