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Porsche’s all-electric Taycan fully revealed, priced from RM632,000

Since this year began, Porsche has been telling the world a lot about its first all-electric sportscar, with only the shape being camouflaged in the pictures. This has certainly built up anticipation and interest in the new model called the Taycan, and now it is finally presented in complete form.

The Taycan’s world premiere took place simultaneously in North America, China and Europe, which will be the most important markets of the new sportscar. The event locations also highlighted three ways of sustainable energy management: Niagara Falls at the border between the US state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario representing hydro-power; a solar farm in Neuhardenberg near Berlin representing solar power; and a wind farm on Pingtan Island, around 150 kms from the Chinese city of Fuzhou representing wind power.

2020 Porsche Taycan — *The story behind the model’s name*

Speaking at the Berlin venue, Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, said: “The Taycan links our heritage to the future. It carries forward the success story of our brand – a brand that has fascinated and thrilled people the world over for more than 70 years.”

The range will start off with two variants – Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo (Turbo? Where?). At the cutting edge of Porsche E-Performance, they are among the most powerful production models currently offered by the company. Lower-powered variants of these will also be introduced before the end of this year. The first derivative to be added will be the Taycan Cross Turismo at the end of next year.

Performance meets efficiency
The flagship Taycan Turbo S can generate up to 560 kW/761 ps while the Taycan Turbo generates up to 500 kW/680 ps. Claimed 0 to 100 km/h times are 2.8 seconds and 3.2 second, respectively. With a fully-charged battery pack, the Turbo S is said to have a range of up to 412 kms, while the Turbo can go up to 450 kms. Top speeds of both variants, which have standard all-wheel-drive, is claimed to be 260 km/h.

The Taycan is the first production vehicle with a system voltage of 800 volts instead of the usual 400 volts for electric cars. This is a particular advantage for Taycan owners: in just over 5 minutes, the battery can be recharged using direct current (DC) from the high-power charging network for a range of up to 100 kms. The charging time for 5% to 80% percent SoC (state of charge) is 22.5 minutes for charging under ideal conditions, and the maximum charging power (peak) is 270 kW. The overall capacity of the Performance Battery Plus is 93.4 kWh. Taycan drivers can comfortably charge their cars with up to 11 kW of alternating current (AC) at home.

Pure exterior design with Porsche DNA
With its clean, puristic design, the Taycan signals the beginning of a new era. At the same time, it retains the unmistakable Porsche design DNA. From the front, it looks particularly wide and flat with highly contoured wings. The silhouette is shaped by the sporty roofline sloping downward to the rear.

The sleek cabin, the drawn-in rear C-pillar and the pronounced shoulders of the wings result in a sharply emphasised rear, typical of the brand. There are also innovative elements such as the glass-effect Porsche logo, which has been integrated into the light bar at the rear. With a Cd value from 0.22, the aerodynamically-optimised basic shape makes a significant contribution to low energy consumption and thus helps extend range.

Unique interior design
The cockpit also signals the start of a new era with its clear structure and a completely new architecture. The freestanding, curved instrument cluster forms the highest point on the dashboard. This places a clear focus on the driver axis. A central, 10.9-inch infotainment display and an optional passenger display are combined to form an integrated glass band in a black-panel look.

The number of classic hardware controls such as switches and buttons has been greatly reduced. Instead, control is intelligent and intuitive – using touch operation or the voice control function, which responds to the command ‘Hey Porsche’.

With the Taycan, Porsche offers an entirely leather-free interior for the first time. Interiors made from innovative recycled materials underscore the sustainable concept of the electric sports car. ‘Foot garages’ – recesses in the battery in the rear footwell – ensure sitting comfort in the rear and allow the low height typical of sportscars. Two luggage compartments are available: the front compartment has a capacity of 81 litres and the rear 366 litres.

Innovative drive motors, 2-speed transmission
The Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo have two exceptionally efficient electric propulsion systems – one on the front axle and one on the rear axle, thus making the cars all-wheel drive. The motors, transmission and pulse-controlled inverter are each combined into a compact drive module. The modules have the highest power density (kW per litre of package space) of all electric powertrains on the market today.

A special feature of the electric motors is the ‘hairpin’ winding of the stator coils. This technology makes it possible to incorporate more copper in the stator, increasing power output and torque while maintaining the same component volume.

The two-speed transmission installed on the rear axle is an innovation developed by Porsche. First gear gives the Taycan even more acceleration from a standing start, while second gear with a long gear ratio ensures high efficiency and equally high power reserves. This also applies at very high speeds.

Centrally networked chassis systems
Porsche uses a centrally networked control system for the Taycan chassis. The integrated Porsche 4D Chassis Control analyses and synchronises all chassis systems in real time. The innovative chassis systems include adaptive air suspension with three-chamber technology including PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) electronic damper control, as well as the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) electromechanical roll stabilisation system including Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus).

The all-wheel drive control with two electric motors and the recuperation system are unique. At up to 265 kW, the potential recuperation power is significantly higher than that of competitors. Driving tests have shown that approximately 90% of everyday braking is performed by the electric machines alone – without the hydraulic wheel brakes being activated.

Prices start from RM632,000
In the US market, prices for the Taycan start from US$150,000 (about RM632,000) and as mentioned earlier, lower-powered variants will be available as well and these should cost less. The first customers will receive their cars at the beginning of next year.

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UMW Toyota Motor aligns CSR initiatives with Toyota’s ‘Start Your Impossible’ global campaign

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) has announced a realignment of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in line with the global corporate initiative called ‘Start Your Impossible’ established by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC).

This shift by TMC is carried out to inspire employees, partners and customers to achieve greater heights by attempting missions that they themselves deem impossible – a core company belief that has inspired boundless innovations, transforming the company from that of an automotive to a mobility manufacturer.

Through the new CSR realignment, UMWT has added a mission to realize impossible dreams through sports in its philanthropic pillar. “This year, we will be working with the Paralympic Council of Malaysia to enable more differently abled children to participate actively in sports,” said UMWT’s Deputy Chairman, Akio Takeyama.

Fund-raiser in November
The initiative, Mr. Takeyama said, will begin with a fund-raiser through a Toyota Outrun fun run on November 17, 2019 at Bandar Rimbayu, Kota Kemuning, Selangor. UMWT expects about 3,000 participants to join in the event. A registration fee of RM50 per participant will apply and the proceeds will be channeled to Paralympic Council of Malaysia’s ‘Fitness and Exercise with Person with Disabilities’ programme.

“The funds will be used to equip para athlete trainers around Klang Valley with the skills to train differently abled children. We believe that this would be a sustained effort to discover more hidden talents among children with disability and help them achieve their dream in sports,” Mr. Takeyama added.

Abdul Latif Romly to be campaign ambassador
UMWT has also appointed Paralympic Champion Abdul Latif Romly as its ambassador for this campaign. On the appointment, Mr. Takeyama said: “Latif was up against impossible odds at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. The world saw him broke the T20 long jump world record three times on the same day. It was impossible. Then it wasn’t. At Toyota, mobility is about overcoming challenges and making dreams a reality. That’s why we’re teaming up with Latif to support differently abled children so they too can start their impossible”.

For more information on the Toyota Outrun or to register (from September 10), click here to go to the event microsite.

UMWT will also be continuing its other CSR initiatives such as the Toyota Classics, which have brought world-class orchestras for the past 30 years to perform in Malaysia. A total of about RM9 million in gross proceeds from the concerts over the years has been donated to some 70 social, environment and charity organizations to support worthy programs.

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Bermaz Motor to offer more powerful Mazda CX-5 with turbocharged petrol engine

The current Mazda CX-5 has been selling like hotcakes since its launch, partly thanks to its competitive pricing due to local assembly. In the first 6 months of this year, it is estimated that almost 9,000 units were assembled at the Mazda facility in the Inokom plant in Kedah. Some are exported to neighbouring countries as Mazda has chosen Malaysia as the production hub for the model.

Soon Bermaz Motor will add a another turbocharged variant to the CX-5 line-up, to cater to those who want an extra boost in performance. The new variant will be powered by a SKYACTIV-G petrol engine with a 2.5-litre displacement. The engine, without a turbocharger, is already available in the current range but does not have All-Wheel Drive (AWD).

19% more power, 63% more torque
Adding a turbocharger to the 2.5-litre engine bumps up the engine output by about 19% to 230 ps at 5,000 rpm, with torque getting a big jump of 63% to 420 Nm. And all of that 420 Nm is available from 2,000 rpm, whereas peak torque for the non-turbocharged engine is at 3,250 rpm. Power flows through a SKYACTIV-Drive 6-speed automatic transmission and is intelligently distributed to all four wheels with Mazda’s i-Activ AWD system.

Flagship level specs can be expected
At this time, Bermaz has not released the specs and price but from the preview unit on display, a very high equipment level can be expected. The CX-5 sports LED headlamps/DRLs and tail lamps and on each corner are 19-inch wheels with 225/55 tyres. The dashboard has the updates for the 2019 model year (we saw a heads-up display) and the Mazda Connect infotainment system now includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Safety-wise, the CX-5 2.5 Turbo AWD should have the complete Mazda i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies to help the driver avoid an accident as well as reduce the effects of one if it occurs. High-tech features like LED headlights which can adjust their beams depending on conditions as well as pivot as the car goes around corners are already offered in some of the variants. There’s also autonomous braking – not just at the front to avoid a collision but also when reversing, which is a rare feature.

More information will be available when the new variant is officially launched in the near future. In the meantime, if you are in the Klang Valley from September 4 – 9, you can check out the CX-5 2.5 Turbo AWD at the Sunway Pyramid complex in Petaling Jaya.

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Sian – Lamborghini’s first production hybrid super sportscar

It was not so long ago that hybrid models being introduced were vehicles with modest performance. The carmakers introducing them stressed on environment-friendliness more than performance since they did help reduce exhaust emissions. However, development of hybrid technology, which went into mass production in the late 1990s, accelerated as the major carmakers wanted to achieve economies of scale as quickly as possible and push costs down.

Within 10 years, the new hybrid models were faster and went further too. The advancement was timely since advanced countries were beginning to introduce strict emission regulations that requires ‘electrification’ of powertrains to meet. Fully electric powertrains are still expensive but hybrid powertrains offer a transitional solution that was acceptable.

You would think that where the supercar manufacturers are concerned, hybrids would be of no interest but Lamborghini will soon show that it can produce a super sportscar – like the rest of its range – with a hybrid powertrain. To be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow this month, it will be called the Sian – the name meaning ‘flash’ or ‘lightning’ in dialect of the Bolognese region in Italy. This is in reference to the first electric application in a Lamborghini production car.

Fastest Lamborghini of all time
The Sian will be the fastest Lamborghini of all time, thanks to a unique new hybrid system which focuses on providing the highest power possible via the lightest solution. It has a V12 engine – huge for a hybrid powertrain – and a 48-volt e-motor. The 6.5-litre V12, which incorporates titanium intake valves and is uprated to 785 bhp at 8,500 rpm (the highest output ever from a Lamborghini powerplant) combines with the 34 bhp from the electric motor. Total system output is 819 bhp with a weight-to-power ratio claimed to be better than that of the Aventador SVJ, achieved through extensive use of lightweight materials.

The Sian has a claimed a top speed of over 350 km/h so it will be able to keep up with any other Lamborghini model. More significantly, it lays claim to having the fastest acceleration of any production Lamborghini ever – 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2.8 seconds.

Advanced and world-first technologies
The energy accumulation technology is a world-first. Rather than a lithium-ion battery, there is an innovative supercapacitor application. This technology was pioneered originally in the Aventador but has been dramatically developed to store 10 times the power. It is 3 times more powerful than a battery of the same weight and yet 3 times lighter than a battery producing the same power.

The Sian incorporates a highly advanced regenerative braking system developed by Lamborghini. Thanks to the symmetric behaviour of the supercapacitor, which contrary to normal li-ion batteries can be charged and discharged with the same power, the energy storage system is fully charged every time the vehicle brakes. The energy stored is an instantly-available power boost, allowing the driver to draw immediately on increased torque when accelerating away, up to 130 km/h when the e-motor automatically disconnects, improving the elasticity manoeuvres and making it more than 10% faster than a car without this system.

A design heading for the future
The Sian’s design is visionary and futuristic as would be expected of a car that takes Lamborghini into a new era. Taking futuristic inspiration from the Countach, the Gandini line is evident in its profile, while the silhouette introduces new features such as the characteristic aero wings, giving the Sian an unmistakable profile. The iconic Lamborghini ‘Y’ shape can be seen in the NACA air inlets on the doors, glass elements are included in the engine cover, and the diagonal line features in the front bonnet, as in the Countach.

In the roof, the ‘Periscopio’ tunnel that originally incorporated a rear mirror in the Countach adds a bold feature that links with the slats of the rear engine cover and important elements contributing to the car’s aerodynamic efficiency.

“The Sian is a masterpiece in possibilities,” said Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman & CEO. “Not only does the Sian deliver a formidable hypercar design and engineering tour de force today, it augments the potential for Lamborghini as a super sportscar brand for tomorrow and for decades to come, even as hybridization becomes more desirable and inevitably essential. With the Sian, Automobili Lamborghini demonstrates its dynastic strength as a legendary super sportscar brand for the future.”

63 units at US$3.6 million each
Like the Aventador SVJ 63 Roadster which we wrote about earlier, Lamborghini will produce and sell only 63 units of the Sian. The number has been chosen to commemorate the founding year of the company – 1963. Each of the 63 customers who have already paid their deposits will spend upwards of US$3.6 million (about RM15.2 million), the final price depending on the degree of customisation.

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Hyundai Motor Group develops lightweight wearable robot to help workers

The increased automation, particularly the use of robots, is feared to reduce the number of humans needed to do work in factories. It has a lot of implications and companies are trying to find a balance in their workforce. However, humans are still needed for some types of assembly work, especially where it involves variations. Robots work more efficiently when the work is constantly similar (eg welding bodies) so customisation of specifications is harder to programme.

Therefore there will still be a need for humans in the factory and the dream of the former General Motors CEO, Roger Smith, of a factory with no humans at all, building cars non-stop all day long will likely remain just a dream for some time to come.

Long hours in difficult environments
Though the work humans will do will be suited for them physically and less dangerous, they may still spend long hours working in difficult environments. To reduce fatigue, the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) has developed a Vest EXoskeleton (VEX) which is a wearable robot to assist them.

The VEX helps by imitating the movement of human joints to boost load support and mobility. The wearable vest the polycentric axis – combining multiple pivot points with multi-link muscular assistance – to function, eliminating the need for a battery.

Attached like a backpack
At 2.5 kgs, it weighs 22 – 42% less than competing products and is worn like a backpack. The worker places his or her arms through the shoulder straps of the vest, then fastens the chest and waist buckles. The back section can adjust in length by up to 18 cm to fit a variety of body sizes, while the degree of force assistance can be adjusted over 6 levels – up to as much as 5.5 kgf.

“VEX gives workers greater load support, mobility, and adaptability when operating in overhead environments,” said DongJin Hyun, Head of Robotics team of HMG. “Workers will also appreciate how light VEX is to wear and work with.”

The newly-developed product is targeted at production-line workers whose job is primarily overhead, such as those working on the underside of vehicles – fitting brake tubes, attaching exhaust systems, etc.

Already used in 2 US plants
The development of the VEX included a pilot program in two HMG plants in the USA. The trial was widely successful in assisting workers and boosting productivity and both plants have incorporated VEX systems in their production lines.

Hyundai US factory — *One of the two Hyundai Motor Group factories in the USA where the VEX is already assisting workers.*

The Group is considering introducing the VEX in plants around the world. It is expected to go into commercial production in December and is projected to cost as much as 30% lower than existing products which usually costs around US$5,000 (about RM21,000).

Growing demand for wearable robots
According to the International Federation of Robotics, the wearable robotics industry is growing 14% annually, a rate which is accelerating. By 2021, approximately 630,000 commercial robots will be sold worldwide, with the greatest demand coming from the automotive sector. Recognizing the market trend, HMG is making active investments and strengthening its presence within the growing robotics industry by securing relevant technologies.

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Latest News

Porsche’s all-electric Taycan fully revealed, priced from RM632,000

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Sian – Lamborghini’s first production hybrid super sportscar

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