Home - Piston.my

UMW Toyota Motor participates in mangrove reforestation program to achieve carbon neutrality

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has made a global commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, in support the Paris Agreement. As its products are sold in 204 countries and regions around the world, its affiliates also support the commitment in various ways to reduce CO₂ (carbon dioxide) emissions to an industry-leading level.

In Malaysia, apart from various initiatives that promote practical and sustainable reduction in CO₂ emissions, UMW Toyota Motor Sdn. Bhd. (UMWT) and UMW Holdings Berhad (UMW) also carry out other activities. A recent example was a tree planting programme hosted by the Malaysian Nature Society at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park. The programme is part of UMW’s Green Shoots Initiative (UGS) in conjunction with the National 100 million Tree-Planting Campaign 2020-2025 which has the theme “Greening Malaysia: Our Trees, Our Life”.

The event was led by Faraed Mohd Sharif, Director of Customer First Group together with UMWT management, UMW CSR team, UMWT staff and students from Politeknik Sultan Idris Shah, Sungai Lang. Together, they planted 1,500 mangrove saplings of the Bakau Kurap or Rhizophora Mucronata species within the mangrove swamp forest.

The 80 participants were taken on an ecology walk through parts of the 296-hectare wide Kuala Selangor Nature Park to learn about the importance of mangroves to the environment and coastal communities. They were also exposed to a seedling and germination demonstration, while learning about the four families of mangroves and 13 different species of mangrove trees.

Greenhouse gas emissions like CO₂ are a major cause of climate change issues and a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tonnes of CO₂per year. Mangrove forests can help mitigate the effects of climate change as they act as huge carbon sinks which are able to sequester two to four times more carbon than mature rainforests, in addition to helping shore up our coastlines and reduce the impact of severe flooding while supporting the biodiversity of the area.

Recognising this, UMW and UMWT have planted close to 40,000 trees to date with almost 50% being mangrove trees, in their journey towards offsetting CO₂ emissions and realising their Zero Carbon goals by committing to planting some 300,000 trees over the next two years.

“Our initiatives contribute to climate resilience while cementing Toyota’s global commitment towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through activities that offset CO2 emissions. We have also integrated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as part of our operations as a guideline to help us reach carbon neutrality,” said Encik Faraed. “Moving forward, we are focused on providing ‘Mobility For All’, by supporting the creation of more independent, safe and eco-friendly mobility solutions in line with Toyota’s local mass manufacturing plans towards a ‘Clean, Safe and Secure Society.”

Solar panels at the ASSB factory in Selangor are used to provide electricity for operations.

Hybrid electric vehicle technology in the Toyota Corolla Cross is one approach to achieving carbon neutrality which is practical for Malaysia.

“UMW Toyota Motor will continue our active participation with sustainable tree planting activities in two more locations this year as part of the UMW Green Shoots Initiative to inspire more environmental conservation and restoration works within communities as we take steps toward investing in nature-based solutions for carbon sequestration,” he added.

UMWT places high priority on environmental conservation, hence, the company sets a target to achieve CO₂ reduction from logistics activities and its assembly facility, as guided by the Toyota environmental action plan, through the installation of 2MW solar panels. The introduction of locally-assembled models with hybrid electric vehicle technology is another initiative towards carbon neutrality.

Toyota Eco Youth Programme has been helping develop strong eco-values and leadership skills among secondary school students since 2001.

The company’s environmental CSR efforts include its Toyota Eco Youth Programme, a collaboration between UMWT and the Ministry of Education that has been run annually since 2001. Through this program, the future generation of youths in secondary schools can develop strong eco-values and leadership skills.

Toyota: “No customer is left behind” in quest for carbon neutrality

Full-sized Lamborghini Sian built from 400,000 LEGO Technic parts

Continuing the partnership between Lamborghini and LEGO Technic which was established in January 2020, a Lamborghini Sian has been built with LEGO parts and is currently on display (until October 6, 2022) at the Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese, where the sportscar company’s home in Italy is located.

The model follows the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 in 2020 but is full-sized, with virtually identical dimensions as the real supercar. More than 154 different types of LEGO pieces – were used to form the unmistakable outline of the Sian, right down to the very smallest details. With some 400,000 LEGO pieces used, the Sian model weighs 2,200 kgs.

Accurate to tiniest detail
The word ‘Sian’ means ‘lightning’ or ‘thunderbolt’ in Bolognese dialect. The experts from the LEGO Group have emphasised his by making the lights and the stylish thunderbolt that flashes down the bodywork shine like the Y-shaped lights on the real car, while also producing hexagonal tail lights that can really turn on and off.

Extremely precise detailing can be seen inside the car, including a LEGO brick steering wheel decorated with the famous Lamborghini badge and the Italian flag, an instrument panel and racing seats.

Project time of 8,660 hours
It took the project team 8,660 hours to complete the model, of which 3,290 hours were spent on building it. This is the first large-scale model by the LEGO Group to have paint-effect UV colour coating which will help to make the model longer lasting. The colour was applied by the Lamborghini paint shop to ensure that the sportscar had a fitting finish.

“After a wait of more than a year, the LEGO Technic model of the Lamborghini Sian is on show at Museo Automobili Lamborghini. It’s the natural place to display the Lamborghini super sportscars that have always given dreams and feelings concrete forms, thanks to innovation and technology. This 1:1 scale model of the Sian shows that Lamborghini – just like LEGO Group – sees challenges as its lifeblood, technology as a means of creation, and design as a linchpin that can and must take people’s breath away,” said Federico Foschini, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Automobili Lamborghini.

The Sian, which was unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, is 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. Like the Aventador SVJ 63 Roadster, 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 RM16.04 million), the final price depending on the degree of customisation.

The fastest Lamborghini is now available as a LEGO Technic model (w/VIDEO)

First units of locally-assembled Kia Carnival start rolling out at Inokom plant

Kia vehicles have been sold in Malaysia since the 1990s but the Korean carmaker has kept its involvement in local activities at arms-length. Although its models were assembled locally, the activities were largely left to their local distributor (the NAZA Group at that time). Kia did have a regional office here and too and interest in what was going on but didn’t want to make investments itself.

That changed last year when the local partner changed and Bermaz Auto took over the brand from Naza (along with Peugeot as well). Perhaps the Korean carmaker decided that it was time to control its destiny and for that, it would have to become directly involved. It formed a joint-venture company with Bermaz Auto called Kia Malaysia which will manage the brand’s activities in the country.

The Inokom manufacturing complex in Kulim, Kedah, where Kia vehicles are being assembled.

More significantly, Kia Malaysia’s operations include local assembly, the first time the carmaker is making a direct investment for assembly operations. It is vital to assemble locally to be able to grow volumes more quickly and be competitive. Kia has set a target of 100,000 units in total from 2022 to 2026, for the Malaysian market as well as export. The export plans are ambitious and will account for more than 50% of annual production each year. By 2026, the company expects to export up to 19,000 units from the 30,000 units targeted for that year.

Four models to be assembled locally
When Kia Malaysia announced its formation, it also provided an insight into its 5-year plan with 4 models to be produced, including battery-electric vehicles. The models, in launch sequence, will be the Carnival, Sportage, Sorento and Niro, the latter to be offered as a BEV.

The first product has started rolling out on schedule from the Inokom plant in Kedah and it’s the Carnival MPV. The model was already on sale at the beginning of the year as a CBU (completely built-up) import from Korea and from our driving impressions, it was certainly a very different MPV from the original Carnival which was also cloned into the Naza Ria. It’s a premium product, which is in line with Kia’s aim of raising the image of its products.

The locally-assembled Carnival is a 7/8-seater (above) whereas the CBU imported model is an 11-seater (below).

8-seater instead of 11-seater
While having the same appearance, the locally-assembled Carnival is not an 11-seater but a 7-seater or 8-seater. There was no shortage of buyers for the CBU 11-seater but having less seats might also work better to sell in greater numbers.

The powertrain is the same Smartstream 2.2-litre turbodiesel CRDI engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Though it is a large vehicle, the 199 bhp/440 Nm provides respectable performance, as we experienced on our drive at the beginning of this year.

Bermaz Auto (its retail arm for Kia vehicles is Dinamikjaya Motors) is known for being generous with equipment and features and the locally-assembled Carnival will come with a list that maintains the premium positioning for the MPV. There will be ambient lighting, heated/ventilated seats, Premium Relaxion Seats (second row), 12-speaker Bose audio system, powered sliding doors, ‘smart’ powered tailgate and a complete suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

New beginning for brand
“The roll-out of the Kia Carnival in CKD [locally assembled] form is an important milestone in the marque’s renaissance in Malaysia. We are delighted to welcome the first Kia model produced here at Inokom for the Malaysian and ASEAN markets. The Kia Carnival marks a new beginning for the Kia brand and showcases all the hallmarks of our products, superior design, smart technology and an impressive driving experience,” said Ted Lee, Kia Asia Pacific President & CEO.

“The consumer’s response to the fully imported Kia Carnival 11-seater variant launched in January has been very encouraging and we are confident that the consumers will be equally enthusiastic about the CKD Kia Carnival. We believe these CKD variations will serve the differing needs and expectations of those in the market for a modern and luxurious multi-purpose vehicle,” added Dato’ Wong Kin Foo, Managing Director of Dinamikjaya Motors.

The prices have not been officially announced but it is known that there will be 3 versions with prices (excluding insurance) starting from RM231,299. PISTON.MY will be joining a media drive of the Carnival to Penang later this week and we’ll let you know what it’s like although we expect that we will be equally impressed as we were with the CBU model.

Driving impressions of the new Kia Carnival

Double win for Eddie Liew and Putera Adam duo in Vios Sprint Cup races

Up till the 1980s, Malaysian motorsports saw a regular flow of youngsters keen on racing or rallying. It was a natural progression in the sport as new blood would periodically be introduced and develop their skills, often with guidance from the veterans. However, as the cost of cars and racing became more expensive, new blood was slow in coming and while Malaysia could boast of being a host country for Formula 1, little was done to really help at grassroots level to develop future generations of racing drivers.

This situation was noticed by UMW Toyota Motor which had started the Vios Challenge as a one-makes series to draw newcomers to the sport. As a further step, the company, together with GAZOO Racing, started a Young Talent Development Program in 2020. It was not exactly the best time to start it, given the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic then. But the program got started and the rookies received training, while adhering to the SOPs specified by the Health Ministry.

The first batch of rookies (front row) in the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program which began in 2020.

Since then, two groups have graduated from the program and it has proven to have a profound impact with several of its rookie drivers quickly rising to be noticed in the top ranks of Malaysian motorsports.

Naquib Azlan, a graduate of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, came from a background in sim racing and has done remarkably well in real-world racing in the Vios Challenge.

In Round 2 of the GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup over the weekend, 16-year-old Putera Adam raced to a double race win, with his partner and veteran racer Eddie Liew in the #61 Laser Motor Racing Vios. The weekend also saw sterling performances by Naquib Azlan and Mika Hakimi, also from the first batch like Putera Adam. Both Putra and Naquib also went on to score podium finishes in the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS) also held over the weekend. Others from the program who competed included the current season’s Rookie Class drivers Nabil Azlan and Sharique Zulqarinain, and 2021 Rookie Class graduate Jwan Hii.

“It’s incredible to see how much and how quickly these young drivers have evolved. We are equally proud that many have also gone on to compete and are enjoying success in other events beyond the Vios Challenge and Vios Sprint Cup one-make series where they have trained so hard to develop their driving and racecraft,” said UMW Toyota Motor President. Ravindran K.

Commenting on the GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup, he said: “The two-driver and one-hour format has brought a different dimension to what we and the drivers have been used to in 5 seasons of the Vios Challenge one-make race. It’s exciting to watch… it’s unpredictable… and it fulfils one very important objective that is to have elite and experienced working alongside amateur and young drivers with the hope that they will be able to impart their knowledge to the next generation of drivers.”

Held in conjunction with the Malaysia Championship Series, the GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup consisted of 2 rounds with 4 individual races. It was only open to Toyota Vios cars prepared to specific regulations and each car had to have two drivers. The total prize money amounted to RM60,000 for the weekend.

The GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup is run independently of the Vios Challenge but retains the format of a one-make series whereby competitors drive identical race-prepared Toyota Vios with stock standard engine and transmission, as well as suspension, tyres and fuel. This means that the emphasis is on racecraft, driving skills and experience rather than being just a ‘power game’ where the team with a lot of financial resources can develop a powerful car.

In the fourth and final running of the GAZOO Racing Sprint Cup, Putera and Liew rounded up a perfect weekend in rather precarious conditions with back-to-back victories. The race began with no rain, unlike the day before, although there was an overcast sky around the Sepang International Circuit. As race got underway, it began to drizzle which made track conditions extremely slippery and unpredictable in certain sections.

The race was essentially 18-year-old Mika’s to win, having taken over driving duties from his teammate Tengku Djan Ley in the #61 Prima Pearl TD Racing Vios, with Liew pouncing hard just 0half a second behind, and Toyotsu Racing’s William Ho in third place.

Heavy rain descended on the race with just 2 laps remaining, and the pressure to defend his lead seemed to have gotten the better of Mika who aquaplaned off the track. This allowed Liew, Ho and Prima Pearl TD Racing’s second car, the #12 with Mitchell Cheah, through. Mika fought his way back on to the track rejoining in fourth position but made a second and same mistake on the final lap in the very same corner to eventually finish fifth behind Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang.

The last lap of the race had been equally nerve-wrecking for Liew who, in the heavy rain, had to fend off Ho who was left dragging his rear bumper for several laps after a botched overtaking manoeuvre much earlier.

“Today I really utilized all my experience to drive in the dry, wet and then heavy rain. It was a difficult race,” said 48-year-old Liew. For Putera who started the race for the pair, a slow getaway dropped him to as far back as 10^th despite starting from sixth position. Commenting on his partnership with Liew and the vast difference in age, Putera said: “It’s an honour to drive with Eddie. He’s a very good driver and he used to drive with my dad.”

Perodua contributes medical equipment to Sarawak General Hospital

Perodua continues its support to public hospitals with the recent by contribution of medical diagnostic equipment to the Sarawak General Hospital. The initiative is to support the government’s mission in improving the quality of health services in the country and, at the same time, thank the dedicated frontliners.

The Malaysian carmaker contributed seven Vital Sign Monitors (for monitoring body temperature, pulse and respiration rate as well as blood pressure) worth a total of RM84,450. At the same time, hampers were presented to patients and staff in the paediatric ward of the hospital.

The handover ceremony was attended by Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad; Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Chief Operating Officer, JH Rozman Jaafar; Sarawak General Hospital Director, Dr. Ngian Hie Ung; and Deputy Director (Medical), Dr. Norinawaty Abg. Daud.

“We thank the staff of the Sarawak General Hospital for their service to the community, we hope our contribution will further benefit the people of Kuching and Sarawak,” Dato’ Zainal said.

“As part of our Corporate Responsibility initiative, we are always looking for opportunities to provide the best assistance to strengthen the country’s health system. As such, we are in constant communication with Ministry of Health and other relevant parties to continue our initiatives,” he added.

“This is one of our ways to thank the government and Malaysian, especially our customers who have given us their trust and support over the years,” he said.

To date, Perodua has donated medical and health equipment to public hospitals including Hospital Sungai Buloh, Hospital Selayang, Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital in Likas, Hospital Shah Alam, Hospital Kuala Kubu Bharu, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, Hospital Ampang, Hospital Putrajaya and several community clinics within Hulu Selangor.

*Last year, Perodua donated RM80,000 of medical supplies to Hospital Sg. Buloh which was a key medical facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.*

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Perodua was quick to use its resources in the war against the coronavirus. Besides health facilities, the carmaker also provided face shields to schools for the use of academic and support staff. The face shields were made by an associate of Perodua.

To know more about Perodua’s other Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, visit www.perodua.com.my.

Perodua expands on public protection initiative

Baidu Apollo RT6 autonomous vehicle has no steering wheel! (w/VIDEO)

robotaxirobotaxi

In future, when motor vehicles can operate themselves and move around without control by a human driver, a steering wheel would no longer be necessary. That would add an extra seating space for a passenger who would not need to be qualified to drive. However, for now, autonomous vehicles (AVs) still require a steering wheel as a back-up in case control must be taken by a human in an emergency. The autonomous vehicle systems are still not considered 100% safe to be left to operate without such a safeguard.

Nevertheless, progress is being made and in April this year, authorities in China started permitting the removal of the steering wheel in AVs. In the US too, new regulations allow AVs to operate without having a steering wheel or pedals present. Of course, before such vehicles can be run on public roads, they would have to be tested and certified to be safe for use.

One company which has a production ready AV is Baidu, the well known tech company in China. Its name may not come to mind when talking about cars, but it claims to be the market leader in autonomous driving in China. This is based on the number of test kilometres and number of test licenses. As of December 31, 2020, Baidu had 199 autonomous vehicle driving licenses with extensive geographical coverage in China, compared to the second player which had approximately 20 licenses.

Recently, the company made headline news in the auto world when it announced a next-generation AV called the Apollo RT6. Designed for complex urban environments, the car will be put into operation in China in 2023 on Apollo Go, Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service. Baidu plans to sell the Apollo RT6 at RMB250,000 (about RM165,000), a price level that it believes will quickly boost volumes for economies of scale.

“Massive cost reduction will enable us to deploy tens of thousands of AVs across China. We are moving towards a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a taxi today,” said Robin Li, Co-founder and CEO of Baidu, at the Baidu World 2022 conference recently.

Baidu is expected to start its robotaxi service in Beijing from the second half of 2023. It will help accelerate AV deployment at scale, bringing the world closer to a future of driverless shared mobility.

As Baidu’s 6th generation AV, the RT6 is distinct from previous generations that were otherwise retrofitted on conventional vehicles. Measuring 4760 mm long with a wheelbase of 2830 mm, it has a completely flat floor and rear legroom up to 1050 mm. The steering wheel is optional and can be removed if not required.

AVs require many sensors to collect information and images about their surroundings to safely move on roads, especially in complex urban environments. The RT6 has Baidu’s most advanced Level 4 autonomous driving system, powered by automotive-grade dual computing units with a computing power of up to 1200 TOPS. The electrically-powered AV utilizes 38 sensors, including 8 LiDARs and 12 cameras, to obtain highly accurate, long-range detection on all sides.

It is the first vehicle model built on Xinghe, Baidu’s self-developed automotive E/E architecture specially for fully autonomous driving. The autonomous driving capability of the RT6 is said to be equivalent to a skilled driver with 20 years of experience. Its safety and reliability have been confirmed by extensive real-world data from over 32 million kms of real-world testing. There is full redundancy throughout both hardware and autonomous driving software.

As the world’s largest robotaxi service provider, Baidu’s Apollo Go has expanded to 10 cities in China since its launch in 2020, including all first-tier cities, and provided more than 1 million orders. The Apollo ecosystem has more than 200 partners, tier one suppliers and other strategic partners.

The Apollo Robotaxi operation which will use the RT6 has been a massive business opportunity for Baidu. The company has T4 licenses, the highest level of autonomous driving test license issued by the working group led by Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, which permits AVs to operate in complex driving conditions such as urban roads, tunnels, school zones and other scenarios. A pilot robotaxi program was made available to the public in 2019 and since then, the service has been extended to Beijing, Changsha and Cangzhou and expanded into larger networks and more complex road conditions.

Piston.my

Latest News

UMW Toyota Motor participates in mangrove reforestation program to achieve carbon neutrality

Full-sized Lamborghini Sian built from 400,000 LEGO Technic parts

First units of locally-assembled Kia Carnival start rolling out at Inokom plant

Double win for Eddie Liew and Putera Adam duo in Vios Sprint Cup races

Baidu Apollo RT6 autonomous vehicle has no steering wheel! (w/VIDEO)

Entry road to North-South Expressway near Kajang Toll Plaza to be closed for one month

Aston Martin Rapide AMR available in Malaysia

250 SWB Revival – legendary Sixties Ferrari modernised

Isuzu Elf range enhanced with extra safety features, B20 compatibility and longer warranty

F1 (Round 8): Results And Highlights Of 2020 Italian Grand Prix

Peugeot 5008 also gets updates for 2021

Renault’s Formula 1 team to be renamed Alpine F1 Team from 2021

F1 (Round 8): Preview & Starting Grid For 2020 Italian Grand Prix

16-year old driver sets new Guinness World Record for Fastest Vehicle Slalom (w/VIDEO)

CBU Train delivered to Malaysia by world’s largest cargo aircraft

Archive

Volkswagen Group Facing Potential Factory Closures Amid Cost-Cutting Efforts

JPJePlate Launch: Setting a National Standard for EV Plates in Malaysia

The Zeekr 7X – An Electric SUV That Does 0-100km/h in 3.8 Seconds

Proton Gears Up for Sepang 1000KM with New S70 R3 Race Car and Star Drivers

Review: Proton’s Finest Sedan – Proton S70 is a C-Segment Package for B-Segment Price!

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

The Piston Show