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New car assessment programs (NCAPs) in most countries focus mainly on safety which is a high priority to consumers these days. Since the 1970s, these NCAPs – which typically include crash tests that provide data for analysis and evaluation – have constantly evolved and set tougher demands. Although passing them is not required by government agencies, most carmakers strive to achieve the best results (5 stars) as this can influence a purchase decision. As such, the organizations managing the NCAPs have contributed to pushing safety standards upwards and making motoring safer.

Assessing ecological design
China, which only began active automobile development from the mid-1980s, also has its own NCAP (C-NCAP) which has also focused on safety since being formulated in 2006. Now, a new type of NCAP has been added – the China Eco-Car Assessment Program (C-ECAP) which is considered the most stringent vehicle assessment test in China to date. Unlike the C-NCAP, it evaluates a vehicle’s ecological design.

Geely

The program studies in-vehicle air quality, noise, materials used, combined fuel consumption, exhaust emissions, end of life recyclability, whole lifecycle greenhouse emissions, and component life cycle. Only 1% of vehicles put forward so far have received a high passing score. In a recent test, Geely’s first MPV, the Jia Ji, scored 101.24 out of 105 points, including a perfect score for interior noise quality.

Geely
The Jia Ji MPV is currently the highest scoring model in the 2019 C-ECAP and only one to receive a platinum certification for eco-friendliness.

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Bringing NVH down
When developing the Jia Ji, Geely engineers paid meticulous attention to the levels of NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) and aimed to limit external noises to a maximum of 38.1 decibels at idle. To do so, 150 noise-reduction elements were installed throughout the vehicle and Active Noise Reduction (ANC) technology was used.

NVH characteristics define a manufacturer’s capability, an indicator of quality in automotive manufacturing and a reflection of the car’s overall quality. As recently as 6 years ago, knowledge of NVH and how to address it was still lacking within the Chinese automotive industry. This was why there was a big gap in quality between cars of the Chinese brands and those of established global players. Foreign models had much development in sound insulation aspects, leading to a higher perception of quality.

Geely

Measuring NVH is extremely difficult because it’s subjective to each user’s feelings. This ‘metaphysical’ nature of NVH performance also makes R&D extremely difficult. The first stage is reducing the noise and vibration of the whole vehicle to a minimum. Then comes sound quality because lowering NVH is not just about eliminating all sounds as certain characteristics are desirable. For example, enthusiasts want the louder and more assertive engine sound for sportscars while those in luxury models want quietness at even high speeds. The third stage builds upon the second and aims to integrate specific NVH qualities into the DNA of different vehicles customized according to the models positioning and desired user experience.

To reach the third stage of integrating desirable NVH qualities into the vehicle’s DNA, Geely has been developing a whole new generation of advanced vehicle architectures with NVH in mind from the very beginning. The CMA Compact Modular Architecture is one example of this.

Only NVH lab of its kind in China
The importance of NVH to Geely can be seen in their investment of a NVH laboratory at the Geely Research Institute. The NVH lab is the only one in China with a dedicated abnormal noise and vibration testing room with sound isolation and environmental controls. The lab can conduct road simulation tests in various simulated environments, evaluate the structural durability of the whole vehicle, and accurately identify abnormal noise from anywhere in the vehicle.

For NVH testing, road simulation in closed room is preferred to outdoor road testing because results can easily be replicated in a controlled environment; however, the technical and space requirements are immense, making this kind of lab uncommon in the industry.

Geely

In 2018, the Geely Auto Group released their iNTEC suite of technologies which includes G-Blue, Geely’s focus on eco-friendly technologies. The Group has obtained quite a number of patents for new technologies in the field of environment friendly materials, ecological designs, odour management systems, and intelligent air quality management systems. No doubt, many of these technologies will also be shared with Proton and provide Malaysians with even better vehicles.

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The current premium SUV market here in Malaysia is currently higher than ever with many offerings from different manufacturers. With so many Malaysians looking into upgrading their present lifestyles, SUVs seem to be the popular go-to option and Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has its feet deep within this game thanks to their popular 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4TSI Highline. (more…)

Tata Motors will soon offer EVs (electric vehicles) with its own state-of-the-art technology which will be launched during  2020. Known as ‘ZIPTRON’, the EV powertrain technology is a building block towards the Indian carmaker’s strive for commonality so as to drive economies of scale. Pursuing this strategy will help to make new technologies affordable for Indian consumers.

While full details have not been released, the new technology embodies important characteristics such as an efficient high voltage system, zippy performance, long range, fast charging capability, a battery pack with warranty of 8 years, and adherence to IP67 standard which relates to protection from water.

Tata Motors ZIPTRON

In-house development
Speaking at the announcement recently, Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD of Tata Motors said: “We are proud to present this state-of-art technology brand – ZIPTRON – which has been designed in-house while utilizing our global engineering network. At the heart of our future EV line-up, this technology will deliver a thrilling driving experience to our customers aspiring to go-green. Rigorously tested across 1 million kms, ZIPTRON technology is well proven, advanced and reliable. With this technology, we hope to usher in a new wave of eMobility in India and accelerate faster adoption of EVs, supporting the government’s vision.”

Tata Motors ZIPTRON
ZIPTRON battery pack

The ZIPTRON powertrain has a highly efficient permanent magnet AC motor providing superior performance on demand. It is claimed to have best-in-industry protection against dust and water, an important requirement for Indian motoring conditions. Furthermore, ZIPTRON technology has smart regenerative braking to charge the battery while on the drive, enhancing the range.

Tata Motors EV
The Tata Motors’ Electric Vehicle Business Unit has also been supporting the IIT Bombay Racing Team for the past 4 years as a key sponsor to help a team of 70 budding engineers fulfill their aspirations of developing an electrically-powered racing car.

In the coming months, Tata Motors will be starting a campaign to introduce ZIPTRON technology as well as educate consumers on EVs.

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BHPetrol

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has reminded everyone that by the year 2020, the use of child seats for private cars carrying children will be mandatory and punishable by law if ignored. For all you parents out there, do take note because we’re going into October and that’s just two months away! (more…)

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results

♦ A 1-2 finish for Ferrari in Singapore and for Sebastian Vettel to stand at the top of the podium – which he has not done since August last year.

♦ ‘Unfair’ was how Charles Leclerc felt when the Ferrari team allowed Vettel to undercut him and come into the pits one lap earlier, resulting in Leclerc losing his lead.

♦ Lewis Hamilton managed only fourth among the finishers but his strong points lead still gives him a comfortable buffer for the remaining rounds.

♦ Although his qualifying time got him eighth place on the starting grid. Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified and dropped to last position. This was due to the MGU-K of the Renault exceeding the power limit during the qualifying session.

DRIVERS 15

CONSTRUCTORS 15

Mercedes-AMG GT R
The AMG GT R is the 11th Official F1 Safety Car provided by Mercedes-AMG over the past 23 years. It is the quickest Safety Car in the sport’s history so far.

Next race in Russia on September 29

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BHPetrol

The grand finals of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Velocity Esports Championship concluded its epic weekend here in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Regarded as Malaysia’s biggest national Esports racing event, spectators at Pavilion KL witnessed champions being crowned in this new era of motorsports. (more…)

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