Two years ago, at the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Stockholm, Sweden, participants from 140 countries (including Malaysia) agreed to no less than 18 resolutions linking road safety to sustainable development with a key aim of halving the number of traffic deaths by 2030.
The ‘Stockholm Declaration’, as it came to be known, reflects the resolve of UN members to apply speed management as a key road safety intervention. The main element of this is to strengthen law enforcement to prevent speeding and set a maximum road travel speed of 30 km/h as appropriate in areas where vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists) and motorized vehicles mix.
30 km/h, a lower speed than the typical 50 km/h that has been applied, has been chosen based on studies from recent decades in cities such as Graz (Austria), London (Great Britain), New York (USA) and Toronto (Canada) which indicated that limits set at that speed in certain zones has reductions – often significant – in road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths. Evidence shows that 30 km/h streets where people mix with traffic not only save lives, but also promote walking, cycling and a move towards zero-carbon mobility. Today, more cities around the world have established 30 km/h zones and many lives have been saved.
“Many decades ago, the world was at a crossroads: a transport system centered around the private motor vehicle versus one which maintained a share of the road for pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transport. We are again at a crossroads. I call on all policy-makers to work with national and local authorities to reduce urban speed limits to 30 km/h, as a step towards giving streets back to people and ensuring those streets are protective of health and the environment. Low-speed streets – the heart of every community – are streets for life,” said Etienne Krug, Director, Department of Social Determinants of Health at the World Health Organization.
In Malaysia, perhaps due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of 30 km/h zones had not gained a lot of attention earlier although MIROS had said it was preparing a proposal for the relevant authorities last May. It gained more attention this month when the Transport Minister mentioned it and said that his ministry would discuss the speed limit with various stakeholders.
As in other countries where the lower limit has been introduced, there will be some who are not agreeable to the idea although if it will save lives, why not? According to the minister, excessive speed is not the only factor that causes accidents and this is where MIROS (Malaysian Institute of Road Safety), which has volumes of data, has made a case for 30 km/h.
The proposed speed limit is not a ‘blanket’ speed limit and will be applied in areas that are identified as having a lot of mixing between pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles. The highways would not be subject to such a limit for obvious reasons but in residential areas and city centres, it would make a lot of sense to have motor vehicles travel slowly.
There are however some arguments where a lower speed can be counter-productive in other respects. Congestion might occur and in Singapore, speed limits were raised on a few roads because they found that the flow could be more efficient if the vehicles travelled 10 km/h faster. In Malaysia, though, our city roads are so congested that there is a ‘natural’ speed limit already working and it doesn’t even need enforcement!
There is also another danger in making motorists drive too slowly and that is a possible reduction in concentration. As their speed drops, they may feel that it is so slow that they can’t get into trouble and start to look around – and miss seeing a pedestrian crossing the road. Higher speeds usually make people give more attention to their driving as they realize that one mistake and they could go off the road. But as with many things, humans can also adapt and in time, a later generation of motorists will come to be used to lower speeds.
Motorists should also not forget that a 30 km/h speed limit is also for them and not just for ‘others’. There will be occasions when they too walk along roads, whether in their own neighbourhood with their children or in the city on the way to a meeting after parking. They may also have family members who walk more than use a car, so their safety should also be considered.
In a perfect world, we would not need speed limits because everyone would be sensible enough to drive at a speed that is safe for themselves and when there are pedestrians, safe for those other road-users. We wouldn’t have many accidents – and we should have even less with all the advanced safety systems today. Unfortunately, there are too many motorists who do not use common sense and who are irresponsible, so speed limits have been necessary, backed by laws that punish those who break them.
You’ve probably heard of NFTs or Non-Fungible Tokens lately as there seems to be a surge in trading NFTs. Actually, they are not something new and go back at least 5 years when CryptoKitties, a collection of artistic images representing virtual cats were traded. But it was only in 2020 that NFTs grew in popularity and caught on in the art world.
So what are NFTs? They are unique identifiers recorded on a distributed ledger known as Blockchain and tied to a digital asset. Such assets can be pictures, videos, music, or other records (even vehicle VIN numbers). The important qualifier is that each token must be unique. It must be the only one of its type in the universe and owners are able to guarantee asset authenticity, scarcity, programmability and trackability over the internet.
Auctioning Lamborghini NFTs
Recently, Lamborghini also got into the NFT thing and, together with NFT PRO and RM Sotheby’s, will receive bids on the five pairs of physical and digital artworks by the renowned artist Fabian Oefner. Each auction will last for 75 hours and 50 minutes, the exact time it took Apollo 11 to leave Earth and enter the moon’s orbit – but that’s not the only reference to human space exploration.
The physical artwork, known as the Space Key, contains carbonfibre pieces that Lamborghini sent to the International Space Station back in 2020, as a part of a joint research project. Engraved with a unique QR code, these carbonfibre parts link the digital element – a series of 5 photographs of a Lamborghini Ultimae, lifting off toward the stars.
A complex composition
The images depict 5 separate moments within seconds from each other as the car rises above the earth. Its parts, the engine, the transmission, the suspension and hundreds of nuts and bolts are shooting away from the chassis like the exhaust flame of a rocket.
What may look like a computer-generated image is in fact entirely created from elements of the real world: the artist captured more than 1,500 individual parts of a real car. The photograph of the earth`s curvature was made by sending a weather balloon equipped with a camera to the edge of the stratosphere. The artist then carefully assembled all of these images into an artificial moment in time.
600-million pixel resolution
Each of the five NFTs has more than 600 million pixels. As one starts to zoom in, hidden details of these hyper realistic photographs are revealed. The resolution is so enormous that you can read tiny markings on the firing order of the V12 engine or marvel at the different milling patterns on the transmission cog wheels. The longer you look at the composition, the more secrets you discover…
“For me, ‘Space Time Memory’ is an analogy to the memories we make in life. Memories are rooted in the physical world; we make them in reality. We then store them in our brains, what could be considered the digital world. I often wonder, what is more precious to me, the actual moment or the memory of that moment? Analog to that, I wonder with the ever-increasing amount of digital realities around us, what is more precious, reality itself or the copies and derivatives of it, that exist in the digital universe,” explained Oefner on the idea behind his creation.
At the start of the project, Oefner meticulously studied the engineering plans of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae and created an accurate sketch of what the final photograph will look like. Based on that sketch, Lamborghini prepared all the necessary parts and components of a production ready Ultimae. The pieces were then photographed by Oefner and his team in a makeshift photo studio right next to the production line at the Lamborghini factory.
Upon returning to his studio in the USA, he combined the countless images into the composition envisioned in the sketch. It took Oefner and his team more than 2 months to create a moment and it is shorter than the blink of an eye.
In America, they call MPVs ‘minivans’ and in fact, that’s where these people-carriers started. In the mid-1980s, Chrysler came come out with a vehicle that could carry more people than a stationwagon and had the spaciousness of a van. It was actually an idea that Lee Iacocca and Hal Sperlich came up with when they were in Ford but Henry Ford II didn’t like the concept and then later fired both of them (for other reasons). Both men moved to Chrysler where they continued the project and introduced a new market segment that was so successful that it saved Chrysler from collapse.
Elsewhere in the world, the minivan idea caught the attention of other carmakers but they called it a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) which emphasized its versatility in carrying people and cargo. MPVs quickly became a new segment, joining sedans, coupes, liftbacks, hatchbacks and stationwagons. They came in various sizes, big and small, just as with the SUVs that started appearing in the following decade.
Kia came out with its first MPVs in the late 1990s, a small one called the Carens and a big one called the Carnival. Both were popular in many markets and the Carnival was even adapted by Naza and sold as the Ria under its own brand in the 2000s. Although SUVs have since gained dominance in the company’s product lines, MPVs still have a place and the effort put into styling the Carnival’s fourth generation is no less than for the other models. In fact, Kia is even trying to reposition it higher up by referring to it as a ‘Grand Utility Vehicle’ (GUV?).
Large MPV with SUV style
The dimensions of the new Korean MPV give it an imposing presence on the road – slightly more than 5 metres in length and 2 metres wide. However, it’s not as tall as other MPVs and the styling is SUV-like with an upscale appearance. There is yet another interpretation of the ‘Tiger nose’, a familiar signature element in Kia models for some 15 years, which spans the whole width of the front end.
The detail is impressive with the integrated LED daytime running lights (DRLs), headlamps and grille, having a futuristic new look and unique light signature. The new Kia brand logo is also seen for the first time on a model in Malaysia, affixed to the bonnet and the rear door.
A key design highlight is its new ‘island roof’ design, with blacked-out A and B-pillars beneath a body-coloured roof. An eye-catching new C-pillar signature design also stands out, with a chrome fin bearing a subtle diamond pattern. Another element of the SUV-inspired design is the metallic lower skidplate at the rear.
The monolithic form is also aerodynamically efficient and little details along the sides keep airflow smooth for less drag. The underside is also largely closed off so air rushing through underneath does not become turbulent as it encounters openings in the floorpan.
The new body sits on a new midsize Hyundai Motor Group platform that has a longer wheelbase of 3090 mm and the structure has had a lot of engineering improvements to strengthen rigidity. There’s expanded use of hot-stamped parts as well as ultra high-tensile steel and cold-rolled steel.
Progression towards a more premium image
Like the exterior, the inside of the Carnival shows another progression towards a more premium image. The finishing is impressive and the materials have a high-class feel and look. Some new models have gone fully digital and touchscreen for everything and it is not always practical. In the case of the Carnival, the interior designers provide different adjusting methods that are more sensible.
For example, a rocker switch is used for temperature adjustment (individual for left and right sides) which is a lot better than a touchscreen which you need to look and pinpoint your finger on – not so good while driving. For the blower speed and switching between recirculating and fresh air mode, there are pushbuttons and for tuning the radio, a rotary knob is used.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen is the command centre for the infotainment system where you might need to just touch an icon once to activate an app. The system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ready so compatible smartphones can easily be connected and the popular apps operated from the display.
The 11-seater cabin
The lengthened wheelbase means a more spacious interior and there’s space for up to 11-persons in the massive cabin. That ‘11-seater’ is mentioned gives it an image of being a minibus though it is far from that! The 4-row/11-seat layout is available when really needed but it is likely that the Carnival will be used as a 7-seater at most with the fourth row folded into the floor. For smaller groups, it can even be configured with four individual rear seats (generously-sized) and a passage between them which can be filled by a table that appears when the middle seats are folded.
The centre row can be folded sideways to create a walk-thru aisle to the rear when there are four or more rear passengers, and when the middle seat is folded down, the back of the seat can be turned into a table with cupholders (below).
Each seat has 3-point seatbelts and the air-conditioning is well designed to ensure that the last row gets cool air as well. A separate control unit is provided for the rear occupants to adjust their environment for a more comfortable journey.
The Carnival comes with two side doors which are motorized and are ‘smart’ because they can open automatically when you stand next to them (or you can press the key fob button) . To avoid accidents when getting out, the sensors that are used for the blind spot detection are also used to detect vehicles approaching. If a vehicle detected and the door is about to be opened, its operation will be stopped. This is a great safety feature, especially for those with kids who may be eager to rush out when the vehicle is stopped.
When 11 seating spaces are not needed, the fourth row can be folded flat and out of sight (below).
The back door also has the smart sensing feature which opens it automatically upon approach. While it is certainly a convenient feature, it might not be practical in certain situations. For example, if you are parked near a wall and the door starts to open by itself (when you are nearby), the door may hit the wall or worse, trap you against it! Perhaps the system should detect if there is a wall and deactivate the automatic opening. Or better still, just deactivate the feature in the settings and use the button on the key fob.
Both the front seats have 8-way power adjustment with the driver’s seat having lumbar adjustment as well. The seating position is such that the driver can have a commanding position which is important given the size of the Carnival. In fact, on our drive, we had a rather small-sized person who was not intimidated at all by the vehicle’s size and found easy to drive.
Individual safety systems
The latest Carnival comes with a long list of active safety systems but it doesn’t have a suite with a fancy sounding name like many of the new models introduced lately. Besides the airbags at the front, all the side windows have curtain bags which will deploy if the vehicle is hit from the side and by covering the openings, there is reduced risk of someone being ejected if the accident is a violent one.
The Surround View Monitor makes it easy to park the large Carnival and the simulated overhead view is detailed enough to help position the vehicle properly in a bay.
An interesting safety system is Multi-Collision Brake Control (MCBC) which reduces the severity of a secondary impact if it occurs after a collision. This can happen after the vehicle is hit and the driver may no longer be in control. When activated, the system measures vehicle speed and any changes of direction, applying the appropriate level of braking force to bring the vehicle to a stop. It may also use the electronic stability control system in some cases but will not activate if the speed is very high as automatic brake intervention at high speeds could cause undesirable vehicle reactions.
Driving impressions
The Carnival imported to Malaysia (and which will be assembled locally in future) comes with only a turbodiesel engine that runs on Euro5 (B7) fuel. This is the new 2.2-litre Smartstream unit that has an aluminium block which saves 38 kgs compared to the previous engine with a cast iron block. It generates 199 bhp with maximum torque of 440 Nm available from 1,750 rpm to 2,750 rpm. The strong low-end torque at the front wheels will be appreciated when the 2,000-kg MPV moves off.
Kia has fitted a conventional torque converter automatic transmission and it has a good choice of 8 ratios well matched to the relaxed engine’s characteristics. A rotary knob (with a high quality finish) on the centre console is used for selecting the main operating modes with a PARK button in the middle. The driver can choose drive modes for more acceleration or better economy but we found that the default mode is a good balance and there was no real need to use the other modes.
On the move, the size of the Carnival becomes less apparent the longer you drive it. Thanks to the nicely-weighted motor-assisted steering, the vehicle is easy to maneuver and it doesn’t wallow in corners either. The size and weight became advantageous on highways where there is good stability and the vehicle sits firmly on the road at high speeds. The long wheelbase also smoothens the ride quality although those in the rearmost row will tend to feel bumps a bit more noticeably.
For now, the Carnival imported in completely built-up form from Korea is priced at RM196,340.80 (without insurance, Peninsular Malaysia registration). You have a choice of 6 colours, and Dinamikjaya, the new distributor, offers a 5-year vehicle/100,000 km warranty and during the first 5 years (or maximum of 100,000 kms), scheduled maintenance will be free.
It’s no secret that the Carnival will be assembled locally at the Inokom plant in Kedah later this year. And the assembly operations will be managed by Kia Malaysia, which Kia Motors has majority share in. Naturally, when assembled locally, the price will be lower and if Dinamikjaya can maintain a similar level of equipment and features, the Carnival should be a worthwhile buy for those wanting a large MPV. As we said earlier, don’t let the ’11-seater’ description be a turn-off as the extra seats can be out of sight (though not removed).
The Highway Code that provides information and guidance for road-users in Great Britain was first published in 1931. Prepared by the British Department of Transport, it has been regularly updated as times have changed and so has the auto industry. While much of the Highway Code is to advise road-users, some items are also legal requirements.
Yesterday saw a major update to the Highway Code coming into force in England, Scotland and Wales with 9 sections updated, incorporating 50 new or amended rules.
The most significant guidance introduces a hierarchy of the types of road-users which aims to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected. Before, it was simply understood that ‘the bigger vehicle has a greater responsibility to ensure the safety of the smaller vehicle or road-user’.
Now, the updated Highway Code is more detailed and the hierarchy is based on the group likely to cause most harm in the event of a collision. Thus, the driver of a car would have to give priority to the safety of cyclists and pedestrians, while cyclists must ensure the safety of pedestrians who are near them. This is obviously common sense but now it is properly documented and while there are no specific penalties, accidents will be dealt with in accordance with prevailing laws.
The hierarchy in the Highway Code is not biased towards any group and basically emphasises responsibility to look out for other road-users. Especially in shared spaces, more advice is given where cyclists should not overtake people walking but at the same time, pedestrians should also not obstruct paths. Cyclists are permitted to cycle two abreast but are advised to be considerate to other road-users when in groups.
Motorised vehicle drivers are required to take extra care when approaching a roundabout, with priority given to cyclists. In fact, it appears that cyclists are better protected and this is perhaps in view of their growing number on roads. However, the Highway Code also advises cyclists to ensure they are as visible as possible and they are allowed to ride in the centre of lanes on quiet roads, in slower-moving traffic and at the approach to junctions.
There is also new guidance on overtaking cyclists: at speeds of up to 50 km/h, there should be a gap of at least 1.5 metres and should the speed be higher, then the gap should be greater. When cyclists are heading straight ahead at a junction, they can have priority over traffic waiting to turn into or out of a side road, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise.
Those who have been to Britain will know that motorists are very respectful of pedestrian crossings or zebra crossings, unlike Malaysia where pedestrians sometimes have to take risks because cars will not bother to stop. In Britain, cars will stop when a pedestrian steps onto the crossing or even puts a foot out to indicate the intention. Now the update asks motorists to come to a stop if they see a pedestrian waiting to cross.
The ‘Dutch Reach’ which advises occupants of a car to use their opposite hand to open the door so that their body will be turned around and they will be able to notice any approaching cyclist or motorcyclist.
An interesting new guidance is about opening doors. This is to reduce the chance of the door opening as a cyclist or motorcyclist approaches. The occupant is advised to do what is known as the ‘Dutch reach’ where they use the hand further away from the door to open the door. This means that the driver (in the right seat) should use his or her left hand to open the door, instead of the right hand which most people would use. This would force the driver to turn their body around more and put them in a position to notice other road-users approaching.
And as evidence of how the Highway Code evolves with changes in the auto industry, motorists using electric vehicles are advised to park closely to the public charging stations so that the cables do not cause pedestrians to trip.
With the number of electric vehicles to increase in coming years, the Highway Code is already advising owners of such vehicles to ensure that the charging cables do not make pedestrians trip.
Malaysia too has had a Highway Code for decades and it is the basis of the exam (now computerised) for those who take tests for their driving licence. It has at least been updated a bit since it does not contain hand signals for drivers which was in the Highway Code older drivers referred to.
Reigning champion Nyck de Vries led the Mercedes-EQ team home with a 1-2 in the opening round of the new season in Saudi Arabia. He sealed his first victory in Formula E at the same venue last year and took advantage of an uncharacteristic Stoffel Vandoorne slip-up to double up, with the Belgian missing his second jump through the ATTACK MODE activation loop. The pair were dominant from there, winding up 8 seconds clear of Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) third.
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Sam Bird crossed the line a fighting fourth, with Andre Lotterer (Porsche) looking strong early on – particularly in a duel with Dennis. The German eventually slipped down the order from a provisional podium position to 14th as his usable energy became ever more marginal as the race drew on.
Lucas di Grassi showcased his renowned racecraft to notch fifth on debut for ROKiT Venturi Racing just ahead of teammate Edoardo Mortara and Nick Cassidy – the Envision Racing man also taking the point for the Fastest Lap.
DS TECHEETAH’s Jean-Eric Vergne followed in eighth, pipping rookie Oliver Askew who’ll be happy with his first effort in the series and points on the board – no mean feat. Jaguar’s Mitch Evans rounded out the points-paying positions.
After Mercedes-EQ’s dominance in Round 1, the second round run the next day saw ROKiT Venturi Racing take the headlines with Edoardo Mortara and Lucas di Grassi bringing home the customer Silver Arrow 02 machine home in first and third place respectively, with Envision Racing’s Robin Frijns splitting the pair in second.
Through the second round of ATTACK MODE activations, di Grassi was able to position himself for a move on polesitter and then-leader Nyck de Vries (Mercedes-EQ) on Lap 16. The Brazilian fired it around the outside of de Vries at Turn 18 and made it stick, with Mortara also able to profit and make it through.
The Swiss then swept by his teammate for the lead a lap later, and there he stayed – fending off Frijns until the race came to an end behind the Safety Car after Alexander Sims’ Mahindra found the wall.
Andre Lotterer (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) made amends after slipping down the order during Race 1 as the German battled to fourth. Lotterer jousted with Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) and Jean-Eric Vergne (DS TECHEETAH) throughout and got the better of the pair, who followed the Porsche driver home.
Vandoorne stealthily clambered from 12th spot into seventh at the flag – very Vandoorne, quietly claiming valuable points from an inopportune situation. Oliver Rowland (Mahindra Racing) rocketed off the line and back from a pre-race 3-position grid penalty to finish eighth, with Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) ninth. de Vries was thus shuffled down the pack after the Venturis made their way through – and following a pass by Vergne which resulted in some close contact.
Mercedes Team Principal Ian James admitted the team was left ‘open and vulnerable. “It’s massively frustrating when you have such a strong Qualifying and then you can’t convert it into the positions that you wanted in the end,” he said after the end of the second round. “To be frank, we didn’t have a car that was fast enough today and I think that leaves you open and vulnerable during the race. I think that’s where we lost the places and we just need to work out how we got ourselves into that position and make sure that we can correct those errors.”
Mortara now sits 4 points ahead of de Vries at the top of the Drivers’ standings, while ROKiT Venturi Racing heads the Teams’ running by 11 points over Mercedes-EQ with Avalanche Andretti third.
Moving on to Mexico City for Round 3 on February 12, the Mercedes-EQ team (in its final season) will be working hard to correct the errors that led to its defeat in the second round in Diriyah. While this wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen a customer team be more competitive than the manufacturer that provides the powertrain, Mercedes-EQ will no doubt do everything it can to limit Venturi’s lead early on in the challenge for the Teams’ Championship trophy which it captured in Season 7.
While the rest of the auto industry is focussed on battery packs with stored electricity to power motors that propel cars, one company in the Netherlands is using an approach which has been thought to be impossible – at this time. The approach uses the energy in sunshine, which there is an abundance of (especially in Malaysia) and Lightyear, as the company is called, is not just talking about it: they have a running prototype that has shown promising results.
5-year old start-up
Lightyear is a start-up which was established in 2016 and specializes in solar electric vehicles (SEVs). It is made up of alumni of Solar Team Eindhoven which won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Since its launch, Lightyear has received several awards, grants and support from key investors. “This allowed us to develop a working prototype for the first long-range solar car in just 2 years. We have already sold over a hundred vehicles. With Lightyear One, we want to show that our technology enabled us to build one of the most sustainable cars on the market that also offers great convenience,” said Lex Hoefsloot, CEO and co-founder of Lightyear.
Lightyear One, the first model, has been engineered coming from a radically different perspective, with a strong focus on optimising efficiency and safety. Its development started from scratch, following not convention but only the laws of physics, to purposefully design a car that ‘gets the most out of every ray of sunshine’. The main goal of the SEV is to fill in where electric cars fall short. “Research has shown that range and the lack of charging options are still the top concerns that people have when considering electric cars,” said Hoefsloot.
Ultra-efficiency as the solution
“We are solving these issues with what we call ultra-efficiency. On one hand, that will lead to an exceptional range of 725 kms on a relatively small battery pack. On the other hand, it can charge directly from the sun because its energy consumption is much lower, generating up to 20,000 kms worth of energy per year. Moreover, all of the charging options out there become easier to use because you get a lot more range for the same amount of energy charged. So effectively, you charge a lot faster from any power outlet. You can charge up to 400 kms per night from ordinary 230V sockets. That’s great for road trips because you don’t need charging infrastructure.”
The roof and bonnet are where 5 square metres of integrated solar cells are installed. They are encased in safety glass so strong that a fully-grown adult can walk on them without causing dents. The car itself is constructed from high-tech materials to have the lowest weight possible while maintaining stringent passenger safety. It is propelled by four independently driven wheels, so no energy is lost in transit from the engine to the wheel. In addition to solar power, Lightyear One can be charged at a fast-charging station or even a regular outlet, when required.
By June last year, in spite of the challenges posed working in pandemic conditions, the team was able to take a Validation Prototype to a test track in Germany. There, they achieved a significant milestone: 710 kilometres on a single battery charge, the longest range an electric vehicle has ever achieved on 60 kWh of energy.
Extremely high energy efficiency
The prototype was driven at a speed of 85 km/h for almost 9 hours straight on one single charge. Even the most efficient electric cars on the market today consume around 50% more energy at this relatively low speed. It took energy EV efficiency to the next level as lowering the energy consumption per km of an EV ensures that you can provide a lot of range on a small battery. Because batteries are the most expensive part of an EV, it means that, in the future, it will be possible to offer affordable electric cars with a lot of range.
But can a solar car be durable enough for long-term use – especially those solar cells? This was answered by the next phase of testing where engineers assessed the Lightyear One’s structural integrity when driving on harsh roads, collected data for simulation models, and used the results for component testing.
The data was collected through 72 different sensors, which even measured acceleration signals in various body and wheel positions. Collecting this data was crucial, mainly because of Lightyear One’s in-wheel motors.
The durability testing done in Belgium consisted of driving over 20 different surfaces, varying from deep potholes, driving over bumps, railroad crossings, to rural country roads. Besides seeing how well the in-wheel motors withstand stressful conditions, the aim was to simulate a standard and complete drive of a car in real-world conditions. The results surpassed expectations and provided with valuable input on how to improve the model.
More progress, more efficiency
Progress continues to be made and recently, the Lightyear team carried out tests on tyre performance (the tyres are developed by Bridgestone), aerodynamics and efficiency at higher speeds. The tests, carried out at the track in Aprilia which is where Bridgestone has its European Proving Ground, gave encouraging results.
The latest test data provided further evidence that the upcoming SEV will be one of the most efficient on the market. During the testing, the Lightyear One was taken up to 130 km/h, faster than in previous tests. Furthermore, conditions were colder, with the temperature around 10°C, which provided important data as climatic conditions have an effect on performance of EVS.
“Results of our road tests confirm that we’re on track to producing the most aerodynamic 5-seater to date, with a record-breaking drag coefficient of less than 0.20 Cd. Here at Lightyear, we never stop learning. And we never stop using those lessons to innovate. The tests, which delivered robust insight into the aerodynamics of our validation prototype, will be crucial in developing the most efficient car,” said Hoefsloot.
Vaccination does not make you immune to COVID-19 infection. You can still get infected and although you may not show symptoms, you could spread the coronavirus to others. Do not stop taking protective measures such as wearing a facemask, washing hands frequently and social distancing.
