How Wattz got its name, its bolt and its two birds
By Jack Ong · Founder · 08 Oct 2026
It started with a conversation about climate change in February 2023. Here is where our name, our logo and our mascots Kik and Sui come from.
Every brand has an origin story. Ours begins with a conversation about climate change, a unit of electric power and a nickname.
It started with a conversation
In February 2023, Jack and Dr. Safi had a long conversation about climate change and about why Malaysia's move to electric cars was slower than it should be.
Two of the three Wattz founders come from climate and sustainability work:
Dr. Safi (Muhammad Safiuddin Rosli) was a lecturer at the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He is an expert in climate change and carbon emission calculations.
Jack Ong was a sustainability strategist at TNG Digital, the eWallet company, reporting directly to CEO Alan Ni. TNG Digital showed him how an open platform can connect different parties so that everyone wins. Wattz runs on the same idea: EV owners, drivers and partners on one platform.
Winson, the founder of Codebudee, joined Wattz as CTO to build that platform.
"We truly believe Wattz can change how people think about EVs and push EV adoption in Malaysia faster." Jack Ong, Founder
Why we built Wattz
Most people we talk to are not against EVs. They are unsure. Where do I charge? Can I drive it back to my kampung? Will it fit my parking bay?
A brochure cannot answer those questions, and neither can a 15-minute test drive. A few days of living with the car can. So Wattz lets people rent an EV for a weekend or a week before they decide to buy one, and lets EV owners earn from the days their car would otherwise sit parked.
Charging gaps, upfront prices and resale worries are real challenges, and we do not pretend otherwise. Every driver who returns the keys more confident about EVs is one more person ready to switch.
The name: Watt + Z
A watt is the unit used to measure electric power. It is named after the Scottish engineer James Watt, and every EV charger and spec sheet uses it (usually as kilowatts, kW).
The Z is personal. Our founder Jack is also known as "Z". Watt plus Z gives Wattz.
When we checked the domain, wattz.my was available. Short, easy to spell and Malaysian. We took it as a good sign.
From idea to company
Feb 2023: Jack and Dr. Safi start shaping the idea.
2023 to 2024: Research on the market, the cars, the costs and the people we want to serve.
25 Jul 2024: Wattz Mobility Sdn Bhd is incorporated.
2024: Nes Yow designs the Wattz identity.
Today: wattz.my is live and the fleet is on the road.
The logo, designed by Nes Yow
Our logo was designed by Nes Yow (Yow Zhi Yang), an experienced graphic designer, and drawn from scratch for Wattz.
The bolt starts as geometry. Nes built it on a grid of 45-degree lines and four horizontal guides, so every edge of the bolt runs at the same angle. Two equal circles then set the rounded ends, which turns a sharp zigzag into something that feels friendlier.
The finished bolt reads as two folded pieces that hook into each other. Neither piece is a bolt on its own; together they are. For us, that is what sharing looks like: an owner and a driver, one car.
The bolt uses a 135-degree gradient from Wattz Periwinkle to Wattz Green. Next to it sits the Wattz wordmark, set in a bold italic that leans forward, the way a car moves.
Our colours
Colour | Hex | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|
Wattz Green | #8BEF33 | Kik, highlights |
Wattz Periwinkle | #787FFF | Sui, the bolt gradient |
Navy | #2B3593 | Text, the Wattz cap |
Beak Orange | #FFA500 | Small accents |
Gold | #F3B63C | Rewards only |
Headlines use Radio Canada Big Bold, and body text uses Radio Canada Big Regular.
Meet Kik and Sui
The two colours of the bolt became two characters, Kik and Sui. Both are plush, egg-shaped birds with black dot eyes, a small orange beak and the navy Wattz cap. They are not penguins, so neither has a white belly.
Kik is green. Kik looks after guests: bookings, onboarding, promotions and confirmations.
Sui is periwinkle. Sui looks after the technical side: charging, owner education and how EVs work.
Kik | Sui | |
|---|---|---|
Colour | Wattz Green #8BEF33 | Wattz Periwinkle #787FFF |
Talks to | Guests and first-time EV drivers | EV owners and hosts |
Shows up for | Bookings, onboarding, promotions | Charging, how-tos, technical help |
What stays the same
You will find the bolt on our cars, our business cards and our app. Our mission does not change: make switching to an EV easy, safe and enjoyable for every Malaysian who is curious about it.
If you see Kik or Sui around, tag us. If you have a question about EVs, ask us. A real person will reply.
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