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Eco-friendly shoes for World Car-Free Day, inspired by the Volvo XC40 Recharge

Cars and shoes… in some ways, they can be considered have similar functions since both ‘transport’ people around, though in very different ways. Cars use energy from the combustion engine or electric motor to move but with shoes, you have to provide your own energy. So it’s not unusual that on World Car-Free Day (September 22), Volvo Cars Canada and Casca footwear will launch a limited-edition sneaker. Available in Canada for $198 (about RM645), the shoes have been inspired by the fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge.

“At Volvo Cars, we are committed to setting the highest standards of sustainability in mobility and that goes beyond electrifying our fleet to transforming all aspects of our business. The shoe we have created with Casca in celebration of World Car-Free Day, is one way to recognize the many steps we are taking on our journey to climate neutrality,” said Matt Girgis, Managing Director of Volvo Car Canada Ltd.

For a carbon-neutral future
As would be expected, the shoe is all about sustainability in the long term, and both brands have a shared vision for a carbon-neutral future. On Volvo Cars’ part, there is a commitment to reducing lifecycle emissions per vehicle by 40% by 2025 and producing only fully electric vehicles by 2030. Casca’s adoption of water-based, low-energy UV treatment processes coupled with their 2-year product warranty are a testament to their ‘buy less, waste less’ philosophy.

“The Volvo XC40 Recharge was designed to reduce environmental impact, so it was the perfect inspiration for the shoe,” said Kevin Reid Lead Director and Co-Founder, Casca. “Through this collaboration, we’re also celebrating many design firsts – our first shared design, our fastest production to market, and new recycled materials we’ve never used before.”

Scandinavian influences
The goal was to create a shoe rooted in conscious design. Scandinavian influences of the XC40 Recharge were purposefully integrated for a collaborative new interpretation of Casca’s trademark clean lines. For instance, the ‘Thor’s hammer’ headlight influence can be seen in the linework and panelling, delivering a more performance-inspired aesthetic to Casca’s popular Avro silhouette.

The Swedish flag is represented on one shoe tag, while the classic Casca yellow can be seen on the other, honouring the collaboration between the two brands as well as minimalist, Scandinavian design.

Recycled materials
Of course, an important aspect of the shoe is how it is made and its environmentally-friendly credentials come from having 10% of each sole made from recycled car tyres, the first time this material has ever been used in a Casca shoe as part of an intentional repurposing and recycling of materials. Furthermore, 7 recycled plastic bottles are used to make the yarn for each breathable, flexible knit upper.

Those two features are a preview of some of the initiatives by both companies. By 2025, Volvo Cars aims to increase the share of recycled and bio-based materials in their vehicles by 25%. By 2022, all of Casca’s knit uppers will be made from recycled or renewable materials.

*By 2025, Volvo Cars aims to increase the share of recycled and bio-based materials in their vehicles by 25%.*

“We know that being advanced isn’t just about great design and technology; it means implementing ethical and sustainable practices,” said Braden Parker, CEO and Co-Founder, Casca. “This is just one of many similarities we see between our brand and Volvo Cars, we both want to create something with intention that lasts.”

Mazda x Mizuno driving shoes enhance Jinba Ittai for drivers

Major announcement by UMW Toyota Motor on September 27

UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) will be making a major announcement on Monday, September 27, 2021, which it says will be ‘inviting Malaysians on a journey that will give them the opportunity to experience a part of the future, today’. According to the company’s Deputy Chairman, Akio Takeyama, this development will have ‘a big impact on not only the brand but the industry as a whole, and the lifestyle as well as choices that we have become so accustomed to’.

Details of the announcement are not revealed but Mr. Takeyama associates it with Toyota Motor Corporation’s global commitment by 2050. This would refer to the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 (Challenge 2050) which has 6 challenges that are the most demanding and most inspiring environmental commitments the world’s No.1 carmaker has ever made. The goals of Challenge 2050 apply to all Toyota subsidiaries around the world, including UMWT which is a joint-venture between United Motor Works (UMW), Toyota Motor Corporation and Toyota Tsusho Corporation.

It is therefore likely to be related to the July announcement about UMWT planning to invest RM270 million for assembly of Toyota hybrid models in Malaysia. The investment will be additional to the RM2 billion that was made the construction and commissioning of a second assembly plant in Bukit Raja, Selangor, which began operations in January 2019.

UMW Toyota Motor to invest RM270 million for assembly of Toyota hybrid models

New Mitsubishi Motors 3S Centre opened in Klang, Selangor

As we gradually return to normalcy – but with a New Normal – activities in the auto industry are picking up again. Showrooms are resuming business and customers can visit them and even take test-drives (subject to the SOPs, of course). MN Wheels Sdn Bhd must be happy with the restrictions being lifted as it has been waiting to open its new 3S (sales, service and spare parts) outlet in Bukit Raja, Klang, Selangor.

Announcing the opening today, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) says it is the second Mitsubishi Motors showroom for the authorised dealership which has one more in Kuala Selangor. Both showrooms incorporate Mitsubishi Motors’ new corporate brand with the global tagline ‘Drive Your Ambition’. The corporate tagline underlines Mitsubishi Motors’ commitment to the values and aspirations of its drivers.

*Latest models like the Outlander 7-seater SUV are available at the new Mitsubishi Motors dealership.*

With a built-up area of close to 5,000 square feet, the new 3S Centre incorporates a comfortable customer lounge with wifi and displays of vehicles for visitors to view from any angle. As the ‘3S’ suggests, aftersales services are also available in the same location and there is a fully-equipped workshop with 3 service bays and trained technicians.

“Congratulations to MN Wheels for opening another Mitsubishi Motors showroom in Selangor. We have been in a very challenging business environment and despite that, MN Wheels have managed to complete the build-up of this impressive showroom with our new visual identity. This goes to show MN Wheels’ commitment to further strengthen Mitsubishi’s brand presence in Malaysia,” said Tomoyuki Shinnishi, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.

“With Mitsubishi Motors’ sales growing quickly and expected to increase over the coming years, we aim to open a new showroom in every quarter for Financial Year 2021 (ending March 2022),” he added. “This is part of our strategy that as we continue to grow, we put our customers at the forefront and as our utmost priority especially since we progressively work towards delivering the new XPANDER and Triton Athlete. We aim to serve our customers better in terms of sales and aftersales especially in the Klang Valley.”

*SOPs for the protection of customers and staff will be followed in all areas of the dealership.*

For more information about Mitsubishi vehicles in Malaysia and the locations of authorised dealers, visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my.

Baojun Kiwi EV uses interstellar geometry design language to draw younger buyers

With electric vehicles (EVs), many of the heavy or bulky components that were needed by a traditional internal combustion engine drivetrain are no longer present. Not only is there weight-saving but less space is also wasted. For designers, there’s a new freedom, just as the switch to front-wheel drive gave interior designers more volume for cabin packaging.

Depending on how bold they are, the designers can now depart from traditional forms that have been used for decades and introduce new styles that may or may not catch on. Perhaps that’s what the designers at SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile had in mind when they came up with this new compact EV.

Remember the Multipla?
Known as the Kiwi EV (previously designated E300), it joins the 11-year old Baojun brand’s line-up which is made up of low-cost models for the Chinese market. The new interstellar geometry design language of the brand is used for the avant-garde split body styling which may bring to mind the Fiat Multipla. The split body design incorporates a front bumper style which echoes the pattern of radar waves.

Like the Multipla, which was regarded as one of the ugliest cars produced, the Kiwi EV has the sort of appearance that will ‘make or break’. The designers probably made a case that its ‘distinct and personalized appearance’ will appeal to younger consumers who may be tried of the conventional look.

Priced from RM45,000
Customers can choose from 6 exterior colours and each one features its own decorative scheme, taking full advantage of the ‘suspended cab’ concept that gives the vehicle its unique look. Depending on the colour choice, the combinations span up to 3 body tones with contrasting accents on the roof, grille, mirrors, trim and wheels. There are two versions with prices ranging from 69,800 RMB (about RM45,000) to 78,800 RMB (about RM51,000).

Baojun highlights the tech features in the Kiwi EV, and besides its own telematics 2.0 system, it has an artificial intelligence voice interaction system, real-time road navigation, voice-controlled WeChat function and a mobile app for convenient management of functions.

Shorter than a Perodua Axia
The Kiwi EV is 2894 mm long, 1655 mm wide and 1595 mm high, with a 2020 mm wheelbase, which makes it shorter than a Perodua Axia. It comes with a McPherson independent suspension and double wishbone independent suspension design, for a comfortable rid

The powertrain employs synchronous fixed ratio gearbox and the electric motor is mounted behind for rear-wheel-drive. It can generate up to 40 kW of maximum power and 150 Nm of maximum torque which comes on instantaneously. The top speed is claimed to be 100 km/h with a range of just over 300 kms. The battery pack, which can have a capacity of up to 31.9 kWh, supports DC fast charging and an hour is said to be the time needed for charging to full capacity.

BYD Auto unveils e-platform 3.0 for next generation of high-performance smart EVs

Michelin’s airless UPTIS tyre now undergoing testing, market launch in 2024

Air has been used to fill tyres and give them their form for over 133 years, used for bicycles and then motor cars. The use of air has been a simple and cost-effective (air is free) solution to providing hard wheels with an outer layer that could absorb bumps and other road irregularities. Pneumatic tyres, as such tyres are known, are used for all sorts of vehicle today – from two-wheelers to family cars to Formula 1 racing cars and even aircraft.

However, there has always been one disadvantage of having air inside – a puncture will allow the air to leak and the tyre cannot function properly. Depending on the speed at which the air leaks, the tyre might remain usable even at lower pressures than normal but rapid and sudden loss of air – and therefore pressure – can be dangerous and loss of control might occur.

Over the years, tyremakers have found various solutions to the problem of pressure loss by developing stronger tyres with special structures. This has led to run-flat tyres which can continue to be used even when there is no air in the tyre, allowing the motorist to reach a place where it can be replaced or repaired.

Making air unnecessary
Still, the majority of tyres rely on air inside to support them and so long as they are made of rubber, there always remains the possibility of a nail or sharp object causing a puncture. So researchers have long searched for a tyre that does not have to rely on air. Many ideas have been tried but few have been able to go beyond concept stage.

One idea that has shown promise since being presented to the world in 2019 is Michelin’s Unique Puncture-proof Tire System (UPTIS). The system eliminates the need for air with a revolutionary structure capable of supporting the vehicle, while also delivering a safe, comfortable ride. Without air, flat tyres and pressure loss are no longer an issue.

Genuine technological breakthrough
UPTIS is said to represent a genuine technological breakthrough thanks to its unique structure and materials. Ushering a new generation of airless solutions developed by Michelin, it combines an aluminium wheel and a flexible load-bearing structure made from glassfibre reinforced plastic (GFRP), a high-tech material.

The UPTIS concept is also a fundamental step towards more sustainable mobility. It can generate significant benefits for motorists, fleet owners and the environment. Apart from peace of mind for motorists as being immobilized or inconvenienced by flat tyres will no longer be a worry, UPTIS can enhance efficiency for fleet owners by reducing the risks of vehicle downtime and eliminating tyre-related maintenance needs (pressure checks and inflation).

Punctures can be of all sizes and when they are too large, the tyre cannot be repaired. It is then thrown away. Michelin says that every year, 20% of tyres are discarded as scrap due to flats and rapid pressure loss (12%) or irregular wear and tear caused by poor tyre pressure (8%). Extrapolated on a global scale, this is the equivalent of 200 million tyres, or 2 million tonnes – that’s 200 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower! This airless technology can help drastically reduce the number of tyres that are scrapped.

*Prototype tyres with UPTIS are now being run in a joint programme with General Motors using the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Data collected will be used to improve the tyre for commercialisation by 2024.*

Real-world testing
The development programme has now reached the stage of producing prototypes in volume for real-world testing as the final test before the tyres are offered to the public. The data collected by engineers during this period of testing will enable them to perfect the prototype in preparation for its market launch in 2024.

You can’t see pollution from tyres but it is frighteningly high!

Béla Barényi – the man who made cars crumple to save lives

For many who have been in a car when it has been involved in a serious accident, the safety features that they may thank for having saved their lives would likely be the seatbelt and perhaps the airbag as well. There’s no doubt that these two safety features have saved tens of thousands of lives and reduced the severity of injuries for many thousand more.

However, just as vital to preventing deaths and reducing injuries has been the structure of the car itself. This is what has first contact with another object – a vehicle, a tree, a lamp post or even a building – and it receives the enormous forces of impacts. These forces are transmitted through the body and each the cabin where they can cause injuries as various parts are smashed into humans.

Thanks to pioneering work by a Daimler Benz engineer in the late 1940s, modern car structures have been engineered in such a way as to diminish the impact forces so they do not cause great harm. The engineer was Béla Barényi and his innovation – called the passenger car safety cell – is a fundamental feature of passive automotive safety to this day. It was patented in Germany by Daimler-Benz and described as ‘a passenger car body with a passenger safety cell’. The Patent No. 845 157, which also identified Barényi as the inventor, had the title ‘Motor vehicle, specifically for personal transport’.

The engineer was fortunate to work at Daimler-Benz which was just as passionate about safety as he was. There were other carmakers at that time who carefully avoided topics about crash safety; particularly in the post-war period, nobody wanted to be reminded about the dangers of driving. The topic was viewed as a sales killer right up to the 1970s.

Barényi’s innovation had completely changed how vehicle construction should be with regard to occupant protection. For decades, engineers had taken the approach that the more rigid the body could be made, the better the protection would be during an accident. So a tank would have been very safe – but rather impractical on public roads.

Barényi’s studies showed that that the forces generated during an impact were transferred to the occupants with hardly any prior absorption. And with no seatbelts to retrain them (airbags would come 30 years later), they would also be thrown about the cabin, if not out of it.

These findings led Barényi to find a way to have absorb the kinetic energy built up during a collision. He came up with an overall vehicle concept which consisted of three cells: the safety cell in the middle where the occupants were seated, and cells at the front and rear which were connected to it. This concept was developed some years earlier when Barényi did his own ‘Terracruiser’ and ‘Concadoro’ studies, and when he joined Daimler-Benz, he was able to realise them.

The text of the patent application explained the purpose of this design as follows: “The forces generated during a collision are […] absorbed by the [front or rear] cell section.” Later on, a catchy expression was coined for these areas of controlled deformation: crumple-zones. The safety cell that encircled the occupants and protected them from the impact forces acting on the vehicle structure also came to be referred to as a ‘safety cage’.

*The 1959 Mercedes-Benz W 111 model (referred to as ‘Fintail’) was the first car to have the safety cell concept in its design.*

In 1959, the safety body with its rigid passenger cell was used for the first time in a production model – the Mercedes-Benz W 111 series which had the distinctive ‘fintail’. Mercedes-Benz also increased the awareness of developers where automotive safety in general was concerned. The W 111 model also had a new safety steering wheel (also developed by Barényi) with a large impact plate and a deformable connecting piece between the plate and the end of the steering column, which was moved forward.

With new technologies, especially computer-aided engineering, the concept of the safety cell has evolved further. The impact forces are not just absorbed but also dissipated by carefully designed structural members to provide ‘paths’ around the cabin area. Nevertheless, the fundamental objective remains and that is to prevent or minimize the forces that reach the occupants. Béla Barényi received more than 2,500 patents for his inventions, most of which related to automotive innovations and enhancements.