Here we go again: BMW 5 Series streams away in 'Jack Ryan'

                MUNICH: BMW burrows deeper into pop culture with its latest product placement in the new Amazon action flick “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”. This is the first major cooperation for BMW in the streaming world.

A whole range of BMW cars will be featured alongside legendary CIA analyst and agent Jack Ryan in the new Amazon series. The first season will be available exclusively on Prime Video from Aug 31.

A number of BMW cars will be featured alongside legendary CIA analyst and agent Jack Ryan in the new series.

In their pursuits, Jack Ryan and his CIA colleagues get to use several BMW vehicles. They get to drive the 540i xDrive with its straight six-cylinder engine accelerating the car from 0 to 100kph in 4.8 seconds. BMW will also get to boast about the xDrive all-wheel-drive system in a dramatic car chase through the snow.

The X5 and X6 are also featured in the series. A special role is reserved for a legendary model from BMW’s past: the 2002, widely admired for its dynamic performance and agility.

Public interest in the series is high. The teaser alone, shown during the Super Bowl, was viewed by more than 15 million people on YouTube. BMW not only supports Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan with a wide range of vehicles, but also through marketing across its own high-coverage channels. BMW was also present on site at the world’s largest Comic-Con in San Diego as the official automotive sponsor.

BMW Group has made a name for itself in film and TV projects. Its vehicles are regularly seen in blockbusters, such as the "Mission: Impossible" series or the screen adaptation "Red Sparrow".


Jaguar ressurects nine XKSS supercars lost to 1957 fire

                LONDON: Nine new Jaguar XKSS’s - often referred to by experts as the world’s first supercar - will be hand built by Jaguar Classic to the exact specification as they appeared in 1957, replacing the cars lost due to the famous Browns Lane factory fire.

The original cars were earmarked for export to the US, but only 16 were completed before the fire.

After 59 years, the British luxury car maker will build nine XKSS sports cars previously ‘lost’ for a select group of established collectors and customers for a price of over £1 million (RM6mil).

The expertise gained during the construction of the Lightweight E-type project will be transferred to the construction of the nine ultra-exclusive continuations.

Each of the nine will be hand-built at Jaguar’s new ‘Experimental Shop’ in Warwick and will be constructed to the same specifications as the first 16 made in 1957 – every aspect fully certified by Jaguar. .

The story of the XKSS began following Jaguar’s three successive Le Mans victories in 1955, 1956 and 1957 with the all-conquering D-type.

After the hat-trick of wins, Sir Williams Lyons took the decision on Jan 14 1957 to convert the remaining 25 D-types into road-going versions with several external modifications, thereby creating the world’s first super car.

These modifications included the addition of a new higher windscreen, an extra door on the passenger side, taking away the divider between driver and passenger and the removal of the famous fin behind the driver’s seat.

The first deliveries of the new continuation Jaguar XKSS will commence in early 2017.

“The XKSS occupies a unique place in Jaguar’s history and is a car coveted by collectors the world over for its exclusivity and unmistakable design. Jaguar Classic’s highly skilled team of engineers and technicians will draw on decades of knowledge to ensure each of the nine cars is completely authentic and crafted to the highest quality," said Jaguar Land Rover Classic director Tim Hannig.

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Jeep says Wrangler can meet US emissions rules into the 2020s

                LOS ANGELES: The new Jeep Wrangler unveiled Wednesday should meet US CO2 emissions rules into the 2020s, said the head of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s Jeep sport utility vehicle brand.

Mike Manley said Fiat Chrysler expects the new Wrangler, which is 90kg lighter than the current model, will average 11.8l/100km in the city, and 10.2l/100km on the highway. The current model is rated at 13.1 city and 11.8 highway.

Jeep will add a four-cylinder engine to the Jeep Wrangler lineup, making the vehicle more competitive in European and Asian markets, Manley added.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Highlights

> Command-Trac and Rock-Trac 4x4 systems, next-generation Dana axles, new Selec-Trac full-time two-speed transfer case, Tru-Lock electric front- and rear-axle lockers, Trac-Lok limited-slip differential and 33-inch off-road tyres

> Industry-leading ground clearance and approach, breakover and departure angles
Unmatched crawl ratios

> Up to 30 inches of water fording

> Keystone-shaped grille pays homage to Jeep CJ models

> Iconic round headlamps and square tail lamps provide distinctive Wrangler character

> Rugged-yet-distinguished design boasts improved aerodynamics

> Convenient fold-down windshield for off-road purists

> More open-air freedom with new easy-to-use Sky One-Touch powertop, two hardtops and premium soft top

> Dozens of different door, top and windshield combinations

> Lightweight, high-strengthaluminiumm doors, hinges, hood, fenders, windshield frame, and magnesium swing gate help reduce weight and boost fuel economy

> Suspension tuned to optimise on-road handling and ride comfort without sacrificing off-road capability

> Two transmission offerings: new eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual

> Fourth-generation Uconnect system includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and the choice of 5.0, 7.0- or 8.4-inch touchscreens with pinch-and-zoom capability

> Packed with more than 75 available advanced safety and security features

> Fuel-efficient powertrains: New 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine with eTorque technology; 3.6-litre Pentastar V-6 engine with Engine Stop-Start (ESS); 3.0-litre EcoDiesel V-6 with ESS coming in 2019


Pure electric Volvo vehicles coming to Malaysia

                PETALING JAYA: Volvo Car Malaysia says it is planning to introduce an extensive line-up of electric vehicles from 2022 as it gears up to become a fully electric car company by 2030.

So far it is selling a mix of combustion-engined cars and plug-in hybrids. Its first fully electric vehicle that it said is coming soon is expected to be the XC40 Recharge.

To date, Volvo Car Malaysia is the first and only automotive brand in Malaysia to offer a full range of Completely Knocked-Down (CKD) plug-in hybrid electric vehicles(PHEV) all assembled in Malaysia.

It started with the XC90 in 2015 and completed the cycle with the launch of the XC40 Recharge in March 2021.

READ MORE: Big push for electric mobility in Malaysia, but is it enough?

"The latest tax incentives announced during the announcement of Budget 2022 further complement our efforts, as we believe it is a positive step in encouraging Malaysian car buyers to adopt EVs and live a more sustainable lifestyle," said Volvo in a statement.

It said the new tax incentives would spur car makers as a whole to adopt or increase their efforts in offering EVs in Malaysia.

"Collective action is necessary, as we believe every automotive player should play a role in minimising pollution and carbon emissions in Malaysia," said Volvo.

At present, talk of local assembly of EVs is premature until the EV ecosystem is sufficiently developed to make a business case for it.


Chery Auto: Measured return to Malaysia

                PETALING JAYA: Chery is coming back to Malaysia and the Asean region in a big way.

The initial wave of cars entering Malaysia will be all sports utility vehicles (SUVs) — and still sporting internal combustion engines (ICE) even as China’s car-buying public have increasingly pivoted towards electric vehicles (EVs).

Chery’s entry as the principal is expected to materialise early next year.

 Tiggo 8 Pro.

Just as in Indonesia, Chery’s return to Malaysia is because it says it has advanced to a point where it has attractive and competitive products to offer local customers.

Its strategy is to offer its ICE cars first in countries that do not have urgent requirement for EV models.

In a video interview with CarSifu last week, Chery International country director for Malaysia Leo Chen said the SUV models that Malaysians could get are the Tiggo 4 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro as well as the Omoda 5.

 Tiggo 8 Pro.

Chery launched the right-hand drive models of the three Tiggo models and Omoda 5 in South Africa last year and is escalating its distribution to other right-hand drive markets in stages.

Prior to the sale of the cars, Chery, which is headquartered in Wuhu, Anhui Province, China, is giving Malaysians a foretaste of what to expect.

The Tiggo 7 Pro, Tiggo 8 Pro, Tiggo 8 Pro plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) in left-hand drive and the Omoda 5 would be available as demo cars for dealers, the media and the public to evaluate.

They are being shipped in and should arrive by next month.

 Tiggo 7 Pro.

To burnish the product line-up, Chery has five R&D centres around the world employing some 7,000 researchers.

The company also offers models with fuel efficient turbo direct injection engines, high quality materials and Internet connectivity.

Chery claims the latest generation Acteco engines deliver high thermal efficiency of up to 43%.

It also has a selection of manual and dual clutch transmissions as well as Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

 Tiggo 7 Pro.

Electric cars are also in the pipeline.

Chery International vice-president Shawn Xu said Chery is prepping its “new energy vehicles” range for the local market and that they would be introduced at a later stage.

China uses the term “new energy vehicles’” to refer to battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles.

Last year, Chery’s CVT25 transmission won the title of the “Top 10 Transmissions in the World”, and the unit has been fitted into the Tiggo 8 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro and other models.

The CVT25 is rated to withstand a peak torque of 250Nm, which matches up with the output from a 1.5l-or 1.6l turbocharged engine.

 Tiggo 7 Pro.

Xu said Chery’s new energy vehicles would be equipped with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) with autonomous driving capability.

He said the ADAS would be one of the most sophisticated, and would be endowed with 24 intelligent features such as Active Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning and 360-degree parking view.

Chen said the company also saw the potential for local assembling not only for the Malaysian market but also for the export market.

 Xu.

He said Chery’s completely knocked down (CKD) strategy for the region depends on the model types which are popular in a particular nation.

He said as pick-up trucks are popular in Thailand, multi-purpose vehicles in Indonesia and SUVs in Malaysia, it made sense for each country to locally assemble its favourite body type.

Chery is currently in talks to secure a local partner for CKD operations.

Xu said the company is discussing with local vendors to produce components to be supplied as local assembly parts as well as spare parts.

 Chen.

He said the company is also looking at the possibility of having local partners supply parts to other Chery factories that would be set up in the region.

In the long term, Xu said locally assembled Chery vehicles may rely more on local or regionally supplied parts than those sourced directly from China.

 Omoda 5.

Chery has more than 1,500 overseas dealers and service networks in 80 countries.

The company has significant market presence in East Europe, Brazil, Chile and Saudi Arabia.

 Omoda 5.

According to Chen, Chery had sold one million vehicles last year, of which 270,000 units were exported.

The company has also been China’s largest exporter of vehicles for 19 consecutive years.

 Omoda 5.

The latest milestone was in July when Chery became the first Chinese auto brand to export more than 50,000 vehicles in a single month.

This impressive performance, achieved amidst still-ongoing challenges including the after-effects of Covid-19 and logistical difficulties, means that in the first six months of the year, Chery had exported some 200,000 vehicles, or about a third of its global sales total so far.

 Tiggo 4 Pro.

On Chery’s previous foray into Malaysia almost two decades ago, Xu said the company had learnt from mistakes of the past and was looking to improve the entire ecosystem.

He said Chery cannot rely only on products alone but would also strengthen marketing, the dealership network and aftersales.

 Tiggo 4 Pro.

“We will pay close attention to spare part availability, technical training and dealer network development before our launch,” he said, adding that such measures would lead to customer satisfaction.

If all goes according to Chery’s gameplan, Malaysian car buyers can look forward to exciting times ahead. — HONG BOON HOW and GEORGE WONG

READ MORE: Chery says it takes happy ownership experience seriously


Toy Tesla Model S is 'fastest' gaming PC on wheels

                LOS ANGELES: Modified by Origin PC, this rideable Tesla Model S toy car for children from Radio Flyer now has a fully functional high-powered control processing unit (CPU) under the front hood.

Dubbed the Ludicrous PC (listed under its Gaming Desktop range), this Tesla has been priced from US$13,373 (RM58,000) and is capable of rolling up to a top speed of 9kph and even comes with its own remote that can shut down or restart it. Although the company does ship internationally, Malaysia and Singapore are sadly not included.

For size, this working toy Model S is 1,321mm-long, 724mm-wide and 533mm-tall while fitted with Black Turbined Wheels as standard with four exterior colour options of Solid White, Midnight Silver Metallic, Deep Blue Metallic and Red Metallic. For an added US$15, Silver Turbined Wheels are also available as an optional extra.

The vehicle also comes equipped with a USB port and AUX jack as standard as well as a 190Wh lithium-ion battery pack. car cover with "TESLA" lettering and an "ORIGIN PC" number plate to help recreate some reality.

The CPU is an AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core 3.8GHz (4.6GHz Max Boost) that sits in a ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming ITX/TB3 motherboard with four SATA3 6.0 Gb/s ports and a 750-Watt Corsair SF750 80 Plus Platinum SFX power supply.

RAM has been max-out by 32GB of Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR4 3200MHz chips while the file storage is an uber large 4TB Samsung 860 PRO Series (SATAIII) hard drive installed with Windows 10.

There's also a PCI Express 4.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1: x16 mode), a Hyper M.2 Socket that supports M Key type 2280 M.2 PCI Express module up to Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) (with Matisse) or Gen3x4 (32 Gb/s) (with Pinnacle Ridge and Picasso).

The Corsair Hydro Cooling X liquid cooling system is used to keep temperatures in check (especially when overclocking) and the standard Stage 1 system includes a radiator, CPU water block, Corsair Hydro X XL5 coolant, fittings, reservoir and pump as well as soft tubing.

Also, included is an RGB lighting system and CPU water block that's been synced with the Corsair iCUE Commander Pro software.

The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a Hydro X Cooled NVIDIA 11GB RTX 2080 Ti (clocked at 1,350MHz/1,635MHz) that has three DisplayPorts, an HDMI port and a VR Link for Video Output and 11GB of GDDR6 memory.

A GPU liquid cooling system is also offered but only comes with a Hydro X Cooled graphics card.

For connectivity, it comes fitted with an Intel 802.11ax WiFi Module and a Bluetooth module that supports Bluetooth 5.0 + High-speed class II.

Music and/or sound effects are reproduced by a 7.1-channel HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec).

At no extra charge, new buyers can opt to receive a mouse pad or T-shirt for free, and have the company pre-install either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browser as well as a choice of Battle.net Client, Steam, Uplay Client, Discord, Green Man Gaming and Carbonite cloud backup.

As a precaution, the company warns that driving the Ludicrous PC should be driven by children under adult supervision to carefully to avoid crashing or slamming the vehicle in order to protect the internal hardware.


Aug 22-28: Petrol prices up, diesel down


Singaporean loses Honda Civic Type R in Genting, finds it in unrecognisable state in Putrajaya

                PETALING JAYA: A Singaporean who lost his car in Genting Highlands only to recover it a few days later in an unrecognisable state has vowed not to drive up to Malaysia again.

Quoting Shin Min Daily News, AsiaOne reported that Damien Yeo, 28, had driven up to the highlands resort with his girlfriend and two friends on July 15, and had parked his Honda Civic Type R at a shopping mall’s parking lot.

When they returned to the car the following day (July 16), the Honda was not to be found at the parking bay.

Yeo immediately lodged a police report and on July 20, he received a call from the police to say that his car was found at a condominium in Putrajaya.

When Yeo went to identify his vehicle, he was shocked that the car was nearly unidentifiable, with its tyres and steel rims replaced and its black car wrap torn off.

The car keys were reformatted so the vehicle could not be driven, and the Singaporean licence plate was replaced with a Malaysian one.

Valuables like cash and cash cards were missing from the car while dismantled car parts were found in the vehicle’s boot.

“I have not been able to sleep for a few days and now I’m finally relieved.

“In the near future, I will not dare to drive to Malaysia,” Yeo was quoted as saying.

He added that he might have to “spend a fortune” to replace the damage which he estimated to be around S$8,000 (RM25,660).

The car is currently in the possession of the Malaysian police.


Bentley tow bar for the Bentayga

                SAN FRANCISCO: Bentley has created a tow bar as a lifestyle option for the Bentayga and they will be in action at Pebble Beach show. This is the first time in Bentley's 97-year history a tow bar has been created.

A Bentayga will "draw" a Bowlus Road Chief to Turn 10 at the Laguna Seca circuit, where the Bentayga-Bowlus tandem will be the feature of a brand display. Bowlus Road Chief is a California-based company which specialises in hand-crafted, light-weight luxury trailers.

 The Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase.

The Bentayga will also be partnered with the Bowlus Road Chief – Limited Edition Lithium+ trailer at the Quail and at the British brand’s Pebble Beach Signature Party on Saturday night.

In addition, the Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase and Flying Spur V8 S will be making their US debut at Pebble Beach as well.

Several auctions held during the event feature vintage Bentley vehicles, including two with pre-auction estimates reaching more than US$1.3mil.

 The Flying Spur V8 S.


Nissan teases upcoming ‘hot' 2020 Nissan Titan pickup

                NASHVILLE: Nissan has revealed that the 2020 edition of the Titan pickup truck will make its debut on Sept 26 complete with "hot" lava red accents and a bold new design.

According to a brief press release which was accompanied by an obscure 17-second video of the truck (albeit of a pre-production model), Nissan only stated that the 2020 version of the vehicle has a bold new design with a "first-of-its-kind Nissan badge with lava red accents."

This redesigned badge is revealed in the clip: essentially, the only aspect that's different about it compared with the current rendition is that "Nissan" is written in a vibrant red.

Though we can't tell what exactly what the company means from the short text and darkened video, Nissan promises that the whole PRO-4X model will be ‘hot,' not just the lava red badge.

A pre-production version of the Titan pickup will be unveiled on Sept 26 at the Texas State Fair in Dallas with availability targeted for early next year.


Mobile coverage promised on Pan Borneo Highway

                PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chairman, Al-Ishsal Ishak, said his team will ensure that there will be mobile coverage on the Pan Borneo Highway, which is currently under construction.

"My team and I went to the first 33km of the Pan Borneo Highway in July. We are working to ensure there is connectivity starting from kilometre zero in Teluk Melano, Sarawak,” he said at the launch of National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) here.

“We hope that the coverage will be ready in parallel with the construction of the highway. We're not just going to wait for the highway to be completed."

Improving mobile coverage along the Pan Borneo Highway is one of the seven key targets of NFCP.

The highway, which will stretch from Telok Melano to Merapok is estimated to cover a distance of 1,060km and be completed in 2021.

Improving digital connectivity and infrastructure in Sarawak and neighbouring state Sabah will allow Malaysia to take advantage of Indonesia's plan to move its capital city from Jakarta to Kalimantan.

For instance, Malaysia could offer infrastructure support when needed, he said.

"Today, Indonesia transits its data submarine cables of about 3.3TB via Singapore. It will potentially be more cost effective for Indonesia to move its Internet traffic via Sabah or Sarawak," he said.

NFCP is an ambitious five-year plan with an estimated budget of RM21.6bil which aims to close the gap on the urban-rural divide by providing access to high-quality and affordable digital connectivity in Malaysia.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo in his speech said NFCP is aligned with the government's Shared Prosperity Initiative.

"It is the government's hope to make Malaysia a digital country by 2023 with high economic growth and competitiveness, where the rakyat can enjoy significant improvement at the socioeconomic level along with a more productive life," he said.


Scammers targeting motorists with 'accident'

                KUALA LUMPUR: Motorists beware – scammers have taken to the roads in search of victims.

The scammers, usually on motorcycles, will intentionally hit your car and then claim that it was your fault. They also claimed they are hurt, their machine is damaged and demand compensation.

This was exactly what happened to a saleswoman known only as Wong, 32, just as she headed out for a meeting last Friday morning.

“I was driving from Jalan Sultan Ismail towards Mid Valley (Megamall) along Jalan Kuching when I heard a thud.

“I continued driving and when I stopped at a traffic jam, a motorcyclist waved at me and gestured that I had hit him.

“The man introduced himself as Jay Lim and suggested we settle the issue and demanded RM1,000 from me after contacting a repairman,” she told reporters at the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department here yesterday.

She said the motorcyclist then told her he was going to report the incident as a working accident, so that he could claim Socso compensation and requested her to pretend to be his cousin.

“I also received a message from a woman on WhatsApp claiming to be an accounts clerk from the motorcyclist’s company to pass me the bank account details,” she said, adding that she finally transferred the RM1,000 to the account.

She said she was later contacted by the motorcyclist claiming that his medical fees had reached RM670 and his motorcycle repairs cost RM2,450 and required a further RM1,450 cash from her.

“I banked in the cash in two transactions and then he contacted me again claiming that he needed another RM878 and RM300 banked in two separate bank accounts.

“I felt something fishy was going on and refused to answer his calls after this and I received a message asking for RM3,078 cash,” she said, adding that when she refused, the motorcyclist and another person started threatening to viral the incident on social media and the news.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said he has received three other similar reports.

“Motorists should be aware that in case of any accident, they should go to the nearest police station and lodge a police report.

“If they are asking for compensation, tell them that once a police report is lodged, compensation claims would be dealt with by the insurance companies,” he said.


Porsche Cayenne and Panamera upgraded with Premium Package

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Porsche Cayenne and Panamera models now come with a newly enhanced Premium Package to boost comfort and luxury.

The package includes features such as 14-way power seats with memory function for driver and front passenger, four-zone automatic climate control, automatic dimming mirrors, electrical sun blinds, ambient lighting, and BOSE Surround Sound System.

In addition, Power Steering Plus and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) are included as standard for an even sportier driving experience.

Porsche distributor Sime Darby Auto Performance said the new competitive base prices for the Cayenne and Panamera with the Premium Package starts from RM780,000 and RM890,000 respectively.

“Together with Porsche Asia Pacific, the Premium Package for the Cayenne and Panamera is an initiative to enrich the product substance to elevate the customer’s ownership experience even further. We are giving a wider spread of comfort and sportiness in our vehicles, yet with even more competitive pricing. With this enhanced product line-up, we certainly look forward to a great year ahead,” said Sime Darby Auto Performance CEO Christopher Hunter.

Another bit of interesting news is that the all-electric Taycan is expected to be launched in Malaysia in 2020.

Meanwhile, to cater to a growing customer base, Sime Darby Auto Performance said it would open up a Porsche Centre in Johor Baru and in Ara Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, within this year. It currently operates from its base in Glenmarie, Shah Alam and in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, and in Penang.

To kick start 2019, the distributor is organising an "open house" from Jan 19-20 at all Porsche Centres nationwide.


GM agrees to stake lock-in, make South Korea regional HQ in rescue deal for unit

                SEOUL: General Motors will stay in South Korea for at least 10 years and set up its Asia-Pacific headquarters in the country, government officials said today, revealing terms of a deal aimed at rescuing the US automaker’s struggling GM Korea unit.

The US car maker’s Korean unit averted a bankruptcy filing with a wage deal clinched last month, but analysts and customers, as well as the South Korean government, have had doubts about GM’s commitment and about how long the loss-making company will remain in business.

The terms of the binding deal to be signed on May 11 seek to assuage some of those concerns.

As per the agreement, GM can’t sell any of its 77 percent stake in GM Korea over the next five years and can’t let it fall below 35 percent thereafter until 2028, South Korean Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon told a press conference.

The restriction on the stake sale was one of tools that will prevent GM from leaving the South Korean market, Kim said.

He also said the deal package “paved the way for GM to operate continuously beyond 10 years”, referring to concerns that GM may leave after 10 years.

The Detroit car maker and state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) already have a preliminary deal on $7.15 billion of investments, including $2 billion of capital spending by GM and a $2.8 billion debt-for-equity swap for existing loans GM Korea owes to its parent, to rescue the unit.

As a sign of its long-term commitment, GM plans to set up a new Asia-Pacific headquarters in South Korea, although that excludes China, the government said on Thursday.

GM will also buy more parts from South Korean suppliers for its overseas operations, boosting procurement from about 2 trillion won (RM7.3bil) a year at present, it said.

In return, South Korea will provide funding to local suppliers of GM and other South Korean automakers for the development of parts for electric and self-driving cars, and other key automotive parts.

“It was a very difficult and a critical decision,” chairman of the financial watchdog Financial Service Commission Choi Jong-ku said at the briefing, adding the government had to consider the risk to 156,000 jobs at GM Korea and its suppliers, the eco-system of South Korea’s car industry, as well as exports and local economies.

Barry Engle, President of GM International, said today that the automaker’s commitment to South Korea was long-term and sincere, adding that although there was still a lot of work to do, he sees a bright future in the country.


Expect lower-priced CKD Proton X70 in November, says AmInvestment Bank

 Proton CEO Dr.Li Chunrong with the popular X70.
KUALA LUMPUR: The sales volume of Proton will continue to be the key driver of the local car industry, with the locally assembled X70 stepping up the pace, says AmInvestment Bank today.

With local assembly, the X70 will see a price cut when it rolls out in November, said the bank.

“We look forward to the upcoming X70 CKD in November, where DRB-Hicom’s management has indicated that there will be a price reduction for the popular SUV,” it said in a note today.

With the recent launch of Saga, the bank is confident Proton would be able to maintain strong sales through the rest of 2019.

According to a media report recently, the automaker registered a total sales volume of 8,600 units in July, translating to a market share of 16.5 per cent for the month and 15% on a year-to-date basis.

Proton sales stood at 52,200 units for the first seven months of the year, recording a growth of 48 per cent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, July 2019 total industry volume (TIV) rose 20 per cent month-on-month but dipped 26 per cent year-on-year to 50,900 units.

For the first seven months of 2019, TIV was down 3.0 per cent to 347,200 units from 358,100 units in the same period last year.

“While we have yet to receive the official Malaysia Automotive Association numbers for the other brands and the total industry volume breakdown, it is highly likely that Proton has ousted Honda and claimed its position as the runner-up in YTD market share.

“With the sustained momentum and deliveries from volume-oriented models like the Persona and Iriz, we strongly believe that Proton will finish second by the end of 2019, behind Perodua,” said the bank.


April 15 to 21: Fuel prices unchanged

                KUALA LUMPUR: The retail prices of RON95, RON97 and diesel will remain unchanged for the period of April 15 to 21, with each still priced at RM2.05, RM2.54 and RM2.15 per litre respectively.

In a statement today, the Finance Ministry said the prices are based on the weekly retail pricing of petroleum products using the automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM) formula.


Toyota to improve car connectivity

                TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp (TMC) and KDDI Corp have partnered to establish a global communications platform, to support car connectivity.

Toyota aims to bring greater connectivity to its vehicles throughout the world, and to do so, the use of a uniform data communications module (DCM) will be essential.

DCMs can be connected without relying on global roaming services, and will be the standard equipment in nearly all new Toyota and Lexus vehicles sold in Japan and the U.S. by 2020.

Toyota aims to develop such globally uniform DCMs by 2019.

As such, to support communications between DCMs and Cloud services, TMC and KDDI will jointly plan and design a global communications platform which KDDI will develop and operate.

Shigeki Tomoyama, senior managing officer of TMC, stated, "Communications technology is essential to enhance vehicle connectivity and Toyota has been making efforts in this field for years."

Takashi Tanaka, president of KDDI, said, "We are excited to participate in this large project which aims for a future where vehicles are connected in a variety of countries all over the world."


EV demand expected to soar in 2023

                KUALA LUMPUR: Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is expected to grow sharply in 2023, due to tax incentives as well as potential launches of more accessibly priced EVs.

Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) president Datuk Aishah Ahmad noted that as at October 2022, a total of 2,093 units of EVs had been registered.

In a recent note, Fitch Solutions forecast passenger EV sales in Malaysia to grow rapidly in 2023, albeit from a low base, due to government tax incentives to boost adoption.

The research unit expects passenger EV sales in Malaysia to jump 45.6% in 2023 to 4,449 units.

“MAA believes we can reach this (Fitch Solutions’ forecast) sales in 2023, with the current tax incentives on completely knocked-down (CKD) and completely built-up (CBU) vehicles,” Aishah told StarBiz.

In Malaysia, there are import and excise duty exemptions for battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The exemptions will last until Dec 31, 2025 for locally assembled models, but only until the end of 2023 for CBU vehicles.

In the recently tabled Budget 2023, there was a proposal to extend the exemptions for CBUs by another year.

International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz also said recently that the government strongly supports the EV agenda.

Tengku Zafrul was quoted as saying the government was driving efforts to attract EV investments and aims for EVs and hybrid vehicles to consist 15% of total industry volume (TIV) by 2030, and 38% of TIV by 2040.

Tengku Zafrul added that the government wants 10,000 public charging stations for such green vehicles by 2025.

Aishah said such targets are achievable, provided all tax incentives for EVs remain and the government’s plans for public charging stations installation throughout Malaysia are implemented, as well as all needed infrastructure for the growth of the EV segment is put in place as targeted in 2023 and beyond.

“I do hope the current government continues to emphasise and encourage EV sales,” she said.

Tradeview Capital Sdn Bhd CEO Ng Zhu Hann also said he is positive on the outlook for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and green vehicles in Malaysia.

“It is still at its nascent stage, but increasingly, we are seeing the private sector leading the adoption of BEVs in the country. The car makers are also bringing in new models, in line with the favourable government tax incentives and policies which make prices competitive, hence attracting consumers interest,” said Ng.

He also noted that there was rising awareness about climate change and the importance of the green agenda, which are shifting consumers’ preferences.

“Apart from buying BEVs for the sleek design and futuristic features, doing good and contributing back to the society in terms of lowering carbon emission do resonate with people,” said Ng.

On the government’s target of increasing sales of EVs and hybrid vehicles, Ng said this is possible considering that the past year’s sales performance have not taken into account of the recovery from semiconductor components shortage.

“This means, if the supply chain disruption in the EV sector can be resolved, these automakers should be able to fulfill orders quicker with shorter turnaround time.

In addition, there is an important factor that will help with mass adoption. The rollout of EV charging infrastructure is the key to spur wider adoption,” he said.

However, Ng pointed out that “range anxiety” or the limited travel range for BEVs on a single charge remains a concern for car buyers, especially for frequent inter-state motorists.

“If the government can work hand in hand with the private sector to alleviate such concerns, I believe BEVs’ growth in the coming years will remain intact. We are seeing initiatives such as Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s Elektron, Petronas’ Gentari, and Shell ReCharge coming up and hopefully, more will enter the industry to ensure easy access and convenience for BEV road users,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fitch Solutions also forecasted that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) would lose market share in Malaysia in 2023 as more BEVs are launched.

The research unit said EV sales in Malaysia could exceed 1% of total industry volume (TIV) by 2024, as growing demand for both PHEVs and BEVs accelerates EV adoption.

Fitch Solutions added that Malaysia is well positioned to increase the assembly of battery packs as companies take advantage of higher demand for EV batteries.

Also, the research unit noted that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has ordered 60 electric buses from SKSBus Group, which will be delivered in stages starting 2022, while MAN Truck & Bus (M) Sdn Bhd,

beginning in 2023, will offer zero-emission, all-electric bus chassis as well as conventional bus chassis powered by low-emission Euro V engines as the company continues to drive changes in Malaysia’s public transportation sector toward sustainable mobility.

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad had said recently that the government will look into ways to bring affordable electric vehicles (EVs) priced less than RM100,000 into the local market to benefit the people.

Nik Nazmi noted that the prices of most EVs in the local market are beyond the means of the vast majority of Malaysians.

Bernama had reported Nik Nazmi as saying that Proton would be introducing Geely-produced EVs and such vehicles may be offered at lower prices if they are locally assembled.

Nik Nazmi added that the expansion of the EV industry in the country was also part of the government’s efforts to achieve a low-carbon future, and the ministry would look into ways to improve Budget 2023 or Budget 2024 to include incentives for more Malaysians to own EVs.

Meanwhile, Maybank Investment Bank (IB) Research said in a recent report that electrification will continue to be a key agenda for Malaysia’s automotive sector – a key magnet to attracting new foreign direct investments (FDIs).

“Malaysia’s EV push is gaining momentum. The adoption rate is improving post the EV tax incentives support, with increasing new BEV, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and PHEV model launches as well as faster rollouts of fast public chargers (DCFCs),” said the research unit.

Maybank IB Research pointed out that the country’s xEVs’ adoption rate is at 2.6% currently.

xEV is the generic name for electromotive vehicles such as HEVs, PHEVs and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

“The four-wheelers xEVs and BEVs adoption rate as at October 2022 stood at 2.6% and 0.3% respectively, which is decent compared with Asean peers,” said Maybank IB Research.

The research unit pointed out that EV policies need to be continuously updated to future-proof growth.

“While Malaysia’s goals are relatively decent and achievable for a start, a more defined, continuously strong, progressive, competitive and forward-looking policy will see a greater push towards electrification, which, in our view is still lagging its Asean counterparts, such as Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore for now,” said Maybank IB Research.

READ MORE:  MAA ups TIV forecast by 5% to 630,000


Setel fuel payment app adds friend referral, usable at all Petronas stations in Klang Valley

                KUALA LUMPUR: Setel, Malaysia’s first mobile app for fuel payment at the pump, is now available at all Petronas stations in the Klang Valley.

It also officially announced its latest feature: Refer A Friend. The feature allows Setel to further encourage adoption, while rewarding existing users for spreading the word on the app.

Every time a user’s unique referral code is used to register a new user and the new user spends a minimum RM30 worth of fuel via the app at any Setel-enabled Petronas station, the referrer would earn credits for fuel. A user would be rewarded with RM5 and RM6 respectively for the first and second referral and RM7 for the third referral onwards. The referred user would also get RM5.

"More than just an e-wallet for Petronas stations, the Setel app is changing what has always been accepted as the standard process when refuelling at petrol stations," said Setel CEO Iskandar Ezzahuddin.

Setel is part of Petronas Dagangan Berhad’s (PDB) plan to tap start-up companies in co-creating innovative solutions to enhance customer experience.

First launched in July last year, Setel was created to make it convenient for car owners when refuelling, by integrating payment and loyalty benefits into one phone app.

Using the app, customers can avoid the RM200 hold incurred when using credit and debit cards by using the app’s e-wallet feature.

All transactions are tracked, and convenient e-receipts allow for a better overview of expenses for fuel. Setel is integrated with the Petronas Mesra loyalty programme allowing users to earn Mesra points without having to physically swipe their card.

Contrary to popular belief, using smartphones at petrol stations do not cause fires or explosions.

The app is available to download for free on iOS and Android via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.


Renault-Nissan intent on staying ahead in electric cars

                DAVOS: Renault-Nissan has sold more than 400,000 electric cars globally and the leader in plug-in vehicles is planning further investment to maintain its market lead, the chief executive of the auto alliance said.

Carlos Ghosn disclosed the figure during an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum here.

"We are going to increase investment, we are going to have lots of new cars coming, better batteries, better performance, lower prices," Ghosn said on Wednesday.

Nissan's LEAF kicked off the contemporary crop of battery-only cars, joined two years later by alliance partner Renault's Zoe, a hatchback subcompact.

"We announced eight years ago that there is no way this industry is going to survive without electric cars. Electric cars are part of the future. The only question is how fast they will be a major contributor to the industry," Ghosn said.

The Franco-Japanese alliance said in September it had sold 350,000 electric vehicles since December 2010, when the LEAF first went on sale.

"We are today the leaders in EV. We have sold more than 400,000 EVs globally and we intend to keep this leadership," Ghosn said.


Yellowbrick and Petersen Automotive Museum offer free online car design course

                LOS ANGELES: Calling all would-be car designers.

Online education company Yellowbrick has teamed up with Petersen Automotive Museum to offer a newly-released free online course led by some of the top names in vehicle design.

“Auto Design & Sketching” highlights a path to a career in automotive design for anyone with a burning passion for cars and design, while mapping out a possible career in the future of transportation.

The self-paced online course features three modules: Design Principles & History, Famous Case Studies and Let’s Draw, which focuses on sketching exercises.

The course is guided by a group of automotive designers, including Franz von Holzhausen (Chief Designer, Tesla Motors), Ralph Gilles (Chief Design Officer, Stellantis), Christine Feuell (Brand CEO, Chrysler), Francesc Arenas (Design Director, Hispano Suiza) and Roman Yneges (Faculty, Art Center College of Design), among others.

"We designed this course to simplify and illuminate a path to a career in automotive design,” said Justin Wolske, director, partnerships & strategic initiatives for Yellowbrick.

“High-level training in this field isn’t always easily accessible, but we’ve removed some of those barriers by offering the program at no cost and involving an esteemed lineup of contributors.”

Auto Design & Sketching’s first module is available now, with the second and third modules slated for release in December and January, respectively.

Participants only need to provide an email address and be at least 13 years old to participate. For more information or to register, visit yellowbrick.co/autodesign.


RUF Automobile unveils Rodeo and SCR concept

                MUNICH: RUF Automobile GmbH, manufacturer and creator of bespoke sports cars that combine performance and suitability for everyday use, unveiled the RUF Rodeo Concept and the first production RUF SCR at its headquarters in Pfaffenhausen, 102km west of here.

The Rodeo Concept was inspired by the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance and its founder – and friend of RUF – Bruce Meyer, as well as by Ralph Lauren and his 2011 Western Collection and RUF enthusiast and collector Phillip Sarofim who has roots in Texas.

The car features the same carbon fibre monocoque chassis as the CTR Anniversary and the SCR, but with a four-wheel drive system to tackle off-road use, larger all-terrain tires, longer-travel suspension and more. The Rodeo Concept can accommodate either a normally aspirated or turbo-charged RUF flat-six engine.

 RUF Rodeo.

“When we began building our own automobiles it was all for the thrill of the drive,” said Estonia Ruf, marketing director of RUF Automobile GmbH. “The Rodeo Concept combines that passion for cars with the love of western culture – an appreciation I found while studying in Oklahoma, USA. This car is inspired by some of our favorite people and our love for the countryside.”

Shown alongside the Rodeo Concept was the first production RUF SCR. The SCR features a 4.0L normally aspirated flat-six engine producing 510hp, 470 Nm of torque and weighs in at 1,250kg.

The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox which gives the car the optimal mechanical feel. The car’s spoiler generates high downforce and keeps the RUF SCR stable at its top speed of 320kmh.

 RUF SCR.


VW and Stanford University ups fuel cell performance, reduces costs too!

                WOLFSBURG: Volkswagen (VW) and Stanford University in the United States have found a way to reduce the comparatively high cost of fuel cell technology to take on the classic electric car with battery cells.

One of the biggest cost drivers for fuel cells in particular is the use of the precious metal platinum, which is required as a catalyst to operate the fuel cell.

The material is distributed as particles on carbon powder, but the desired catalytic process only takes place on the surface of the platinum particles, which wastes large quantities of the cost-intensive material.

In a process newly developed by the collaborative efforts of the two entities, platinum atoms have been specifically placed on a carbon surface in order to produce extremely thin particles - reducing the amount of platinum required to a fraction of the current amount.

This increases the efficiency of the newly-developed fuel cell catalyst by a factor of three compared to current technology, while at the same time increasing its durability.

Meanwhile, it was found that the service life and catalyst performance have increased, which can benefit other applications requiring high-performance materials, such as next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

In terms of efficiency, range and refuelling times, cars with fuel cells are comparable to conventional combustion engines - giving off water and heat as emissions.

Due to the comparatively high production costs, the fuel cell is currently still a niche product, but with the help of the new catalyst technology, the economic efficiency would increase enormously.

This would make the fuel cell a real alternative to battery-powered drives and the classic combustion engine.

The task of the researchers is now to transfer the results obtained in the laboratory to industrial large-scale production.


Pickups and SUVs in spotlight at 2018 Detroit auto show

                DETROIT: Pickup trucks and SUVs will be among the biggest stars of this year’s Detroit Auto Show, reflecting the US tilt towards larger vehicles in an era of relatively low gasoline prices.

Car sales data from 2017 show large models grabbing their biggest-ever share of the US market. Judging from the agenda of the 2018 show, which kicks off this weekend at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, auto manufacturers expect more of the same for a good while longer.

”They’re really riding what’s selling now,” said Randy Miller, global automotive and transportation leader at Ernst & Young, noting that profit margins on larger vehicles dwarf those of smaller vehicles.

The most anticipated offerings include revamps of the Chevrolet Silverado and pickups, the number two and three best-selling US cars in 2017 behind the Ford F-series pickups.

The show is expected to draw some 700,000 visitors in all. After the press preview, the event will open to the public from Jan 20-28.

The Detroit gathering comes just a few days after the giant Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which this year included numerous auto executives, who talked up new mobile-friendly gadgets and updated techies on initiatives around electric cars and autonomous transport.

”A lot of the manufacturers have geared up their future product and technology and they’re showcasing that stuff at CES,” said Matt DeLorenzo, managing editor of Kelley Blue Book. “Next week it’ll be‘Let’s get back to business and show what we’re selling now.’”

Cautious mood

Analysts described the overall industry mood as cautious after US car sales fell in 2017 for the first time since 2009, dropping 1.5 percent to 17.2 million.

The industry took the decline in stride, reasoning that the years-long boom after the 2008 financial crisis had to end one day and taking solace in the fact that sales stayed north of 16 million, still a good level.

But the decline also comes as car manufacturers continue to anxiously view ongoing trade negotiations to revamp the North America Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Shares of GM and Ford both tumbled Wednesday on speculation that President Donald Trump will ditch the agreement.

”Manufacturers are leery about potential changes in trade policy, NAFTA, etc,” said Joe Wiesenfelder, executive editor of cars.com.

The Detroit show also comes only weeks after Trump signed into law a massive US tax code rewrite. Automakers applauded Washington after it scuppered a proposal to end a key tax credit for electric cars.

The industry also welcomes a lower corporate tax rate, but insiders say it is too soon to know whether provisions to encourage more domestic capital spending will have much effect.

”People are not clear how it’s going to affect them,” Wiesenfelder said. “It’s very difficult to tell at this stage what the real bottom line will be on the tax code.”

 Teaser image of the Avalon.Electric future?

Auto industry insiders are especially keen to get a look at the new the Ram 1500 and the Chevrolet Silverado, which with the F-150 were on track to again be the top three selling US vehicles for 2017 as of mid-December, according to Kelley Blue Book.

”It doesn’t look like there’s going to be a great amount of introductions, but the ones that are there look pretty significant,” said Wiesenfelder.

Other new vehicles expected to be unveiled include several SUVs or larger “crossover” vehicles from Acura, BMW and Mercedes, while Ford is considered likely to revive the Ford Ranger, a midsize pickup last offered in 2011.

Expected sedan launches include a revamped Toyota Avalon, an updated Volkswagen Jetta and new products from Kia and Hyundai.

Still, sedans are clearly on the outs with many US consumers. Traditional cars accounted for just 36 percent of the US market last year, down from 50 percent in 2012, and the lowest share ever, according to Kelley Blue Book. Analysts see other factors besides cheap gas pushing consumers to bigger vehicles.

”You feel like you’re more in control of the situation, especially as there’s more pickups and SUVs around you,” said DeLorenzo. “You want to be tall like everyone else, rather than sitting lower in a traditional sedan.”

DeLorenzo noted that the 2018 show is expected to include just one major new electric or hybrid vehicles - a new Honda Insight prototype.

”What it says is that the electric future everybody’s talking about might be a little further out than what they’re letting on,” he said.


As Biden works to fix chips shortage, Intel promises help for automakers

                WASHINGTON: US president Joe Biden met with executives from major companies on Monday to discuss the global chip shortage that has hit automakers and spurred Intel Corp to announce it plans to make chips for car plants at its factories in the next six to nine months.

During the meeting, Biden said he had bipartisan support for legislation to fund the semiconductor industry. He previously announced plans to invest US$50 billion in semiconductor manufacturing and research as part of his drive to rebuild US manufacturing under a US$2 trillion infrastructure plan.

The global chip shortage stems from a confluence of factors as carmakers, which shut plants during the Covid-19 pandemic last year, compete against the sprawling consumer electronics industry for chip supplies. That industry has seen a boom as people spend more time at home.

Biden and his top advisers view the semiconductor shortage as a “top and immediate priority,” the White House said after the meeting.

Intel chief executive Pat Gelsinger, who attended the meeting virtually, told Reuters the company wanted to start producing chips at its factories within six to nine months to address the shortage, which has idled assembly lines at some US automotive plants.

The supply crunch could lead to a potential 1.3 million shortfall in US car and light-duty truck production this year.

“We’re hoping that some of these things can be alleviated, not requiring a three- or four-year factory build, but maybe six months of new products being certified on some of our existing processes,” Gelsinger said. “We’ve begun those engagements already with some of the key components suppliers.”

Intel last month announced plans to vastly scale up chips manufacturing for outsiders as it builds new factories in the United States and Europe. Its talks with automotive suppliers disclosed on Monday represent an acceleration of those plans.

The White House meeting included executives from 19 major companies, including General Motors Chief Executive Mary Barra, Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley and Chrysler-parent Stellantis NV CEO Carlos Tavares. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo also took part.

“Today I received a letter from 23 senators, bipartisan and 42 House members, Republican and Democrat, supporting the chips for America program,” Biden said at the top of the session.

Executives from companies such as GlobalFoundries, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, AT&T, Samsung Electronics Co and Google-parent Alphabet Inc also were in attendance.

Participants emphasized the importance of increasing transparency in the semiconductor supply chain to help mitigate current shortages, and improving demand forecasting to help stave off future challenges, the White House said in a statement.

They also discussed “the importance of encouraging additional semiconductor manufacturing capacity in the United States to make sure we never again face shortages,” it added.

Participants discussed short and long-term approaches to address the chips shortage, but no immediate decision or announcement was likely to come from the meeting, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

Broadband internet, cellphone and cable TV companies also face delays in receiving “network switches, routers, and servers,” according to an industry group.

Later this week, the Senate Commerce Committee will hold its first hearing on a bipartisan measure to bolster technology research and development efforts in a bid to address Chinese competition.

“Trying to address supply chains on a crisis-by-crisis basis creates critical national security vulnerabilities,” national security adviser Sullivan said in a statement.


350,000th Ducati Monster delivered with fanfare

                BOLOGNA: The Ducati Monster reaches a significant milestone in its history with the delivery of the 350,000th model. This is a Monster 1200 S “Black on Black”, which Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali and the Director of the Ducati Design Center Andrea Ferraresi personally delivered to its owner, Sebastien Francois Yves Hervé De Rose.

De Rose, who ordered the Monster 1200 S from the Ducati dealer in Milan, was invited to Borgo Panigale for the occasion. The bike was personalized with a plate bearing the number 350,000 and was delivered to the owner accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Claudio Domenicali and a sketch of the Monster signed by the designer Angelo Amato.

The Monster is the biggest selling Ducati model of all time, as well as the longest-serving motorcycle in the range. Its legend was created in 1992 when the company had the intuition of putting on the road a Ducati with a Superbike chassis stripped of the fairings and all elements not strictly necessary.

The launch of the M900 model, the first Monster ever, open a new segment of the motorcycle market – the sports naked.

Over the course of almost 30 years the Monster has changed, improved and evolved from a technical and aesthetic point of view, but without ever losing sight of its main goal: to be a fun-to-ride bike for motorcyclists from all over the world and inspire new generations of enthusiasts. From the legendary Monster 600, which opened the Ducati world to many young motorcyclists, to the second generation with the 696 and 1100 models, passing through the 4-valve versions, up to the most recent 797, 821 and 1200, Monster represents an extraordinary success for the brand and for the Ducati company.

On Dec 2 last year, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer presented the new generation of the Monster to the public, which will arrive in dealerships in April 2021.


Tesla Model S is currently the electric car with the longest range

                ATLANTA: Until now the uncontested leader in terms of range, Tesla will soon be in competition with market newcomer Lucid Motors.

The manufacturer, which like Tesla is also an American all-electric specialist, has announced a range of 830km on a single charge for its future Air sedan.

However, in the run-up to the launch of the Air on Sept 9 and its availability in showrooms in 2021, Tesla will continue to dominate all-electric range rankings.

With an announced range of 830km (a figure that should be treated cautiously), Lucid may be about to write a new chapter in the history of all-electric cars.

However, for the moment, the ranking for range is dominated by Tesla and in particular the Tesla model S, which scored highest in the world harmonized light-duty vehicles test procedure (WLTP).

The top 10 longest range all-electric automobiles according to the WLTP

1. Tesla Model S: 610 km
2. Tesla Model 3: 560 km
3a. Tesla Model X: 470 km 3b. Jaguar I-Pace: 470 km 3c. Polestar 2: 470 km
6. Kia e-Niro: 455 km
7. Kia e-SOul: 452 km
8. Hyundai Kona: 449 km
9. Audi e-tron Sportback: 446 km
10. Mercedes EQC: 414 km

However, this ranking does not necessarily reflect real conditions on the road. Last spring, to put paid to any doubts they had on the matter, Auto Plus, a US aftermarkets parts distributor, decided to conduct their own tests under more realistic conditions.

Not surprisingly, Tesla dominated this ranking too, although the scores were not quite as high as expected.

The top 10 longest range all-electric automobiles according to Auto Plus

1. Tesla Model S: 491km
2. Tesla Model 3: 434km
3. Kia e-Soul: 397km
4. Hyundai Kona EV: 393km
5. Audi e-tron 55: 387km
6. Kia e-Niro: 381km
7. Jaguar I-Pace: 372km
8. Tesla Model X: 370km
9. Mercedes EQC 400: 332km
10. Nissan LEAF: 326km

These tests conducted by the Auto Plus lab at the Linas-Montlhéry track in Essonne, France followed a procedure that was different to the one used for WLTP, which aimed to be more realistic.


Tesla Model 3 key fob sold out in one day

                SAN FRANCISCO: After an alarming video surfaced of car thieves stealing a Tesla with nothing but a phone and tablet, Tesla released a Model 3 key fob without the easily intercepted passive entry feature for US customers on Friday.

After receiving constant requests from Model 3 owners who have not been satisfied with opening their car via a credit card-like key or via their smartphone and the Tesla mobile app, Tesla finally released a Model 3 key fob on Friday — those in the early access program already got their hands on the device last month.

Whereas the other Tesla models have always had a complementary fob, the Model 3 didn't up until Friday; however, this version is a bit different from the others.

The Model S and Model X fobs are equipped with a feature called "passive entry" which allows the vehicles to automatically unlock when their fob is within a certain range — a range that could be intercepted by hackers through a cell phone or tablet. The Model 3 fob doesn't have this feature which is bittersweet, depending on how much you appreciated not pressing a button to enter your car.

Without this passive entry (which can, in fact, still be used when paired with a smartphone), drivers will have to press the fob's physical buttons to lock and unlock the doors, open the trunk, pop the hood, and open the door to the charging port, just like is possible with the other Tesla models; on the bright side, this makes the car less likely to be stolen.

Right now, the key fob that looks like a tiny version of the Tesla Model 3 is sold out; when the device is restocked, it can be ordered from the website for US$150 (RM629).


Toyota and Carmera team up for automated driving technology

                TOKYO:  Toyota Research Institute - Advanced Development Inc (TRI-AD) and Carmera Inc have joined forces to develop an Automated Mapping Platform (AMP) for highly automated driving, by combining data gathered from vehicles of participating companies to generate HD maps.

Automated driving requires highly reliable road information based on HD map data.

While the creation of highway HD maps is underway, this coverage represents less than 1% of the worldwide road network.

The next challenge is to create and maintain maps for urban areas and local roads that go beyond the highway road network.

The two companies will place cameras in Toyota test vehicles to collect data over several months from areas of downtown Tokyo.

The cameras installed in the test vehicles use Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) components that Toyota installs on its vehicles globally.

Images and other data gathered from TSS will be processed on Carmera's real-time platform to automatically generate HD map data.

In addition, by placing commercially available "dashcam" drive recorders in Toyota test vehicles, the project will demonstrate automated map generation from a broader range of sources that do not have TSS.

This draws upon Carmera's millions of miles of driving video collected, structured and enriched through safety monitoring partnerships with professional fleets in other complex environments like New York City.

By generating HD maps based on data acquired from commercially available vehicles around the world, automated driving can be enabled on all roads.

Mandali Khalesi, Vice President Automated Driving at TRI-AD, said: "Currently automated driving map development relies on highly expensive specialized mapping vehicles deployed in limited numbers, and a lengthy manual process for reliable HD map creation. We're excited to partner with Carmera to automate HD map generation and help enable automated driving mobility for all."

Ro Gupta, CEO at Carmera, said: "Carmera was founded to deploy next-generation street intelligence at low cost, high speed and automotive-grade reliability, in order to democratize autonomous mobility at global scale. We're excited to collaborate with TRI-AD in putting the flexibility and modularity of our platform to work to build HD maps, beginning with one of the largest and most dynamic urban environments in the world."


Born to be electric: SEAT kid Cupra all grown up with its first EV

                BERLIN: SEAT subsidiary Cupra has announced its first electric vehicle (EV), a compact called Born that's set to roll out in European markets in the coming weeks.

The Born measures 4.32 metres in length, is somewhat flatter and, with a wheelbase of 2.77 metres, also offers somewhat less space inside than the ID3, Audi E-Tron Q4 or Skoda Enyaq. Cupra puts boot capacity at 385 litres.

According to Cupra, the Born will be available with a 150 kW/204hp electric motor in the rear and a 58kWh battery in the floor. The standard range is 424km.

Cupra limits the top speed to 160kph, while the top charging speed is 125 kW, meaning that in ideal conditions you'll get enough juice for 100km in seven minutes. The battery needs 35 minutes to go from 5 to 80 per cent.

Prices start from an initial €37,200 (RM180,000), according to the manufacturer. This makes the Spaniard slightly more expensive than the VW ID3, with which it shares some of its tech, as the Born is also based on the VW Group's MEB electric modular system.

Two further battery variants with 45 and 77 kWh are to follow later. These will either bring the price closer to €30,000 (RM145,000) or increase the range to more than 500km.

Cupra also has more in store for the variants: there will be a basic version with 110 kW/150 hp and a sports variant in which the power can be increased to 170 kW/231 hp for a short time at the push of a button. The top speed then also increases from 160 to 180kph.


Polestar Design Contest winners announced

                GOTHENBURG: The winners of Polestar’s first annual Design Contest have been chosen and their designs will soon embark on a global exhibition, being displayed virtually and in Polestar Spaces around the world.

The Polestar Design Contest invited both professional and student designers to create a vision of future mobility with the theme of “purity”.

They were asked to present a new Polestar that exhibits the purest of designs; a vision of Polestar's evolution in the year 2040 that follows the Polestar design philosophy. Specifically, the vision did not need to be a car.

Winner of the professional category is Konrad Cholewka from Poland with his “Polestar MMXL” design – an inclusive, autonomous pod with a flexible interior design, pure in its combination of two geometric shapes.

The student category has been won by Siddhesh Bhogale from India with his “Polestar 40” design – an airship that looks ahead 20 years by combining Polestar design with a 21st century aviation approach.

 Polestar Design Contest 2020 honourable mention - Arthur Martins, Spänning.

An honourable mention goes to Arthur Martins from Brazil for his “Spänning” electric yacht, the design of which shows the potential for an electric cruiser that offers a true alternative to conventional craft, just as Polestar cars do in the automotive world.

“We received an overwhelming amount of enthusiastic attention from inspired designers all over the world,” says Juan-Pablo Bernal, Senior Design Manager for Polestar, curator of the @polestardesigncommunity Instagram account and the founder of the contest.

“The designers produced very high-quality material, and we saw a very consistent expression of the Polestar design language.”

Hundreds of entries were received, from a truly international mix of designers – including submissions from India, South Korea, Japan, Germany, the United States, Sweden, Brazil, Poland, and China. Designs included everything from hypercars and Arctic exploration vehicles, to personal mobility solutions and watercraft.


Govt likely to alter fuel price mechanism in second half of 2018

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is mulling a review of the automatic price mechanism (APM) for fuel in the second half of next year following consultation with stakeholders.

The move is spurred by complaints from petrol station operators over the way the APM has been administered ever since the switch to a managed float system to replace subsidies on retail fuel products in December 2014.

The new system has resulted in fluctuations of petrol prices and petrol inventory levels, the operators claimed.

The APM determines retail fuel prices since 1983, which means the Government sets the fuel price at a level that cannot be changed despite the changes in the crude oil price in the trade market.

However, the Government’s move to deregulate the retail fuel market in the last three years has caused discrepancies from the highly regulated agreement between the petrol station operators and the oil companies, which has resulted in a rising number of stations closing down.

Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) claims that about 120 petrol stations nationwide have closed over the past three years. There are a total of 3,500 petrol stations nationwide.

Alarming figures from Petronas’ Petrol Station Operator Association revealed that 57 Petronas stations have shut down over the past three years, from only seven stations from 2012 to 2014, prior to the execution of the managed float system.

To-date, data from Shell Petroleum Dealers Association Malaysia echoed a similar growing trend of operators surrendering, with 45 petrol stations closing down over the past three years from only seven stations between 2012 to 2014.

Meanwhile, a total of 16 Petron stations have surrendered since the execution of the managed float system, from only two stations in 2014, according to Petron Petrol Dealers Association Malaysia.

In a recent interview with StarBiz, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin refuted the data from associations, saying that the figures of petrol station operators surrendering is less as the ministry controls the licences of the operators.

However, he admits there were complaints by petrol station operators on their powerlessness to control the stock level purchased by oil companies.

“When I look at the complaints, there are more towards the misunderstanding between oil companies and dealers (operators),” Hamzah said.

Going forward, he said the ministry is looking seriously to review the current APM by examining the stock level complaints by operators to create a fair deal between both operators and oil companies.

“I am looking to resolve this. I have to come up with a formula to create a win-win situation for both operators and oil companies. It will be in the second half of next year.

“Oil prices are rising now. So it is scary to say, if I really take a stand for the operators, it will create higher inflation.”

Despite a rally of crude oil prices, PDAM president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said it is worse for operators as the profit gained on the stock purchased at the lower cost is used to buy back more expensive stock, adding that it has become a new factor to expedite the surrendering of petrol station licences.

“Let’s say, we have overdraft facilities for the working capital, and now our stock price is higher, we need to pay higher interest for the increased working capital.

“Otherwise we need to pump our own funds from outside, losing out on potential interest earned elsewhere (which is an opportunity cost).

“As we speak, dealers are preparing their surrender letters. It is not worth to continue pumping in more money,” he pointed out.

Moving forward, Khairul expects more operators on credit facilities such as loans to leave the industry as they fall into bankruptcy.

“There are many cases of operators becoming bankrupt now. They tried in vain to hang on by resorting to more loans, including from loan shark, in hope of a review in APM as cost has caught up and operator’s commission stagnant since 2008,” he pointed out.

Petronas station operator, Sitti Satmawati, 60, echoes the same sentiment, saying that her losses hover around RM150,000 since the introduction of the weekly fuel price mechanism in March this year.

“The losses made are my working capital. Over time, the working capital will be eroded, then what do you do? You don’t have enough cash to pump in again,” she said.

Moreover, she added that operators absorbed 1% on merchant charges for credit card usage on behalf of customers, noting that credit card usage is higher compared with cash.

Satmawati has two Petronas stations that pump on average 300,000 litres and 800,000 litres per month, respectively.

She added that her survival is based on the bigger petrol station that is subsidising the smaller one.

“If your sale is below 300,000 litres per month, there is no way you can survive,” Satmawati said.


Join Proton Vlog contest and win cash prizes

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has launched a Vlog competition with cash prizes totaling more than RM80,000 to be won.

Running from June 1 to Dec 31, the contest comes with seven monthly rounds.

Participants are to create engaging videos with selected Proton cars.

Prizes will be awarded to the top 10 videos of each month with the highest scoring (engagement and viewership).

Participants can join by:

Step 1: Source, loan or use images of current Proton Cars (Persona, Iriz, Saga, X70 and X50) and create videos in the most creative way.

Step 2: Upload as many videos per month on your personal YouTube channel and hashtag #VLOGWITHPROTON. (set channel/ post to public)

Step 3: Click the link here https://tinyurl.com/VlogWithPROTON or scan the QR code in the contest EDM for contest entry in the Contest Google Form

Step 4: Fill in the details and upload the YouTube video link(s) in the Contest Google Form and Click Submit.

All YouTube video link submission has to be done by the 30th or 31st (last day) of the month for any given round throughout the contest period that you wish to participate in.

Refer to the Terms & Conditions https://tinyurl.com/VlogwprotonTNC for more information.


Geely and NIO models among top Euro NCAP performers

                BRUSSELS: Two vehicle models from Chinese automakers have just received top marks in the latest crash test results from the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP).

The two SUVs, Lynk & Co 01 and NIO ES8, are available on the European market.

Chinese carmakers are building up a reputation for selling extremely safe models, making former allegations that some models were not meeting European safety standards a thing of the past.

Eager to invest in the European market, Chinese manufacturers Lynk & Co and NIO are getting accolades for protecting their drivers and passengers, as shown by these recent tests.

Belonging to the Geely group, Lynk & Co is a brand that has just arrived in Europe.

Its first SUV, the Lynk & Co 01, is built on the same base as the Volvo XC40, which goes some way to explain its good scores in the various Euro NCAP crash tests. The small hybrid SUV gets its best score (96%) for adult occupant protection, it also performs well for child protection (87%) and the various safety aids offered (81%).

For its part, the NIO ES8 is an electric SUV that stands out for the quality of its safety aids (92%), such as its autonomous emergency braking system and other devices designed to prevent accidents. It also offers excellent protection for children (84%) and adults (82%) on board.

In 2019, two Chinese models also obtained 5 stars in this series of crash tests, the MG HS and ZS EV, but they benefited at the time from the expertise of the former British manufacturer that had just been acquired by the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC).

Among the latest vehicles tested by Euro NCAP, three other models were also awarded 5 stars: the Audi Q4 e-tron, the Subaru Outback and the Toyota Mirai. Of the 16 tested since the beginning of the year, 11 have obtained the maximum score.


New recycling techniques set to make electric vehicles greener

File pic of a lithium-ion car battery pack being stripped down for recycling. — Reuters

LONDON: Researchers in Britain and the United States have found ways to recycle electric vehicle batteries that can drastically cut costs and carbon emissions, shoring up sustainable supplies for an expected surge in demand.

The techniques, which involve retrieving parts of the battery so they can be reused, would help the auto industry tackle criticism that even though EVs reduce emissions over their lifetime, they start out with a heavy carbon footprint of mined materials.

As national governments and regions race to secure supplies for an expected acceleration in EV demand, the breakthroughs could make valuable supplies of materials such as cobalt and nickel go further. They would also reduce dependence on China and difficult mining jurisdictions.

"We can't recycle complex products like batteries the way we recycle other metals. Shredding, mixing up the components of a battery and pyrometallurgy destroy value," Gavin Harper, a research fellow at the government-backed Faraday Institution in Britain, said.

Pyrometallurgy refers to the extraction of metals using high heat in blast furnaces, which analysts say is not economical.

Current recycling methods also rely on shredding the batteries into very small pieces, known as black mass, which is then processed into metals such as cobalt and nickel.

A switch to a practice known as direct recycling, which would preserve components such as the cathode and anode, could drastically reduce energy waste and manufacturing costs.

Researchers from the University of Leicester and the University of Birmingham working on the Faraday Institution's ReLib project have found a way to use ultrasonic waves to recycle the cathode and anode without shredding and have applied for a patent.

The technology recovers the cathode powder made up of cobalt, nickel and manganese from the aluminium sheet, to which it is glued in the battery manufacture. The anode powder, which would typically be graphite, is separated from the copper sheet.

Andy Abbott, a professor of physical chemistry at the University of Leicester said separation using ultrasonic waves would result in cost savings of 60% compared with the cost of virgin material.

Compared with more conventional technology, based on hydrometallurgy, which uses liquids, such as sulphuric acid and water to extract materials, he said ultrasonic technology can process 100 times more battery material over the same period.

Abbott's team has separated battery cells manually to test the process, but ReLib is working on a project to use robots to separate batteries and packs more efficiently.

As supplies and scrap levels take time to accrue, Abbott said he expected the technology to initially use scrap from battery manufacturing facilities as the feedstock and the recycled material would be fed back into battery production.

Profitable recycling

In the United States, a government-sponsored project at the Department of Energy called ReCell is in the final stages of demonstrating different, but also promising recycling technologies that refurbish battery cathode to make it into new cathode.

ReCell, headed by Jeff Spangenberger, has studied many different methods, including ultrasonics, but focused on thermal and solvent based methods.

"The US doesn't make much cathode domestically, so if we use hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy we have to send the recycled materials to other countries to be turned into cathode and shipped back to us," Spangenberger said.

"To make lithium-ion battery recycling profitable, without requiring a disposal fee to consumers, and to encourage growth in the recycling industry, new methods that generate higher profit margins for recyclers need to be developed."

There are challenges for direct recycling, including continuously evolving chemistries, Spangenberger said. "ReCell is working on separating different cathode chemistries."

Early electric vehicle battery cells typically used a cathode with equal amounts of nickel, manganese, cobalt or 1-1-1. This has changed in recent years as manufacturers seek to reduce costs and cathode chemistries can be 5-3-2, 6-2-2 or 8-1-1.

The approach at Faraday's ReLib project is to blend recycled with virgin material to get the required ratios of nickel, manganese and cobalt.


Feeling the rush in a Formula 4 (F4) car

                As a motoring journalist, there have been many occasions to experience more than a few laps around the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in a car, but never in a Formula 4 (F4) single-seat open-wheel race car till now.

Petron Malaysia, the fuel and lubricants supplier, recently organised for some members of the media to join them at the SIC in order to experience driving a F4 race car for a few laps.

Since F4 drivers are generally young aspiring race car drivers which are also generally smaller in size, some time had to be wasted in getting this writer’s manly-build into the cockpit as best as possible - meanwhile slowly baking with all that safety gear under the unrelenting hot sun.

Rather than wait aimless around, some of us were getting introduced to the single-seater open-wheel race car that happens to be making its rounds in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia too.

The car uses a 2.0-litre water and air-cooled naturally-aspirated Renault (F4RSEA) engine that’s specifically tuned to about 180hp and is mated to a six-speed Sequential Sadev gearbox.

A ‘Life Racing F88RS’ engine management system is fitted as standard and everything can be found nicely nestled within the confines of a Mygale F4 chassis.

After learning all that, this writer was finally fitted, albeit snugly, into the cockpit in an almost lying position with the three pedals perfectly positioned at the soles of the feet and just extending the foot forward is all that’s needed to actuate any of them.

Flipping two designated switches gets the car primed and flipping the third final switch gets the French-built engine trumpeting its eagerness.

The pit lane crew gives me the thumbs up and points me in the direction to head out.
My left foot struggles to get the heavy clutch fully pushed though and with my thumb on the green ‘N’ (neutral) button, I engage first-gear by tugging on the right paddle shifter.

Thank goodness its paddle shifting from here on out.

I blip the throttle a few times, trying to balance the clutch and keep the car from stalling - and myself from embarrassment - and by the third blip, it unexpectedly boots me forward forcing me to wrench the steering to the right to keep it from making a ‘F4 pizza’ mess on the opposite wall.

Luckily, I’ve managed to get the car properly rolling down the pitlane in one piece and with eyes wide open as I breath hard to calm the nerves from the initial sudden surge of power.

It’s almost game time as the pitlane exit line approached and from then on it was full-throttle down to turn-one to begin my familiarisation lap and admittedly I did jink the car left and right - just as a F1 driver would, and planted my foot on the brakes in order to find out how this ‘strange creature’ behaves.

By the last corner, I was fairly confident of my abilities to control this open-wheeler and so I let it loose, dumping all its wondrous power onto the rear tyres (front and rear Hankook Ventus slicks by the way) and subsequently getting a big kick from behind that snaps my head back - a rude awakening indeed.

Barrelling down the start-finish straight, the muscles at my neck is starting to ache trying to keep my head down with all that displaced wind buffeting onto the helmet while trying to keep the car from bouncing off the uneven sections of the straight as well as blown off course by cross-winds - all that without power steering and a steering wheel that’s roughly 80% smaller than convention.

Although it might be wise to simply slow down at that point, the need for air-flow through my hot helmet to help cool my head edges me on to stay on point and catch anything potentially nasty before it can affect the car’s stability.

But once I came to that conclusion, it was time to hit the brakes after almost reaching the 100m braking mark - which is usually the point of no return for most standard cars.
My left-foot goes deep on the centre pedal and this time I’ve braced myself enough from allowing my head to snap forward and turn the car towards the apex preparing for turn-two which opens up wide on its exit.

Leading into the long right-hand throw of turn three, I had to restrain and remind myself that the engine’s throttle response is absolutely immediate and that the rear tyres will simply not tolerate any full-throttle nonsense.

The same goes when it comes to gear changes, progressing up the gears will get jolts of power from the rear, but will die down once it gets closer to sixth gear and the level of vibration from the steering wheel can get quite significant while waiting for those three red lights to appear on the steering wheel before shifting up a gear.

Halfway through my hot lap, it suddenly occurred that this F4 car is simply a larger more powerful version of a go-kart sporting a 125cc two-stroke engine - rather responsive and eager to wag the rear end during turns when too much power is applied, but it was merely a fleeting thought as I quickly sunk into a good rhythm and began to brake later into corners, trying to probe deeper into the car’s abilities.

Then, out of nowhere, I spot of black piece of debris that’s now flicked towards my helmet and the thought of experiencing Felipe Massa’s unfortunate incident flashed before my eyes before flinching away from a...light ‘thunk’.

This was followed by a sudden need to perform a face-palm on myself after realising that it was actually some rubber chunks that had broken off one of my front tyres.

Thankfully, by the end of my stint, I was glad to be out of the car after just a few laps and by that time, my hands and neck were now feeling somewhat stiff and my left shoulder a little battered - things that F1 drivers are accustomed to and at a more intense level.

Although my experience was only for a few insignificant laps in a F4 car, it has undoubtedly left me inspired and wondering...if I could ever turn back the hands of time just so I could join these young ‘uns on an exciting path that could one day lead to the pinnacle of motor racing - Formula 1.


BMW plans direct sales of its cars, CFO tells newspaper

                BERLIN: Buyers of a BMW should be able to order a car directly from the manufacturer in the future with no need to involve a car dealer, its finance chief told Muenchner Merkur.

"We want to give customers the opportunity to order directly from us," Nicolas Peter said in an interview published on Thursday.

The new structure was to apply for the MINI model from 2024 and for BMW models from 2026.

BMW was in "constructive talks" with its network of car dealers, he said.


Daimler CEO: 'We need an honest conversation" about EVs and jobs

                LONDON: If the European Union wants to push a faster shift to zero-emissions cars then Daimler AG is ready, but there needs to be an open debate on the impact electrification will have on auto jobs, the carmaker's top executive said on Tuesday.

"It's an ambition that we say yes to," chief executive Ola Källenius said during an interview at a Financial Times conference on the future of the car. But he added "we have to have an honest conversation about jobs."

"Everyone knows it takes more labour hours to assemble and build a combustion based powertrain compared to an electric powertrain," he said.

The EU last month raised its target for cuts in net greenhouse gas emissions to 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels instead of 40% and Europe's automakers will find out in July what their contribution on CO2 emissions is expected to be.

There are broad expectations within the auto industry that there will be job losses associated with electrification, focused primarily in combustion engine factories.

Germany's car industry faces an "employment fiasco" unless it gets badly needed investment in new technologies, especially batteries, the country's top labour leader said last week.

The warning from Joerg Hofmann, president of IG Metall, came after a survey by the Ifo institute showed that the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) could cost the industry some 100,000 jobs in combustion engine production by 2025 if companies fail to beef up efforts to reskill workers.

Källenius said the impact on jobs needs to be handled in a "socially responsible way."

He said the German carmaker is in "very constructive dialogue" with its works council and the industry will create more jobs in areas like software engineering.

"But it (the engine jobs impact) is not something where we should not acknowledge that it's there," Källenius said. "It is there."


Woman, employer injured after Lamborghini skids on East Coast Expressway

                KUANTAN: A woman and her employer were injured when the Lamborghini they were travelling in skidded at KM234.5 of the East Coast Expressway (LPT) here.

Pahang traffic police chief Supt Mohd Nor Yusof Ali said the accident occurred at about 2.45pm Wednesday when the victims were on their way from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan.

"The car was driven by Norfarahliya Daud, 26, a consultant, with her employer Datuk Lawrence Ng Teck Hoong, in his 50s, as passenger.

"As soon as it arrived at the location, the supercar was believed to have gone out of control when it tried to evade an animal crossing the expressway.

"This caused the vehicle to skid to the right of the road and spin before crashing into the road divider," he said.

He added that the duo sustained light injuries and sought treatment at a clinic here before lodging a police report on the accident.


US vows 'nimble, flexible' approach on self-driving car rules

                WASHINGTON: The top US auto safety watchdog said he opposes a "patchwork" of state regulations on driverless cars and promised a "nimble, flexible" approach to writing new rules for self-driving vehicles.

Mark Rosekind, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said the agency does not yet have a position on California's proposal to bar autonomous cars without a person in the driver's seat ready to take over.

The proposal is opposed by innovators in driverless cars, such as Google, but is consistent with NHTSA's 2013 guidelines on driverless cars. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has asked the NHTSA to review those guidelines to ensure they do not hold back innovations.

 Rosekind.

"We need to figure out how to make sure this is not a patchwork (of state regulations)," Rosekind said on the sidelines of an event on drunk driving. "We are pretty deep into looking at our regulatory framework that we currently have."

"We keep talking nimble, flexible. Two years is like ancient now. That's being reviewed," Rosekind said of the 2013 guidance.

Rosekind said NHTSA is talking to state officials in an effort to "have some kind of national approach to this." On Wednesday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles proposed state regulations that would require all autonomous cars to have a steering wheel and throttle and brake pedals when operating on California's public roads citing safety concerns. A licensed driver would need to be in the driver's seat ready to take over in the event something went wrong.

Rosekind noted that Europe has a "patchwork" approach to driverless vehicle testing that is "problematic." NHTSA is reviewing California's rules, but states have wide authority to set state driving regulations.

Chris Urmson, the director of the Google self-driving project, said California seemed to be shrinking back from its leadership.

"This maintains the same old status quo and falls short on allowing this technology to reach its full potential, while excluding those who need to get around but cannot drive....We can do better," Urmson said in a statement.

The NHTSA's 2013 guidance also says a person should be in the driver's seat ready to take over.

Foxx also wants NHTSA to look at other federal barriers to driverless cars. Rosekind hopes to unveil findings early next year.

Some of Google's self-driving cars are governed by a federal regulation that limits them to 40kph. California allows those cars to travel on roads where the speed limit is 56kph.

"Our regulations don't line up with what's actually going on," Rosekind said.


Tenaga Nasional to gain from EV ecosystem in the long term

                PETALING JAYA: Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s (TNB) venture into the setting up of the electric vehicle (EV) charge point infrastructure (CPI) is set to benefit its environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating and investor perception.

The investment into the EV charging ecosystem has a lot of potential but TNB’s management has told TA Research that the CPI business is not expected to break even until EV usage gains scale in the country.

The research house stated that over the longer term, TNB would benefit via the increased use of its electricity transmission and distribution network and maiden profits from EV charging stations.

“Based on TNB’s projections, the EV market will generate annual electricity revenue of RM1.25bil by 2030.

“Additionally, unit sales of electricity from EV charging stations are expected to reach 15% of TNB’s revenues by 2040,” TA Research said in a report yesterday.

TNB’s role within the EV ecosystem will be confined to providing the CPI, supported by its mobile app platform.

Data by the Road Transport Department showed that there are more than 10,000 EVs registered in Malaysia in addition to 80,000 petrol-electric hybrid vehicles and some 2,700 diesel-electric hybrids.

The high price point for fully imported EV cars remains prohibitive with the cheapest priced at above RM140,000.

National car makers are expected to start making EVs by 2026 and hit the market by 2027 in the price range of about RM80,000.

At that price level, TNB projects EV volumes to skyrocket to 524,409 by 2030.

Hence, it has a four-year period to develop the CPI for the EV ecosystem.

In the meantime, TA Research stated TNB’s management believes heavy commercial vehicles used for logistics and e-bikes could significantly boost EV volumes in the country.

TNB expects to install 3,300 CPI by 2025 and raise that to 18,000 by 2030.

From 2022 to 2024, it plans to invest RM90mil to deploy nine electron hubs (costing RM83mil), 25 standalone direct current fast chargers (costing RM6.25mil) and 72 destination chargers (RM750,000).

The company will likely face some competition from other charge point operators like Gentari and ChargEV.

But for now, they are no preceived as competitors, but rather as enablers of the EV ecosystem.

“We believe an early start will enable TNB lead time to establish itself as a market pioneer and carve market share.

Moreover, it is envisaged that consumption of electricity from EVs will eventually increase.

“This is in anticipation that EVs will ultimately edge out market share owned by internal combustion vehicles in the future,” the research house said.


Honda Motor, LG Energy to build EV battery plant in Ohio, says Nikkei

                TOKYO: Honda Motor Co plans to set up a new lithium-ion battery plant for electric vehicles in the United States with Korean battery supplier LG Energy Solution Ltd, the Nikkei business daily reported today.

Battery makers are looking to increase production in the US where a shift towards electric vehicles (EV) could increase as the country implements stricter regulation and tightens tax credit eligibility.

The investment is expected to be on a scale of several hundred billion yen, the report added.

Both Honda and LG Energy Solution declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

The US government has been pushing policies designed to bring more battery and EV manufacturing into the country.

President Joe Biden signed a US$430 billion climate, health care and tax bill this month that would render electric vehicles assembled outside North America ineligible for tax credits.

California announced a plan last week requiring all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 to be either electric or plug-in electric hybrids.

Honda and LG Energy Solution will establish a joint venture to start producing lithium-ion batteries in Ohio, where Honda's main factory is located, according to the report, adding they are aiming to start construction in 2023 and mass-production in 2025.

LG Energy Solution, which is mainly engaged in the development of lithium-ion battery materials and next-generation batteries, also supplies EV batteries and signed joint-venture agreements with General Motors, Hyundai Motor Co and Stellantis.

In July, Panasonic Energy Co, a unit of tech conglomerate Panasonic Holdings Corp and a major Tesla Inc supplier, said it had selected Kansas as the site for a new battery plant with investment of up to US$4 billion.

Earlier this year, Honda laid out a target to roll out 30 EV models globally and produce about 2 million EVs a year by 2030.