Every industry is facing challenges with the current COVID-19 pandemic, and the auto industry in Malaysia is no exception. The government has tried to strike a balance between strict conditions to cut the chain of infection and avoiding a major impact on businesses and the economy of the country. To do this, it has had engagement sessions with representatives from leading chambers of commerce, business associations and trade organisations.
The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), which represents new motor vehicle distributors, assemblers and manufacturers in Malaysia, commends and appreciates all the efforts by the government to tackle the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It also applauds the government for listening to the various stakeholders including the business communities and industry players.
“The MAA also expressed the local automotive industry views and concerns at the engagement session. We highlighted that the Total Industry Volume (TIV) in April 2020 fell to an all-time low of 152 units, the lowest ever monthly TIV recorded by the industry over the past 50 years. This happened when all automotive business operations stopped due to the nationwide implementation then of MCO1.0 from March 18, 2020 till May 3, 2020,” said Datuk Aishah Ahmad, President of the MAA.
She added that motor vehicles play an important role in the country’s economy as they are needed to complete the entire supply chains of all businesses and industries.
Unlike last year when everything came to a standstill, the auto industry is allowed to continue operating but with strict SOPs. They can still sell new vehicles as well as provide aftersales services to customers. The assembly plants can also continue with their operations.
After getting feedback from various stakeholders, the government had decided not to impose a nationwide total lockdown again. Businesses and economic sectors are allowed to continue to operate during MCO 3.0 albeit with much more stringent SOPs.
Businesses and industries including MAA members accept the decision by the government to impose a much more stringent SOPs including limiting employee attendance capacity to only 60% at any given time, banning certain non-essential activities and restricting the movement of people during the enforcement of MCO3.0. “We recognise that such tough measures and rules are necessary to protect lives as well as the people’s livelihoods,” she said.
The MAA also acknowledges the dynamism of the COVID-19 pandemic which may cause the government to make constant changes to the SOPs from time to time. “On our part, we have urged all MAA members to give their fullest support and cooperation to the authorities. We also urged all our members not to treat the COVID-19 virus lightly. The virus is highly dangerous and can cause illnesses to infected people and in the worst case, death.”
Extreme E – the unique off-road series for electric SUVs – will run its second round this weekend, this time in Lac Rose on the Senegalese coast of West Africa. Known as the Ocean X Prix, the event will be run along the shores of Lac Rose. It is situated 37 kms from the capital, Dakar, a name that was the finish of the world’s most famous cross-country rally – the Paris-Dakar – on numerous occasions between 1979 and 2007 (the Dakar Rally is still running, except that it is now in Saudi Arabia).
Out on the course, the drivers will once again face a mostly sandy terrain, though a very different challenge and location to the deserts of Saudi Arabia. Here the race will take to the existing tracks surrounding the lake, named after, and renowned for its striking pink colour, caused by algae that thrives within its highly-saline waters.
9 teams with dual-gender crews
Once again, 9 teams and 18 drivers – each comprising one male and one female – will compete but in a slight change to the Saudi Arabia race format, the Final will be a 4-car battle, with two teams from each of the two Semi-Finals progressing to the concluding race of the weekend.
Like the Desert X Prix, Qualifying consists of two rounds of time trials. The team starting order is decided by a draw for Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2. All races feature two laps with the incorporated driver ‘Switch’ feature.
No clear leader yet
Rosberg X Racing (RXR) took victory in the inaugural X Prix last month but doesn’t have a clear lead as the top three teams are within 7 points of each other. So there should be a thrilling racing action as each team tries to score as many points as possible.
Teams can benefit from a ‘HyperDrive boost’ available to each driver on each lap of the race. Activated when the driver presses a button on the steering wheel, they will enjoy an extra push of continuous power for a few seconds.
New for the Ocean X Prix is the ‘Super Sector’ – a part of the course where the fastest driver in that section over the weekend will earn 5 points for their team. This ensures that whatever position the teams find themselves in, there is always an incentive to push to the limit as points are up for grabs.
Each year, the famous Paris-Dakar Rally ended in Dakar until security concerns forced the organizers to stop travelling through the region.
“I am delighted to be back in Dakar, a place with a vast motorsport heritage, and I can’t wait to see our world-class line-up of drivers compete on this latest course we have devised. The Desert X Prix delivered some truly thrilling racing with a stunning backdrop and I’m sure Senegal will provide the same,” said Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E.
“In Lac Rose, we find an area suffering at the hands of the climate crisis, which is the true reason we are here. It doesn’t take long upon arrival to see one of the biggest issues, plastic pollution, which is affecting the local community and its marine life. Through our Legacy Programmes, we are supporting the local community to make change, and I can’t wait to see it for myself and help where I can,” he added.
To reduce the carbon footprint of the event, a ship is used to transport the vehicles and event equipment to each location. The ship also serves as a floating laboratory for scientists.
Why Senegal?
Extreme X, while being a motorsport event, is unique in that it also uses its global coverage to create awareness of environmental issues. Senegal was chosen as one of the venues to support the fight against the climate crisis and the local communities suffering due to the many issues it brings.
In addition, plastic pollution is another major issue affecting Senegal, with the mountain of single-use plastic washing up on the shores growing day-by-day and threatening marine species and human health. This is something that not only impacts Senegal but also globally and if left unchecked, it’s estimated that 4 billion tonnes of plastic pollution will enter our land and oceans by 2050 under a ‘business-as-usual’ scenario.
Extreme E will be supporting two projects in Senegal. For the first, the championship has teamed up with a local NGO to plant one million mangrove trees in the country across 60 hectares with the aim of reforesting mangroves, providing education to local populations and improving social cohesion.
The second project is the EcoZone Project, a living lab that addresses the Lac Rose community’s primary needs while preserving the environment through experiential learning, regenerative agriculture and a circular economy. As part of this, the EcoBrique Challenge was launched which tasked the community to create bricks for construction from plastic waste.
Shakedown and qualifications will be aired through Extreme E’s official website (www.extreme-e.com and social channels and the Finals will be shown in more than 180 countries by 75 broadcasters.
Everyone has to do their part in fighting COVID-19 and the simplest way you can help is to just stay at home for the next two weeks (and it doesn’t cost you money). Businesses too are trying to help, even though many have been affected by the challenging conditions over the past year. But those that can help are doing so and one of them is GoCar, the on-demand mobility platform that offers ‘cars-as-a-service’ solutions.
To support COVID-19 vaccination efforts, GoCar is collaborating with the Kampung Tunku ADUN in Selangor to offer free shuttle service for seniors (60 years or older) and persons with disabilities. Available until August 31, 2021, the GoVax free shuttle service is offered to senior citizens and persons with disabilities who do not own private vehicles or who have difficulties accessing public transportation.
They can use the ‘GOVAX’ promo code which will get them the first 3 hours free for round-trip bookings. However, they need to make their booking at least 7 hours in advance so booking the day before would be a good idea.
Available within Petaling district
The service is currently within the Petaling district (which includes Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, parts of Shah Alam and Kota Damansara) and will provide free transport to and from the designated vaccination centres at Hospital Shah Alam, Klinik Rakan Medik Petaling Jaya and the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre. The service is available for both first and second vaccination appointments if within the offer period.
“Since the pandemic hit, we have been looking for ways to do our part and help reduce the COVID-19 impact, be it by providing free car usage to healthcare frontliners during the first Movement Control Order (MCO) or by extending more savings to customers through multiple special offers,” said Wong Hoe Mun, CEO of GoCar Malaysia.
“Now, we are expanding support to senior citizens and people with disabilities. We are delighted to partner with YB Lim, who has been tireless in championing the predicaments that these underrepresented groups face in getting around, which will hamper their ability to get inoculated,” he said.
“I am delighted to partner with GoCar in this GoVax initiative to reduce barriers and ensure these high-risk groups are sufficiently vaccinated. A key factor in making sure public health policies succeed is inclusivity. Senior citizens and people with disabilities are high-risk groups in the sense that they are more susceptible to COVID-19 and have a higher mortality rate. However, they might decide to forgo vaccination due to mobility or transportation issues,” added YB Lim.
The company is also offering free three-hour usage of passenger vehicles for residents in Klang Valley and Penang. GoCar members and passengers can have peace of mind as all GoCar vehicles are sanitised on a frequent and regular basis.
How to get the free service
Contact the GoVax taskforce at least three days before the scheduled vaccination appointment by calling the 24/7 hotline 1 300-30-2633. Slots are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be asked to provide your name, IC number, mobile phone number and address for verification and coordination. Confirmation will be given and the person should be ready half an hour before the scheduled pickup time with IC/MyKad and mobilephone and proof of vaccination appointment.
The National Vaccination Program in Malaysia is free of charge.
Carbon dioxide or CO2 is one of the gases that cause climate change and while this gas is present naturally, a lot is also generated by modern industries as well as internal combustion engines. To limit, if not stop, climate change, governments in many regions have introduced regulations that will force a reduction in emissions of CO2.
For the auto industry, various approaches are being taken in all aspects, not just the products but also the manufacturing processes in the factories. Among the approaches being taken by Mercedes-Benz AG is the use of CO2-free steel in its production vehicles. It is the first car manufacturer to take an equity stake in Swedish start-up H2 Green Steel (H2GS) as a way to make this move.
Prevention and reduction, rather than compensation
Together with its steel suppliers, the company is retooling its supply chain to focus on the prevention and reduction of CO2 emissions rather than compensation. The partnership with HSGS is another step towards CO2 neutrality, which Mercedes-Benz is pursuing as part of Ambition 2039, its goal to achieve a fully connected and CO2-neutral vehicle fleet in 2039 – 11 years earlier than the EU legislation requires.
Vehicle assembly at a Mercedes-Benz factory in Germany
A Mercedes‑Benz sedan is, for example, made from about 50% steel, which accounts for about 30% of CO2 emissions in production. With the partnership, Mercedes-Benz is actively and consistently tackling one of the biggest challenges in the automotive industry on the road to CO2 neutrality.
Accelerate change in steel industry
“With an equity stake in H2 Green Steel, Mercedes-Benz is sending an important signal to accelerate change in the steel industry and increase the availability of carbon-free steel. As a first step, we are investing a single-digit million amount. As a preferred partner of the start-up, we will be launching green steel in various vehicle models as early as 2025,” said Markus Schafer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG; responsible for Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO.
H2GS, founded in 2020, will produce 5 million tons of fossil-free steel by 2030. By doing this, the company will contribute to the decarbonizing of the European steel industry, one of the largest carbon dioxide emitters.
CO2-free manufacturing technology
By using a new, innovative manufacturing process, the production of steel at the supplier level is CO2-free. By contrast, steel produced using a traditional blast furnace emits an average of more than 2 tons of CO2 per ton. In the new process, the supplier uses hydrogen and electricity from 100% renewable energy sources instead of coking coal in steel production.
The hydrogen serves as a reduction gas, which releases and binds the oxygen from the iron ore. Unlike the use of coking coal, this does not produce CO2, but water. The supplier uses electricity from 100% renewable sources for the energy requirements generated in the manufacturing process.
Sustainable steel supply chain
Mercedes-Benz and all its steel suppliers are working consistently to reduce CO2 emissions in the steel supply chain on the way to producing green steel. In addition, the company is committed to a responsible steel supply, relying on the application of recognized standards and robust certificates. Mercedes-Benz is a member of the Responsible Steel Initiative and is actively involved in the development of a certifiable sustainability standard for the steel industry. The aim is to ensure environmentally friendly and socially acceptable steel production along the entire value chain.
Future Mercedes-Benz supply chain
Mercedes-Benz AG pursues the goal of a CO2-neutral new car fleet along the entire value and supply chain. Suppliers representing more than 85% of Mercedes-Benz’s annual purchasing volume have already signed an Ambition Letter, agreeing to supply the company only with CO2-neutral products in the future. This includes important steel suppliers. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz is working with its partners to gradually increase the proportion of secondary materials in components and materials.
‘Coachbuilding’ may sound like an old or outdated term and it is indeed old – as old as the motorcar itself – but it is not outdated as it refers to the art and science of creating bespoke (custom-made) bodywork on a pre-assembled chassis. It was actually how cars were made before Henry Ford introduced mass production and that virtually ended coachbuilding – except at a few manufacturers, among them Rolls-Royce.
More than a century of coachbuilding experience has given Rolls-Royce its unique Bespoke capabilities which have developed in the modern era. This has made it possible for those who buy a Rolls-Royce to personalise virtually every aspect of their cars’ appearance and specification.
17EX (1928)
Constraints still existed
Although, in theory, a coachbuilt Rolls-Royce could be any shape the customer desired, in practice there were constraints. Rolls-Royce cars were designed on proven technical principles that were, in the minds of the company’s founders, unarguable and inviolable. By insisting on fixed dimensions for the bulkhead behind the radiator, they were able to ensure the bodywork maintained the essential proportions that visually identified it as a ‘true’ Rolls-Royce.
Those proportions remain enshrined in the marque’s design tenets to this day. Examine any contemporary Rolls-Royce and it exhibits the 2:1 ratio of body height to wheel diameter first established with the Silver Ghost in 1907. The body shape is defined by three fluid lines running the length of the car: the ‘waft line’ that gives the car its sense of movement; the ‘waist line’ that lends it purpose and presence; and the silhouette, which expresses its individual character.
Phantom II CDC (1934)
Considerable scope
These basic principles allow considerable scope, as evidenced by the highly distinctive forms of Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan. Patrons and designers therefore enjoy considerable creative freedom in a coachbuilding project, within these fundamental design parameters. It will, after all, bear the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine above the grille – another immutable principle – so must be a genuine Rolls-Royce worthy of the name, and recognisably so.
However, while customers have always been able to personalise their car’s appearance in numerous different ways – beginning with a choice of 44,000 paint colours – their options for altering its overall outline have historically been limited by the underlying structure. For this reason, fully coachbuilt Rolls-Royce cars have been rarities in the modern era and much of the sensation around Sweptail arose precisely because it was such a unique event.
It was made possible by a seismic change in the marque’s manufacturing process, which was first deployed to great effect and global acclaim with the eighth and current generation of the Phantom. This Phantom was the first car to be built on the marque’s proprietary structure – an all-aluminium spaceframe chassis, designed and engineered from the ground up to be scalable for a range of different models.
4050HP Phantom (1926)
In essence, it creates four fixed points at each corner of the car. The distance between them can be whatever the designers and engineers want it to be: bulkhead, floor, crossmember and sill panels can all be stretched or shrunk or increased in height as the design requires. The concept has proved brilliantly successful, forming the basis for the Cullinan SUV launched in 2019, and in 2020, the new Ghost.
New possibilities for coachbuilding
This flexibility opens up new possibilities for coachbuilding. By moving away from monocoque construction to something closer to a traditional rolling chassis, Rolls-Royce has reacquired the freedom to construct almost any body shape its customers can imagine, constrained only by fundamental design and engineering requirements.
The Sweptail (2017)
This means that Rolls-Royce and its customers can now look beyond merely Bespoke and build the car itself, to personal requirements. In this way, it is perfectly aligned with a lifestyle in which the customer’s investments in luxury – property, clothing and jewellery to works of art, yachts or private aircraft – are personal, individual and unique.
Evolutionary and revolutionary
With the Architecture of Luxury, the marque has ushered in a new coachbuilding movement that encompasses both highly sophisticated 21st Century technology and materials, and a tradition extending back more than 100 years. It is both evolutionary and revolutionary.
“The ability to personalise almost every aspect of their motor car is one of the main reasons our patrons come to us. But we know some wish to go further still. In 2017, we stunned the world with our first fully coachbuilt motor car of the modern era – the spectacular Rolls-Royce Sweptail. This was, by definition, an entirely unique commission; but in our minds, it was the start of a journey,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
“We have formally re-established our Coachbuild department for those patrons who wish to go beyond the existing restraints, and explore the almost limitless possibilities this opens up for them. We are able to offer our customers the opportunity to create a motor car in which every single element is hand-built to their precise individual requirements, as befits our status as a true luxury house.”
