Maroc - THECEKODOK.COM - A La Une - 20/Dec 19:15

10 Most Interesting Automotive News of 2024

This year we are doubling down on the automotive world, especially electric vehicles (EVs). It has been a very exciting year for EV enthusiasts in Malaysia with more and more vehicles being imported and the launch of the first EV model by Proton. Here are the 10 most interesting automotive news throughout 2024.1. Proton e.MAS7 Launched – Proton's First Electric CarThe Proton e.MAS7, their first electric car, has been launched at a starting price of RM 109K for the Prime model and starting at RM 123K for the Premium version. Both the Prime and Premium versions have the same performance, namely a maximum power of 160 kW with a torque of 320 Nm, which gives a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 6.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 175 km/h.The Prime version is equipped with a 49.25 kW battery, which gives a travel range of 345 KM WLTP and supports 80 kW DC charging. Meanwhile, the Premium Version has a 60.22 kW battery with a range of 410 KM WLTP and supports 100 kW DC charging.For equipment, both versions have Self-driving level 2, Vehicle-to-load function, air conditioning with N95 air filter, 15.4-inch 2K infotainment display, 10-inch driving cluster display, and many more.2. Perodua EMO II EV Prototype Shown – Targeted Price Around RM 50-90KPhoto – NextriftProton has launched their first EV while Perodua is still at the concept vehicle stage. At the Malaysia Autoshow last May, Perodua, EMO-I was shown, and earlier this month it was the turn of the EMO-II prototype to be shown during the KLIMS event.According to Perodua, they are currently in the final stages of production and there will be an 'Episode 3' before it is actually launched with specifications that are stated to have a difference of around 2-3% from the final version. Perodua's first EV will target a range of 410km and a selling price in the range of RM 50K-RM90K in line with Perodua's aspiration to be the most affordable EV manufacturer in Malaysia.3. NGV Vehicles Will No Longer Be Used in Malaysia Starting July 2025It's time to say hello to the era of natural gas vehicles (NGV) in Malaysia on July 1, 2025. On this date, NGV vehicles will no longer be allowed to be registered or licensed in the country. The announcement of this date was made last November.According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, this decision was made at a Cabinet meeting after taking into account safety factors for consumers and the public. PETRONAS will also phase out the retail supply of NGV in the market in stages before its supply is completely discontinued starting July 1, 2025.Currently, there are 44,383 active vehicles using NGV in Malaysia. 9,509 of which are taxis and ride-hailing cars, 32,137 privately registered vehicles, 2,150 buses and lorries and 587 vehicles/machinery units. Around 2008, NGV use increased due to the government's floating petrol and diesel prices. In addition to no more EV vehicles being allowed, retail sales of NGVs will also be terminated.4. JPJePlate Electronic Registration Plates to be Used Starting TodayThe Road Transport Department (JPJ) opened a bid for EV plate numbers specifically for new electric vehicles in Malaysia on September 9. Concurrently with this announcement, JPJ also confirmed that vehicles with these plate numbers will also be a pilot group using JPJePlate registration plates which have various smart features built in.This new registration plate is made of metal with the plate number pressed directly onto its surface. The raised number part also has a reflective surface so that it can be clearly seen at night.In addition, it comes with built-in RFID features for various future transportation systems. There is no longer any need to stick RFID stickers on car windows and lights like now. The built-in hologram prevents forgery of the registration number and the built-in QR code makes it easier for authorities to check the registration number and serial number of the JPJePlate.5. BYD Produces Hybrid System With a Traveling Distance of 2100 KMLast May, BYD announced their latest power trend which offers a traveling distance of up to 2100 kilometers. BYD's fifth-generation hybrid system also only uses 2.9L of gasoline to travel 100 km. In comparison, the 1.5-liter engine of the Proton S70 uses 6.2L/100 km. This low level of gasoline consumption is achieved because the BYD engine has an efficiency of 46.06%.When combined with a battery and electric motor system, the vehicle with the DM (Dual Mode) system can make a one-way non-stop trip from Kuala Lumpur to Hanoi, Vietnam. This new system is also not just a concept but has been used in the Qin L DM-i and Seal 06 DM-i car models that were also just launched this week. In China, the selling price of both vehicles starts at RMB 99,800 (~RM65,000) each.6. Apple Stops EV Production ProjectThe first time rumors about Apple wanting to produce their EV were heard was in 2015 under the name Project Titan. This project faced various obstacles such as the loss of Hyundai production partner Sir Jony Ive leaving the company, secrets stolen by employees and management resigning. But last February, Apple officially stopped Project Titan.The scope of Project Titan has been changed several times from the original target of producing fully self-driving EVs. But self-driving technology at this point is still limited to Level 3 only, causing Apple to change its target to Level 2+ self-driving while the car's launch was postponed to 2028.Delays after delays were made with the project believed to have been restarted several times and were not helped by Sir Jony Ive who left Apple and the project leader migrated to Rivian.7. Honda and Nissan Reportedly Initiating Talks to MergeHonda Motor and Nissan Motor are reportedly in talks with the intention of merging the companies. By merging the companies, the two big names in the automotive arena can pool their resources and capabilities, while at the same time competing better with other brands in the market.If these discussions go well, Honda and Nissan will operate under a new parent company, which may also include Mitsubishi Motors in the future. For your information, Honda and Sony also have a joint venture in the development of electric vehicles.Today, Honda and Nissan are each facing fierce challenges from Chinese vehicle manufacturers, especially EVs. Previously, Honda and Nissan were ready to announce a collaboration for electric vehicles.8. World's Largest Electric Motorcycle Offers 720km Travel RangeLimited travel range has been a stumbling block for EVs to be used as long-distance driving vehicles. In Malaysia, with its immature charging infrastructure, EV travel also comes with the problem of having to wait in long queues. Felo TOOZ is the world's largest electric motorcycle, solving the above issue by having a travel range of up to 720km on a single charge.This puts its travel range further than petrol motorcycles such as the BMW R80 G/S Paris Dakar (672 km). Not only that, TOOZ can also accelerate to speeds of up to 205 km/h. This Thai-made motorcycle was shown at the Bangkok Auto Show in April. Full information has not yet been shared by Felo because at this time only the TOOZ prototype has been shown.What has been revealed is that this motorcycle is a touring type that focuses on comfort for long-distance travel. There is a 12″ LCD screen for displaying driving information and a 6-channel audio system for a good audio experience. It also supports TYPE2 charging, which allows the battery to be charged from 20% to 80% in just 30 minutes.9. First Self-Driving Race Car Race Haunted by Various IssuesThe Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) race held at the Yas Marina circuit in April was the world's first self-driving race car race. However, it did not go smoothly with various issues arising throughout the qualifying session and the race.Although the race only involved eight laps, the event lasted more than two hours due to technical issues. Several accidents occurred, causing the race to be stopped for a while. The yellow flag was waved as an instruction to slow down the vehicles, but all the racing cars stopped suddenly because the racing rules prohibit overtaking when this flag was waved.There were eight teams participating, namely Fly Eagle (China and UAE), Humda Lab (Hungary), Code19 (USA), Constructor (Germany), Technical University of Munich (Germany), Kinetiz (Singapore and UAE), Polimove (Italy), and Unimore (Italy). They were given two weeks to train the self-driving system in Abu Dhabi. After the qualifying stage, only four teams were selected for the final race.The teams were given the same Dallara EAV4 race car with a 2-liter 550 horsepower engine. The only difference lies in the self-driving software that each team must develop in-house. Each vehicle is also equipped with seven Sony IMX728 cameras that provide a 360-degree view, four ZF ProWave radars, three Seyond Falcon Kinetic FK1 LIDARs and a Neousys RGS-8805GC computer with NVIDIA GPUs.10. Elon Musk Denied $56 Billion Reward by CourtIn February, a Delaware court judge denied Elon Musk a $56 billion (~RM250 billion) reward from Tesla after he successfully met vehicle sales targets. The decision was made after several Tesla shareholders said the value of the reward given was excessive and should have been reinvested in the company instead of given to Musk. Musk appealed but it was denied again this month.The judge said new evidence from Musk's lawyers failed to show he was entitled to the promised reward. Although a majority of Tesla shareholders later voted to award Musk the bonus, the judge said it could not be used to overturn the original court decision.Despite failing to receive the more than RM250 billion bonus, Elon Musk still managed to become the first person to have a net worth of more than $400 billion this year.