A mechanic, Muhamad Zamzam Mohd Razali, was fined RM5,000 by the Ipoh Magistrate’s Court for failing to comply with a tribunal order to pay RM6,750 to a lecturer. The fine stems from a case two years ago, where the Malaysian Consumer Claims Tribunal (TTPM) had ruled in favour of the lecturer after the mechanic failed to complete vehicle repairs as promised.
The case was prosecuted by the Perak Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), led by Prosecuting Officer Muhammad Ridzuan Abd Rahim. Magistrate Farah Nabihah Muhamad Dan delivered the verdict, and the court found Muhamad Zamzam guilty under Section 117(1) of the Consumer Protection Act 1999.
Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, has announced a major shift in the automaker’s strategy, aiming to leave behind the era of dull, mainstream cars like the Mondeo, Focus, and Fiesta. While these models were once popular, they failed to justify continued investment. Instead, Ford is focusing on iconic vehicles that inspire excitement, such as the Mustang GTD and various Raptor off-road models.
Farley envisions a future where Ford’s lineup is dominated by cars that enthusiasts love and mainstream vehicles that offer higher profit margins, like the Ford Puma compact crossover. With its appealing design and versatility, the Puma represents the kind of higher-priced, more profitable mainstream car Ford wants to build. The production of the Fiesta has already ceased, and the Focus will follow by 2025.
Ferrari has taken a significant step in its journey towards carbon neutrality by shutting down the gas-fuelled trigeneration plant at its Maranello factory. This early shutdown, three months ahead of schedule, is part of Ferrari’s decarbonisation plan, which was unveiled during the 2022 Capital Markets Day. The plant, which had been operational since 2009, generated electricity, heat, and cooling energy using methane gas and was known for its high-efficiency technology.
The closure will lead to a 60% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions and a 70% decrease in methane gas consumption, making it a crucial move towards Ferrari’s 2030 carbon neutrality goals. In place of the trigenerator, Ferrari is doubling its photovoltaic systems with the aim of reaching a capacity of 10 megawatts peak (MWp) by 2030, up from the current 5 MWp.
BYD has announced a recall of nearly 100,000 vehicles in China due to a manufacturing fault that presents a potential fire risk. The recall, which involves 96,714 Dolphin and Yuan PLUS electric vehicles, began on September 30th, 2024, according to China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).
The issue stems from defects in the electric power steering column assembly (CEPS) controller. During manufacturing, the equipment tool cover may interfere with capacitors on the controller’s circuit board, leading to micro-cracks in the capacitors. Over time, these cracks can expand, causing short circuits, overheating, and potentially resulting in fires.
To address the issue, BYD dealers will install insulation pads on the controllers at no cost, mitigating the risk. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified through registered mail, WeChat, and phone calls, and a customer service hotline has been set up for further assistance.
Meanwhile, Sime Darby Motors, the official distributor of BYD vehicles in Malaysia, has reassured customers that the BYD models sold in Malaysia are not affected by the recent recall announcement by BYD in China. The recall pertains only to vehicles sold in the China market.
PRO-NET, a subsidiary of Proton, has announced the appointment of 36 Proton e.MAS dealerships, more than doubling the initial 17 dealerships announced in June 2024. This move highlights PRO-NET’s commitment to advancing Malaysia’s EV market and expanding its customer service network.
The dealership expansion was complemented by a visit to the Geely Research Institute (GRI) in Hangzhou, China, which was attended by over 40 Malaysian dealer executives and principals. The three-day tour offered participants insights into Geely’s advanced technology and the operations behind selling and servicing premium EV models at Geely dealerships.
Zhang Qiang, CEO of PRO-NET, stated that since the Proton e.MAS brand launch in June, the development pace has been rapid. The addition of 19 new dealerships reflects the excitement surrounding the upcoming Proton e.MAS 7 model and the overwhelming enthusiasm from dealer principals who joined the Geely tour. He emphasised how Geely’s intelligent technology and research have prepared the dealerships for the arrival of Malaysia’s first EV.
Regas Premium Auto, the authorised 4S dealership in Sarawak, has officially reopened its newly refurbished Retail.NEXT showroom in Kuching. This facility now offers enhanced services for BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad, and BMW Premium Selection (BPS) brands, aiming to enrich the Premium Ownership Experience for customers in East Malaysia.
The space now features Retail.NEXT contemporary design, a chic café, a premium lounge, and a Heritage Corner showcasing the BMW 700 Coupé.
Hyundai has achieved a remarkable milestone, having built 100 million cars globally since its founding in 1967. To mark the occasion, the company handed over its 100 millionth and first vehicle, an all-electric Ioniq 5, to its new owner. The symbolic gesture of not highlighting the exact 100 millionth car, but rather the one after, reflects Hyundai’s philosophy of always striving to go “one step further” in its accomplishments.
Hyundai’s automotive journey began in 1968 with the production of its first car, the Pony, at its Ulsan plant in South Korea, which is still a cornerstone of the company and has the capacity to produce 1.6 million cars annually. Over the past 57 years, Hyundai has expanded its global footprint with factories in countries such as the Czech Republic, India, Turkey, and the United States.
After a short hiatus, Edaran Tan Chong Motor, the authorised distributor of Nissan vehicles in Malaysia is back with some exciting news, especially for those who have been anticipating the arrival of electrified Nissans in Malaysia.
The company has confirmed that models with its second-generation e-Power hybrid powertrain will be arriving on Malaysian shores from the fourth quarter of the year onwards, with either the Nissan Kicks e-Power or the Serena e-Power being the first.
So, in an effort to give us a first-hand experience on the e-Power hybrid technology and also to help us understand how the system works, how it feels and whatnot, we were given the opportunity to sample the Nissan Kicks e-Power in Putrajaya recently.
Now, before we get into the driving impressions of the Kicks, let us first dive into the e-Power hybrid powertrain system itself and understand how it works.
What is the e-Power system?
The e-Power drive system is a unique innovation of Nissan in that it is 100% motor-driven without needing to plug in and charge. Electricity is produced by a highly-efficient internal combustion engine dedicated to generating power and recharging the battery pack.
The main components of the e-Power system consist of a Lithium-ion battery, a high-power electric motor, inverter, a generator and a combustion engine with class-leading thermal efficiency.
Unlike most hybrid vehicles in which the engine is responsible for propelling the wheels when the need arises, the internal combustion engine in the Nissan e-Power system is only there to charge the battery, and nothing more.
How does it work?
At low to medium speeds, such as in urban areas, the vehicle is mainly driven by the electric motor powered by the lithium-ion battery for an EV-like performance.
When driven at high speeds where rolling noise is elevated, the engine runs at optimal RPM to generate sufficient electricity to power the motor, and when strong acceleration is required, the motor combines the electricity generated by the engine and the electricity from the lithium-ion battery to power the vehicle.
Like EVs, e-Power also offers the convenience of single-pedal driving where brake pedal operation can be reduced by nearly 70% through regenerative braking which can slow the vehicle while replenishing the battery.
What this means is that the wheels are propelled solely by the electric motor, just like a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV). Also, the e-Power system offers an immediate throttle response as an electric motor can generate maximum torque instantaneously just like an electric vehicle.
Tuned and calibrated to be discreet, the e-Power’s internal combustion engine only operates on a fixed-point basis where the engine is at its most efficient range to generate electricity.
With a claimed fuel consumption figure of just 2.2 L/100km, Nissan says that the Kicks e-Power can travel up to 900 km on just a single tank of fuel.
Meanwhile, the on-board Lithium-ion battery pack of the e-Power system is compact in size and lightweight in construction. Even though the battery capacity has been increased by 30% in the second-generation e-Power system which is coming to Malaysia, the overall system weight is lower and does not impact the drivability, practicality, spaciousness of the vehicle.
Origins of the e-Power system
Developed primarily for the Japanese market where there is a high demand for electrified vehicles but a lack of charging infrastructure due to the highly dense nature of the places where people live, the e-Power system turned out to be the perfect solution for the problem Japanese motorists were facing – as it is essentially a self-charging BEV without the need of plugging into a charger.
This explains why the Nissan Note e-Power, which was the first-ever model to feature the e-Power hybrid drive system, was such a big hit in Japan.
First launched in November 2016 in Japan, Nissan sold over 100,000 units of the Note in the first 11 months and swiftly took the topspot in Japan’s new car sales ranking (excluding mini cars) by the end of 2018.
Following the success of the first-generation Note, the second-generation Nissan Note was launched in November 2020, powered exclusively by the e-Power drive system.
As anticipated, the hatchback became a hot-selling model in the Japanese compact hatchback segment once again, exactly like its predecessor.
Nissan then started fitting the e-Power hybrid drive system in other models in other segments such as MPVs and SUVs, which also turned out to be successful in Japan and other markets around the world.
Fast forward a few years, Nissan managed to surpass the one-million milestone in BEV unit sales in 2023, which shows how well-received its electrified models are. As for the Malaysian market, the e-Power hybrid drive system is all set to be introduced later this year, most likely in the form of the Serena e-Power.
First impressions of the e-Power system
As mentioned above, the model that we sampled was none other than the Kicks e-Power which was showcased at the Malaysia Auto Show earlier this year.
Powering the Kicks e-Power here is a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated three-cylinder engine that charges a 2.06 kWh battery, which powers a single electric motor that sends a maximum output of 129 PS (96 kW) and 280 Nm exclusively to the front wheels.
After driving it, we feel that the Kicks e-Power hybrid offers a driving experience that is almost identical to a full-blown BEV compared to any other hybrid model in the market (PHEVs included).
This is because the e-Power hybrid drive system allows you to do what we call the “single-pedal driving” which is only available in pure EVs, where acceleration and deceleration are done by pressing and lifting off the accelerator pedal. The brake pedal is only used when you bring the vehicle to a complete stop at the end.
However, the single-pedal driving system is only available in ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’ driving modes, as you have to drive the Kicks e-Power like a conventional vehicle in ‘Normal’ mode.
Since the battery is charged every time you decelerate, the fuel range is also maximised when you’re in ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’ mode in vehicles with the e-Power hybrid drive system, enabling it to cover up to 900km with a tank of fuel.
Even though 129 PS and 280 Nm do not sound like a big deal on paper, the Kicks e-Power packs quite a punch on the road. Not only does it get to speeds of around 140 km/h quicker than its closest rivals, but it also does it more quietly.
Unlike conventional self-charging hybrids where the wheels are primarily and directly driven by the engine, the e-Power’s intelligent control system regulates engine operation independently based on factors such as vehicle speed, road conditions, degree of acceleration and battery charge levels.
As a result, the driving experience is quiet and refined with less frequent engine operation compared to conventional hybrids.
It also felt lighter and more agile than conventional hybrid models like the Honda HR-V RS e:HEV and the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. While those who prefer lightness and agility would absolutely love the Kicks e-Power, drivers who prefer a hybrid with heavier steering may not enjoy it much.
We loved it though, as the zippiness and agility of the Kicks e-Power makes it ideal for daily driving in Malaysia where we are constantly manoeuvring through crowded business centres, shopping mall parking lots and whatnot.
The seamless power delivery, the silence, and the single-pedal driving system of the e-Power hybrid drive make it feel just like an EV. The only difference is that the battery is smaller and charged by the engine, compared to an EV’s larger battery which is charged by a plug from a wall box.
Another advantage of Nissan’s e-Power system is that it helped maximise cabin and luggage space, thanks to the compact design, and the lack of components that send power from the engine to the wheels such as the clutch and a conventional transmission.
In summary, the e-Power hybrid powertrain is not only unique but also efficient and effective, especially in our market where EV charging infrastructure is not where it should be. So, if you want to experience an electric vehicle without having to worry about where to charge it, a Nissan Kicks e-Power may just be what you want.
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) has announced the upcoming launch of the sixth-generation Mitsubishi Triton pick-up truck, set to debut in October 2024. The new Triton is available for booking and comes in five variants, with pricing starting at RM102,000 for the Triton Single Cab and going up to RM170,000 for the top-spec Triton Athlete.
Shinya Ikeda, CEO of MMM, highlighted that the all-new Triton is completely redesigned, offering improved performance, handling, and comfort. Key features include:
Elevated Styling: The Triton adopts a bold “Beast Mode” design language, with a sporty and functional interior.
Upgraded Performance: Powered by a new 2.4L two-stage turbo engine with 204PS and 470NM of torque, offering robust performance for various terrains.
Larger Body: It boasts a bigger frame, with a mega-frame chassis for enhanced durability and reliability.
Enhanced Ride Comfort: Equipped with a newly developed suspension and the Super Select 4WD-II system, offering 7 drive modes for superior road performance.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has clarified that the government is still covering the cost of diesel subsidies for eligible sectors, despite the price of diesel being floated. Speaking on the Yang Bakar Menteri (YBM) podcast, Rafizi explained that subsidies are still provided to essential sectors like fisheries, public transport, and logistics, although private users are now subject to market prices.
According to Bernama, Rafizi noted that the government has not fully removed diesel subsidies but has adopted a targeted approach, ensuring that specific sectors continue to benefit. The retail price of diesel in Peninsular Malaysia was set at RM3.35 per litre on June 10, 2024, while in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan, it remained at RM2.15 per litre, with prices fluctuating based on market conditions.
