Cycle & Carriage Bintang Berhad is now accepting applications for its Study Grant. The company, which brought Mercedes-Benz to Malaysia and has a wide dealership network, has been offering this grant for the past two years. It is intended to benefit local youths interested in a career in the automotive sector by supporting their access to quality technical and vocational education.
“Talented individuals form the bedrock of our promise to deliver exceptional journeys. For that reason, we believe strongly in planting the seeds for the next generation of industry professionals. Each recipient deserves the support to help fuel their academic and professional career. We are ready to welcome talented individuals into our network, including a confirmed placement at Cycle & Carriage upon graduation,” said Wilfrid Foo, CEO of Cycle & Carriage.
First recipients of the Cycle & Carriage Study Grant in 2019 with Wilfrid Foo, CEO of Cycle & Carriage (third from right).
The Study Grant is part of Cycle & Carriage’s ongoing commitment to the social development of the local community and the nation’s technical and vocational education. Since its inception in 2019, Cycle & Carriage’s Study Grant has launched the careers of 10 individuals.
Applications are now open for those who meet the following criteria:
Malaysian youths aged 16 years and above.
Currently enrolled in (or have secured a placement) in an automotive course within a skills-training institution accredited by the Department for Skills Development (DSD) of the Ministry of Human Resources or Ministry of Higher Education.
Applicants must also possess a minimum credit in English and Mathematics either at the Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3), Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM) level.
From a household with a monthly income of RM4,850 and below.
The successful recipients will receive a bursary of up to RM5,000 for a maximum of 3 years of study. Grant recipients will also receive internship opportunities during the semester break and career placement with the company.
Applications will be accepted up till August 31, 2021. To know more or to obtain an application form, click here.
What began as a young designer’s vision of the car of the future has been transformed into a real model called the eVOITURETTE. The vision was created as part of Skoda Storyboard’s Icons Get a Makeover series and is the work of Yuhan Zhang, a member of the interior design team at Skoda.
Zhang was inspired by the Czech brand’s first-ever production car, the Voiturette A produced by Laurin & Klement (Skoda Auto’s original name) in 1905. It was her aim to create a modern take on one of the legends in the carmaker’s history, fusing traditional design in a futuristic carriage.
Yuhan Zhang in one of the 44 units of the Laurin & Klement Voiturette A produced between 1905 and 1907. The first car made by the original Skoda Auto company, it had a V2 engine with 7 hp engine that took the car to a top speed of 40 km/h.
The idea to convert the VOITURETTE A into such an unusual vehicle came to Zhang fairly quickly – around 20 hours of work to convert the idea into a sketch. “I started with a pencil on tracing paper – the first thing I worked on was the exterior. I scanned the sketch into the computer and carried on from there,” she explained, adding that the initial outline makes up around 20% of the development of this kind of sketch, and is the most important part.
Design freedom
After the exterior, she used the same process on the car’s interior, consulting design chief Oliver Stefani. As this was a vision of a car of the future without a strict brief, his comments were minor. “He told me to get rid of some details that resemble solutions we were still working on for our mass-produced cars,” Zhang recalled.
It was this freedom she had when creating her vision of a futuristic car that was a nice change for her. “A lot of our work is secret and has a very clear brief. Our day-to-day work doesn’t leave much time for projects that show off our vision and talent. But this time, there was a surprising amount of freedom,” she said.
It took 400 difficult hours of work to produce a full-sized model of the eVOITURETTE. “Due to the model’s delicacy but intended long-term use as an exhibit in a museum, emphasis was placed on high-quality workmanship,” says Vlastimil Pazout, the model’s construction coordinator.
“The designer worked closely with us from the beginning. She prepared the basic data in a 3D sketch, which we then converted into production data before actually making it,” said his colleague Lukas Hrncir.
Made of artificial wood
The need for quality and durability persuaded the modellers to use a combination of traditional and modern techniques. The main body of the model – a relatively bulky part – is milled from ‘artificial wood’, while many parts come from a 3D printer.
“For example, we printed the logo and some of the finer parts, such as the holder of the interactive display that forms the dashboard,” said Zhang. One special feature of the model is the LED backlighting of certain parts. In her sketches, the artist included the LEDs as a kind of communication tool between the vehicle and its surroundings, so the modellers incorporated them into the real-life model.
10-kg full-size model
In addition to the designer, modellers and constructors, other members of the Skoda Design team, such as those from the Colour & Trim department, were involved in the creation of the model, as well as members of the Skoda Museum team. Measuring 688 x 355 x 327 mm, it weighs almost 10 kgs.
“After consulting with experts from the museum, we changed the model’s colour scheme. Unlike the original design with its shades of blue, we opted for a more distinctive red and white colour combination that reinforces the link between past and future,” explained Zhang. But in all other regards, the model is faithful to the sketch, including all details and proportions, which remained unchanged.
During the construction process, however, some specific parts were modified to make the model look as good as possible. “Probably the most important change was to the surface of the seat. It was originally supposed to be painted but, in the end, we covered the seat with fabric in cooperation with the Colour & Trim department,” said Pazout. The seat has additional stitching buttons so it looks very realistic indeed. “Due to the thickness of the fabric, this made it necessary to remake the 3D printed parts of the seat,” said Hrncir.
“It was a short and intense project, which brought my dream to life. It was fun to let my imagination run wild and not have to stick within today’s technical limitations,” said Zhang, who is originally from China and joined the company in 2015.
On permanent display at Skoda Museum
The eVOITURETTE is on permanent display at the Skoda Museum and Ferdinand Porsche Birth House. The museum is so named because that is where Porsche was born in 1875. The building, which has been owned by Skoda since 2011, shows visitors Czech industrial traditions, engineering and enthusiasm for technology.
The Skoda Museum and Ferdinand Porsche Birth House.
The Malaysian auto industry, like many other industries in the country, has been badly impacted by the measures taken to fight the COVID-19 pandemic since last year. Representing the new motor vehicle distributors, assemblers and manufacturers, the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) commends the government for its efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus in order to save lives.
However, the MAA feels the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), Phase 1 and Phase 2 of National Recovery Program approach needs to be reviewed and re-considered, especially for key economic states like Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Johor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan. The EMCO approach had been enforced in Selangor and WP Kuala Lumpur for more than 2 weeks now while some states have transitioned into Phase 2 of the NRP.
Whole supply chain affected
“The whole supply chain in the automotive sector has been seriously affected particularly by the complete shutdown of operations in EMCO states/localities like Selangor and WP Kuala Lumpur. Feedback received from many of our members indicated that business operations – even in non-EMCO states – are hampered due to disruptions in the supply chain”, said Datuk Aishah Ahmad, President of MAA.
During the EMCO stage, not a single business activity from the automotive sector is allowed to operate, while for states under Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the NRP, the vehicle showroom and distribution centres are still not allowed to operate despite the opening up of most of the other economic sectors.
Production and distribution of automotive products (motor vehicles, components and parts) and sales of vehicles have been halted since June 1, 2021. The stoppages of all these activities will have far-reaching implications to the entire automotive ecosystem nationwide. In April last year, sales and production plummeted to almost zero when the first MCO was in force.
Implications of continuing closures
While automotive companies may suffer from loss of revenue, profitability, export markets and closure of businesses, their employees face issues such as pay cuts, loss of income (particularly for sales personnel) and even retrenchment in certain cases. The government will also lose in terms of lower revenue collected from excise duties, import duties, sales taxes and road taxes for motor vehicles.
The closures of automotive workshops and parts centres in EMCO states/localities such as Selangor and WP Kuala Lumpur will not only cause inconvenience to all vehicle owners in general but may also endanger those whose vehicles may have defects or problems. Failure to repair faulty parts in such vehicles can pose a serious risk to all road-users. These include vehicles which may be belonging to frontliners such as those in the PDRM, Ministry of Health, etc. who may encounter damages or breakdown in the course of doing their work.
With factories and distribution centres (for vehicles and parts) in EMCO states/localities unable to operate, this will disrupt the supply chain to business operations in states/areas under Phase 1 and 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP). As a result, the recovery efforts by the government will be negated.
Increasing damaged inflicted
The consequences arising from stoppages of the automotive factories, workshops, and distribution centres (for vehicles and spare parts) in EMCO states/localities is indeed very serious, the MAA stresses. The longer these facilities do not operate, the greater the damages inflicted on to the automotive industry in particular, and the country in general.
The MAA is therefore appealing to the government to allow automotive sector activities (workshops and distribution centres for passenger and commercial vehicles and spare parts) to operate with immediate effect albeit at certain capacity and with strict SOPs in place in states under EMCO, Phase 1 of NRP and Phase 2 of NRP.
Selangor and WP Kuala Lumpur account for close to 50% of Malaysia’s total industry volume of new vehicles each year. Many of the key automotive companies for both production of vehicles and components are located within these two states. In addition, some MAA members also have their sole and or central distribution centre (for vehicles and spare parts) located within the Klang Valley.
In addition, to reduce congestion at ports, the MAA is proposing to allow a window of two to three days per week for receiving and storing cargos for the automotive sector similar to what was practiced during MCO 1.0 last year. The Malaysian automotive industry is heavily dependent on the domestic market. Export markets exist but are insufficient to sustain the industry.
The auto industry is accelerating towards electrification of products, ultimately leaving behind the combustion engine that has been blamed for causing pollution of the environment and bringing on climate change. However, unlike previous transitions, this one is a radical one that calls for a change in the ecosystem of the industry. The existing ecosystem has evolved over 100 years around the combustion engine and now, with electrification, manufacturing processes and supply chains need to be changed.
Different carmakers are taking different approaches and Nissan will make a total investment of £1 billion (about RM5.82 billion) in establishing a flagship Electric Vehicle (EV) Hub as a world-first EV manufacturing ecosystem. To be known as Nissan EV36Zero, the core of this hub will be at its 35-year old manufacturing complex at Sunderland in the United Kingdom.
The transformational project has Envision AESC, a global player in world-leading battery technology, and the Sunderland City Council as partners. Made up of three interconnected initiatives, Nissan EV36Zero brings together electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery production, setting a blueprint for the future of the automotive industry.
“This project comes as part of Nissan’s pioneering efforts to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the entire lifecycle of our products. Our comprehensive approach includes not only the development and production of EVs, but also the use of on-board batteries as energy storage and their reuse for secondary purposes,” said Nissan President & CEO, Makoto Uchida. “The experience and know-how gained through the project will be shared globally, enhancing Nissan’s global competitiveness.”
Building on Nissan’s historic presence in Sunderland, the projects represent 6,200 jobs at Nissan and its UK suppliers, including more than 900 new Nissan jobs and 750 new Envision AESC jobs at its new smart, low-carbon battery plant. Longer-term, the transformational project modernises and expands Nissan’s EV production capability in the UK.
Envision AESC will deploy integrated AIoT smart technology to monitor and optimize energy consumption, manufacturing and maintenance at its new gigafactory, enabling it to rapidly increase production and provide batteries to power up to 100,000 Nissan electric vehicles a year.
New-generation electric crossover
As part of the investment, Nissan will invest up to £423 million to produce a new-generation EV in the UK. Utilising the Alliance CMF-EV platform, it will be designed for global markets with forecasted production capacity of up to 100,000 units to be installed.
Next-generation EV batteries
Envision AESC already owns and operates Europe’s first battery plant in Sunderland, established in 2012 for the localisation of Nissan LEAF battery production. The factory’s UK team therefore has 9 years’ expertise of supplying batteries to the Nissan LEAF and eNV200, having produced enough cells, modules and packs to power over 180,000 electric vehicles in 44 countries, meeting global benchmark levels of quality, performance, safety, reliability and cost.
Supporting this new model allocation, Envision AESC will invest £450 million (about RM2.62 billion) to build the UK’s first gigafactory on the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, adjacent to the Nissan plant, powered by renewable energy and pioneering next-generation battery technology. This new plant will increase the cost-competitiveness of EV batteries produced in the UK, including through a new Gen5 battery cell with 30% more energy density which improves range and efficiency. It will also make batteries cheaper and EVs more accessible to a growing number of customers in the future.
Nissan LEAF battery pack.
Used battery packs have second life
There are also plans for a 1MW battery storage system using second-life Nissan EV/Envision AESC batteries, which will also allow for excess energy generated during daylight hours to be captured and used at another time, helping to balance demand on the grid.
By now, you would already have read news that Virgin Galactic – the world’s first commercial ‘spaceline’ – has completed its first ever fully crewed space flight yesterday. And on board the craft called the SpaceShipTwo Unity was founder Sir Richard Branson, who also established Virgin Airlines (as Virgin Atlantic) 37 years ago. The craft, launched from the uniquely designed WhiteKnightTwo aircraft, travelled with four Mission Specialists and two pilots on board, as well as Branson as passenger.
Special Astronaut Edition of Range Rover
Two years ago, Land Rover was already preparing for this historic flight with the Range Rover Astronaut Edition created by the Land Rover SV Bespoke division. It is a special model that will be offered exclusively to Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronaut customers, which already number some 600 people who are said to have signed up.
The special edition of the Range Rover has exterior elements which include unique Zero Gravity Blue paint inspired by the beautiful effects of the night sky, plus a bespoke Virgin Galactic puddle lamp design. The aluminium door handles have the Future Astronaut community constellation design. Astronaut Edition badging also features on the tailgate and side profile finishers.
Exclusive features
One-off interior design features include a custom cupholder crafted from the spaceship’s front landing skid (from the first mission in 2018), ‘DNA of Flight’ logo graphic veneer, with additional personalisation options that include stitching the Future Astronaut’s initials onto the headrests.
Customers who buy the Astronaut Edition can choose either a P400e plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain or a high-performance 5-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine.
Automotive partner since 2014
Land Rover has been the Automotive Partner of the Virgin Galactic team since 2014, providing vehicles for various roles before and after each mission. At Spaceport America in New Mexico yesterday, a Defender towed SpaceShipTwo Unity back to its hangar after the craft mission that took it about 80 kms up.
Even after you recover from COVID-19 infection, your quality of life may be affected and cause you to suffer for a long period after that. To avoid being infected, take the necessary measures to protect yourself as well as others – and get vaccinated.
After picking up pole position for Round 11 of the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in New York City over the weekend, Sam Bird bounced back for a dominant win around the challenging Brooklyn street circuit, repaying Jaguar Racing’s efforts from a difficult Saturday that saw the team rebuild his car.
The win puts Bird atop of the Drivers’ standings with 81 points as the all-electric racing series heads to his home race in London later this month. However, on the other side of the Jaguar garage, the team was left frustrated missing out on a potential 1-2 finish after team mate Mitch Evans suffered severe damage to his car whilst trying to defend second position.
Evans’ misfortune led to a second podium for Envision Virgin Racing’s Nick Cassidy, the Kiwi rounding out a solid weekend in New York City after finishing third on Saturday. On the final step of the podium was DS TECHEETAH’s Antonio Felix da Costa, the reigning champion stealthily making his way up from seventh on the grid to secure vital points for his title defence as the series heads towards the final four races of the season.
The race around Brooklyn
Under grey skies, Bird got the drop on the field and sped into Turn 1, pulling a clean lead out of the tricky first complex of corners. Behind the Brit, his Jaguar teammate had a rough launch off the dirty side of the track, locking up into the first turn whilst defending from his compatriot Cassidy.
After breaking down in qualifying, Vergne’s day went from bad to worse as the Frenchman was unable to get his DS Techeetah off the line and was left stranded on the grid, bringing out the MINI Pacesetter Safety Car.
With the green flag out again by Lap 3, Bird wasted no time and immediately jumped to put some air between himself and Evans. After losing a place following a robust move from TAG Heuer Porsche’s Andre Lotterer for 7th, Alexander Sims (Mahindra Racing) was the first driver to make the dive to the outside at the Turn 10 hairpin, taking an additional 35 kW from the ATTACK MODE activation.
After qualifying down in 19th, Jake Dennis made some movements through the field to the just outside of the top 10, but the BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver’s progress was halted after clipping the rear of ROKiT Venturi Racing’s Edoardo Mortara and spinning the championship leader on Lap 7, the Swiss-Italian losing some vital positions in the process.
On Lap 8, the Jaguar duo, line astern, both dived for their ATTACK MODE. Bird was able to retain his lead, but Cassidy moved by Evans into second. With an extra 35kW of power under his feet, Evans quickly pounced on his compatriot with a clean pass.
With 15 minutes of the race in the bag, Bird looked smooth and control in the lead, pulling a gap of nearly a second on Evans and Cassidy, with the latter closely covering the rear diffuser of the second-placed driver.
A few laps later, Bird and Cassidy both jumped for their ATTACK MODE. In a perfectly choreographed piece of strategy, Evans allowed his teammate back through to keep Cassidy at bay with Evans working as a moving roadblock and allowing Bird to stretch out a gap of nearly 2 seconds.
With Cassidy having a power advantage, the Envision Virgin Racing rookie made his move on Evans to take second, sweeping round the outside before braking for Turn 6. With that place lost, Evans took his second and final ATTACK MODE to mount a challenge on Cassidy.
With that perfectly timed ATTACK MODE, Evans put in the fastest lap to leap up to the rear diffuser of Cassidy and dived up the inside for second at the Turn 10 hairpin. Behind the pair, after stealthily making his way through the pack, reigning champion Da Costa ominously clawed up to Cassidy for the final spot on the podium.
Rivals from the very beginnings of Formula E, Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler) spun Nissan e.dams’ Sebastien Buemi at Turn 6, the Brazilian coming under the watchful eye of the FIA and picking up a 10-second penalty for the offence.
On Lap 25, Bird continued to stretch his legs and run away with a lead over 2.5 seconds on his teammate, whilst a fight brewing build behind the leader. Da Costa attempted a move on Lap 27, engaging his FANBOOST but getting into the dusty part of the track it allowed Cassidy to hold the position with a daring defence. However, with the New Zealander appearing to be overusing his useable energy, Da Costa’s crew encourage the Portuguese driver with a message over the radio saying ‘we can get him’.
At the head of the pack, Evans was now facing pressure from not only Cassidy and Da Costa but now also the Porsche pairing of Pascal Wehrlein and Lotterer. Trying to fend off the pack the New Zealander clouted the wall on the outside of Turn 4, taking some heavy damage to his left rear suspension – immediately dropping back from second down to fourth after looking relatively in control of the pack.
Evans’ mistake left Cassidy in second now facing pressure from Da Costa in third, the experienced Portuguese driver trying to force the rookie to over-consume his useable energy in the final stages. With too much damage to the rear of his car, Evans was left in trouble losing places left, right and centre on the final lap. He eventually made it across the finish line in 13th position.
Next up it is London’s calling for another two rounds of the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the Heineken London E-Prix on July 24 and 25.
Polestar has revealed an experimental version of the Polestar 2 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England this weekend, where it was raced up the hillclimb at the venue. While the standard Polestar 2 – which uses a fully electric powertrain – has an output of 300 kW (408 hp), the experimental model generates up to 350 kW (476 hp).
The project was proposed by the company’s CEO, Thomas Ingenlath, who wanted to push the boundaries of the performance fastback’s design and performance potential. “I challenged the design and engineering teams to play with Polestar 2 and come up with something that makes a strong statement for Goodwood. We want to flex our muscles and explore opportunities,” he said.
“For a few months, I have enjoyed driving another experimental Polestar 2, nicknamed ‘Beast’, around our Gothenburg campus, which inspired the team to come up with this version for Goodwood,” he revealed.
Besides the higher output from its two electric motors, the car has been given a stronger stance, with a wider track (+10 mm on each side) and 30 mm lower ride height. Widened wheel arches have been fitted, necessary to house the 9×21-inch wheels and 6-piston Akebono front brakes from the Polestar 1. The 275/30R21 Pirelli PZero Rosso performance tyres are also carried over from the Polestar 1.
The springs have been stiffened by 80% at the front and 40% at the rear compared to the original performance units, and the adjustable Ohlins DFV dampers have been upgraded to Ohlins 3-way performance dampers which are approximately 30% stiffer than the road and track originals. To further increase rigidity, the carbonfibre front suspension strut bar from a Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered has been fitted, complemented by a custom-fabricated rear strut bar.
“This car is what happens when we are given freedom to go beyond our limits,” said Joakim Rydholm, Polestar’s chief chassis engineer. “We already have such great handling and performance characteristics in Polestar 2 but when Thomas asked me to make something special for Goodwood, I was really excited to up the stakes.”
In addition to the mechanical upgrades, the car features updated front and rear bumpers. The car is finished in Snow Matte with a Magnesium Matte racing stripe, colour-coded front grid and glossy black mirrors. Bumpers and side skirts feature an additional colour-coded design accent. The wheels feature dual tonality of glossy and matte black surfaces.
Standard Polestar 2.
“It’s always exciting to push a little bit further. This is one of the benefits of being a start-up like Polestar – we don’t have a mould to fit into so we can experiment with fun projects like this,” added Maximilian Missoni, Head of Design.
Mazda owners and fans will know about ‘Jinba Ittai’ – that unity between the driver and the car, the way a rider and a horse can be ‘one’. ‘Jinba Ittai’ became embedded as a core philosophy for Mazda from 1987, during the development of the first MX-5. Tetsu Kasahara, a young engineer in the Chassis Dynamics Development Department at that time, recalls the term being used internally. “One day, Toshihiko Hirai, the first-gen MX-5’s Programme Manager, started printing ‘Jinba Ittai‘ on his business cards, and I think that’s how it came to be used externally,” he said.
Since then, Jinba-Ittai is a must for every Mazda and it is what makes the company’s cars special, especially to those who love driving. It’s not just in the sports models but in every model Mazda makes, including its trucks and MPVs. In some cases where models have been shared with other mnufacturers, eg the early Mazda3 and the Tribute SUV, Mazda engineers have made some small but effective modifications that have achieved Jinba Ittai for the brand’s models.
The importance of driving shoes
Just as the tyres are the crucial contact a car has with the road, the feet of the driver are crucial in the control and driving experience. In pursuit of the best possible Jinba Ittai experience for drivers, Mazda teamed up with Mizuno, a well-known sportswear company, to jointly develop driving shoes. Also involved in the project was Makuake Incubation Studio which provides new product and new business development support.
The driving shoes are said to provide the driver with a driving experience of light yet stable and comfortable pedal operation. For effective operation of the pedals, ‘dorsiflexion support upper’ helps to pull back the foot to the top. The reaction force of the areas that flex makes it easier to adjust the amount of pedal depression more precisely. Mizuno used posture control technology that it cultivated in the development of competition swimwear.
MIZUNO COB technology in sole
The shoes use MIZUNO COB, which enhances the sensitivity of the soles of the feet in order to communicate with the car and obtain a direct feeling of operation. MIZUNO COB can transmit more accurate information to the sole by adding unevenness on the upper surface of the midsole that is linked to the design of the outsole. It provides a direct pedal feel while ensuring the cushioning required for comfort. It therefore enhances Jinba Ittai during driving, giving the sense of unity between the driver and the car and enables smooth pedal operation in various driving situations.
Commenting on the shoes, a Mizuno designer said that if the shoes that connect the driver and the car are solid, human abilities will naturally be brought out. “Shoes are also an important factor in driving; after all, you can’t run well if you wear business shoes when running,” he explained.
First shoe project for Mazda Design
Mazda Design was involved in the shoe design as well, welcoming the challenge of designing a product they have never done before. As with Mazda vehicles, the form is fused with texture and functionality at a high level. The shoe has a black theme (with grey elements) in its design and each shoe weighs 270 grams.
Only for sale in Japan
The shoes, which are only available in Japan, will be on display at Mizuno stores, Mazda headquarters and Mazda dealers from tomorrow. However, deliveries to purchasers will only take place from March 2022. Only 1,350 pairs (in 4 batches) are available and with tax, the total price is 44,000 yen (about RM1,675).
To know more about the Mazda range of vehicles available in Malaysia, visit www.mazda.com.my.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship continues with Rounds 10 & 11 of Season 7 being run in New York City this weekend. As with the other rounds and a unique feature of the all-electric series, the circuits are created just for the event, mostly around cities. This weekend, the circuit for the New York City E-Prix will wind around the streets of Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighbourhood
The circuit is a familiar one and a favourite of the drivers, teams and fans alike. Its 2.320-km, 14-turn layout remains largely unchanged from Formula E’s last visit in 2019. The circuit, which goes around the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal site in the heart of the Red Hook area, is a real test – it is lined with many kilometres of unforgiving concrete. The drivers will have to familiarise themselves with the revised ATTACK MODE activation zone to negotiate, though, with the loop moved from the exit of Turn 5 to the outside of Turn 10 this year. This may sound like a minor detail, but optimising ATTACK MODE has proven to be crucial at previous races this season.
New race leader after Mexico
In the race for championship honours, 12 drivers now sit within 24 points – one race win – of Edoardo Mortara (ROKiT Venturi Racing) who leads. Eight found themselves in the same bounds after Round 7 in Monaco but as the Puebla weekend in Mexico showed, everything’s liable to change, and fast, in Formula E. Mortara rocketed to the top of the standings after following up a podium in the Puebla E-Prix (Round 8) with a long-awaited return to the top step in Round 9 to take the lead with a huge 40-point haul.
Nick Cassidy (Envision Virgin Racing) steered to his first Formula E podium in the second race in Puebla and Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler’s long wait for its first silverware of the year came to an end via a Lucas di Grassi-Rene Rast one-two in Round 8. That all meant the championship table saw a shuffle with a number of drivers joining the title battle, rather than any breakaways at the top.
The rivals gunning for Mortara
So Mortara’s huge points advantage means he’s the man with the target on his back in New York City. The Swiss-Italian went to Mexico 13th in the running and 30 points behind then-leader Robin Frijns (Envision Virgin Racing). The Dutchman will be hoping for a better race in New York and he’s every reason to be encouraged following his 2019 win in the city – his most recent in Formula E.
Reigning champion Antonio Felix da Costa (DS TECHEETAH) may have struggled to secure the results they’d have hoped for in Mexico but both he and double title-winning teammate Jean-Eric Vergne left relatively unscathed, in pretty much the same situation as they’d arrived. It was a net gain for the champion despite his struggles, with the Portuguese sitting third.
Audi’s 1-2 saw Rast fire himself into fourth in the standings, Jaguar Racing’s Mitch Evans is fifth after a double points score last time out, while de Vries currently places sixth having led the Drivers’ running heading into Round 7 in Monaco after a measured victory in the DHL Valencia E-Prix Round 5 and that storming opening-round drive in Diriyah.
The official Safety Car for the current season of Formula E is the MINI Electric Pacesetter. It is developed from the new MINI Cooper SE and serves as a ‘bridge’ between MINI‘s historic motorsports legacy and its venture into electrification. The New York event will see the car being used for the fifth time this season.
More spectator involvement
Formula E blurs the lines between the real and virtual worlds of motorsport and there are other opportunities to engage with the championship in Season 7 even if you can’t be at an E-Prix in person. It’s the only motorsport event in the world that lets fans play an active role in influencing the outcome with FANBOOST.
FANBOOST for Round 10 remains until 15 minutes into the race, while voting for Round 11 opens shortly after Round 10 has finished. To give your favourite driver an extra boost of power, visit FANBOOST and the Formula E app.
Ford, in partnership with the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, is one of the three major manufacturers participating in the World Rally Championship (WRC). The team, based in Britain, has so far been using the Fiesta WRC rallycar but from the 2022 season, it will switch to a Puma Hybrid. The first event it will compete in will be the 2022 Monte Carlo Rally in January next year.
Replacement for Fiesta WRC
The new rallycar replaces the Fiesta WRC which has won three world championship titles since 2017. Since 1997, Ford has been working with M-Sport to compete in the WRC, and the partnership has a total of 7 world championship titles.
Based on EcoBoost Hybrid system
The prototype of the all-wheel drive Puma Rally1 has a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine and plug-in hybrid system with 100 kW (136 ps) additional power and 3.9 kWh battery capacity. The new plug-in hybrid powertrain will provide competition-level performance as well as the ability to travel through towns, cities and service parks between stages using pure-electric power and therefore zero emissions.
The Puma Rally1’s hybrid system operates using similar principles to the Puma EcoBoost Hybrid road car. The powertrain captures energy normally lost during braking and coasting (regeneration) and stores it in the battery pack to power the electric motor. While this can be used to improve fuel efficiency, the rally drivers are likely to use it for a performance boost – as much as 100 kW for multiple boosts of up to 3 seconds during competitive driving.
The battery pack can also be recharged using an external power source at service points between stages, with a recharge taking approximately 25 minutes. Weighing 95 kgs, the hybrid system is liquid-cooled as well as air-cooled and housed in a ballistic-strength casing to resist the impact of debris and g-forces in the event of an accident, an important consideration in rallies.
In addition, FIA WRC Rally1 competitors must use a fossil-free fuel from the 2022 season, blending synthetic and bio-degradable elements to produce an E-fuel that is 100% sustainable.
Big technological advancement in WRC
“The new era of WRC cars is one of the biggest technological advancements in WRC to date. The introduction of the hybrid means that the cars will be more powerful than ever whilst also directly reflecting the powertrains within their road going counterparts,” said Malcolm Wilson, Managing Director of M-Sport who was formerly a work WRC driver as well.
The Puma Rally1 will replace the Fiesta WRC which the Ford M-Sport Team is currently using in the WRC.
