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Parking structures cannot tahan the weight of EVs?

With more and more EVs hitting the roads today, an interesting question about whether the current parking structures can withstand their weight has popped up.

A recent post by the Daily Mail UK seemed to have raised a concern regarding car parks and parking facilities that were not designed to handle the weight of EVs as they tend to weigh roughly double the standard ICE models or counterparts. Let’s dive in a little bit deeper, shall we?

Multi-storey car parks can possibly collapse?

*Image credit: KLIA2.info

The British Parking Association (BPA) has urged the local authorities in the country to carry out ‘urgent structural surveys’ for the thousands of multi-storey and underground car parks in the UK. The reasoning behind this is that most of them were constructed based on the weights of popular cars back in the 1970s and 1980s.

With EVs being heavier than their ICE brothers and sisters, a structural load check should be the best move forward together with improving existing standards for building construction if the plan is for the world to majorly migrate towards electric. Seems fair, but are EVs really that heavy compared to ICEs?

ICE vs EV, mana lagi berat?

For this particular article, we’re just going to look at a few comparisons between EVs and ICEs in terms of weight. An Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain weighs around 2,025kg kerb and is fully loaded at 2,600kg gross. A Ford Ranger Wildtrak? 2,227kg kerb, 3,230kg gross.

We’ve seen these popular pickup truck models everywhere, but there was never a question related to their weight impacts on parking facilities as folks are more concerned about dimensions (the thought of dinging the car parked next to you or vice versa is just urghhh).

The only concern when it comes to most parking lots is the height clearance to ensure that the roofs of the cars don’t get damaged from overhanging pipes and whatnot. From this, we can only assume that the weight limit of the vehicles that can enter the parking facility is based on the dimensions of that height limitation.

Let’s then look at the kerb weights for some of our favourite EVs of 2022 (not fully loaded with passengers and luggage):

Kia EV6 – 2,105kg
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Max – 2,020kg
Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric – 2,150kg
BYD Atto 3 – 2,090kg
BMW iX xDrive40 – 2,440kg (3,010kg gross)

It’s safe to assume that when the car is fully loaded, around 500-600kg is added to the kerb weight stated above to get a rough estimate of its gross weight.

If we look at the kerb weight alone for argument’s sake, almost all of the EVs stated above are heavier than the very popular pickup truck model from Isuzu. This is due to their battery packs and beefier chassis setups to make sure that the EV can withstand the load, yet they are smaller in size.

To paint a bigger picture, below is the list of some of the country’s most popular ICE models and their kerb weights:

Perodua Alza – 1,170kg
Perodua Myvi – 1,025kg
Toyota Vios – 1,145kg
Honda Civic FE – 1,362kg
Honda HR-V RS – 1,403kg
Proton X70 1.5 – 1,650kg

For bigger and way more premium EVs with longer driving ranges thanks to larger battery packs, their weights are even more astonishing like the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ at 2,440kg kerb (2,945kg gross) and the BMW i7 which is roughly estimated at around 2,715kg kerb (3,250kg gross). Starting to get the picture?

What about Malaysia’s car parks?

*Image credit: KLIA2.info

(DISCLAIMER: We might be wrong about this but to be on the safe side, we got our information from a couple of lecturers who specialise in teaching architecture, built environment, and design)

Based on the info that we have received, the current practice of parking structure designs is based on what the entire building can withstand in terms of weight or structural load. As for the parking spaces themselves, the focus has been only on dimensions of size and height as well as maximising those slots – not the weights of individual cars parked on individual lots.

With most popular car models here in Malaysia weighing under 2,000kg gross (meaning fully loaded with passengers and luggage), will it be a problem when more and more heavier EVs are on the roads and parked at multi-storey parking lots, apartments, and shopping malls in the years to come?

And yes, there are EVs that weigh under the 2,000kg mark like the Ora Good Cat (around 1,510kg) and yes, there are also ICEs that weigh significantly over the 2,000kg mark (this list is a lot longer).

But if the country is heading towards electric, this is probably one of the things that should be looked into, particularly for older parking facilities and even more so with the possibility of upgrading them with EV charging stations. One can also argue that future EVs will get lighter and lighter. But hey, no use crying over spilt milk, right?

 

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Car launches In 2023: It looks packed with reasonably priced cars!

We look at 6 cars that’ll be launched in 2023. There are actually 8 on the list, but the other two are just speculations for now.

So here we are, a new year, a new you, and perhaps a new car. Well, if you’re looking for a new whip to usher in the new year, perhaps you should hold your horses a bit longer, as 2023 could see a vast amount of interesting new cars being introduced into the market.

With that being said, let’s take a look at 6 cars that’ll be launched in Malaysia in 2023.

Haval H6 (from RM140k)

The 3rd-generation Haval H6 could be the biggest disruptive new SUV to hit Malaysian showrooms. The launch of the SUV from China could take place sooner than initially anticipated, with two units seen in Shah Alam completely undisguised last September.

Distributors GoAuto, who are working closely with Great Wall Motors to establish the brand’s local presence, have confirmed to Carlist that these units are scheduled to undergo localisation and endurance testing on our roads.

The Malaysian offering schedule should be roughly comparable to that of Thailands, where all H6 units are sold as a series (non-plug-in) hybrid that pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and electric motor for maximum power and torque figures of 243PS and 530Nm.

Chery Omoda 5 (from RM120k)

Another vehicle that could disrupt the local SUV market is the Proton X50 fighter, the Chery Omoda 5. 

Chery gave the media and a selected few a preview of their cars back in October 2022, and from what we sampled and saw, the offerings from Chery are pretty good.

One vehicle in particular that stood out was the Omoda 5, with its sleek exterior styling and perceived premium interior quality. Just like the Proton X50, it can be had with ADAS advanced safety systems, and its 1.6-litre engine mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission can put out 194hp and 290Nm of torque, which is by the way more potent than Proton’s little darling.

Honda BR-V (from RM85k)

The 2nd-Gen Honda BR-V will inevitably hit Malaysian showrooms in 2023 because most of Malaysia’s neighbouring countries have already launched the wallet-friendly 7-seater in 2022.

In general, the Honda BR-V is more grown-up when compared to the outgoing model, featuring sleeker, smoother exterior styling and a polished interior design.

It will be equipped with Honda’s naturally aspirated L15ZF 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol with 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque driving the front wheels via an Earth Dreams CVT – the same updated dual-overhead-camshaft 1,497cc unit in the newest City.

Toyota Vios (from RM80k)

If you’re looking to buy a B-segment sedan, wait a bit longer, as 2023 will see the arrival of the new Toyota Vios in Malaysia, a car which will surely give the Honda City some hot competition.

One of the best things about the 2023 Toyota Vios is its looks. It steals visual cues from its better-looking brothers, the Corolla and Camry. It features a prominent downward-facing hexagonal grille, slim swept-back headlights housing LED main beams and DRLs, 16-inch wheels, and a more coupe-like roofline.

To go along with its more upmarket exterior is a new upmarket interior, an area where the Vios has been criticised heavily in the past. However, the interior design is elegant and classy, and it is also the first Vios to come with a digital instrument cluster, electric handbrake, and ambient lighting. This atmosphere mood lighting can be adjusted to 64 shades.

Mercedes-Benz GLC 2nd-Gen (from RM320k)

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the all-new 2nd-Gen GLC-Class in June 2022, so it sounds about right that we would be getting the new GLC a year later.

The ever-popular SUV from Mercedes is larger, better equipped, and probably more expensive than the one it replaces, so don’t expect any savings here.

There’s not too much from the exterior that sticks out as different, unique, or new, as there are both visual callbacks to the older X253 and nods to the W206, such as that tail lamp cluster that adds a sense of visual width to the rear end.

However, the GLC’s 15mm increase in wheelbase might yield the most appreciable improvement to passengers. Indeed this is the most significant contributor to the extra 50 litres in boot space.

Proton X90 (from RM130k)

Ini kalilah? The Proton X90 was on our ‘What cars can we expect in 2022?’ list, but we needed to be corrected as Proton pushed back the launch of the much anticipated 7-Seater SUV due to many reasons.

Will 2023 be the year where Proton finally launches it? Judging by the number of sightings of the mule car around the country, we hope so, and we bet many others hope so too, as the big, exclusive and powerful SUV can comfortably hold up to seven passengers, which is perfect for many Malaysian families.

It has been suggested that the new national 7-seater SUV will come with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo engine and a mild hybrid system, producing around 187 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque.

We hope it does because it sounds like a versatile powerplant, especially if the car is always full of people and cargo.

Cars that might make a surprise appearance in 2023

Proton S50

We really can’t see Proton launching two vehicles in one year, but you can never say never, so perhaps, we will see the Proton Preve replacement at the end of the year.

The Proton S50 is said to be based on the fourth-generation Geely Emgrand, a car already sold in China and the Philippines. Going by the spy shots of the Proton S50 in Malaysia, the C-pillar and the rear windows look more like a Geely Emgrand rather than Geely’s other sedan, the Binrui.

The assumption that the Proton S50 will appear with a turbo engine is reasonable since Proton has introduced a new high-tech engine assembly plant in Tanjung Malim, assembling the 1.5 TGDI engine.

This award-winning three-cylinder engine is already used in several brands under the Geely Group, and its variants have so far been used in more than 750,000 vehicles sold worldwide, including the Proton X70 and X50.

New generation Perodua Axia

The Perodua Axia is soon to be replaced by an all-new successor, and while the launch will likely take place next year, you never know with Perodua, as they are one of the fastest and most efficient car manufacturers in the country.

The biggest headline for the new-gen Axia is its new powerplant, where insiders think that the compact hatchback will come with a turbocharged unit.

The insider tip-off indicates that Daihatsu and Perodua will opt for the same 1.0-litre 1KR-VET found in the Perodua Ativa (and Daihatsu Rocky) for the new Axia.

It has already proved itself as a pretty stout little unit, delivering impressive everyday performance (98PS/140Nm) and fuel economy while being a much more cohesive dance partner to the D-CVT gearbox it debuted locally with.

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Will the 5-door Suzuki Jimny come with a more powerful powertrain?

More space, more doors and more power? Will the 5-door Jimny come with a more powerful powertrain?

Set for an official unveiling on January 13, 2023, at India’s Auto Expo, it has been said that the much-anticipated 5-door Suzuki Jimny can be had with a more powerful and fuel efficient setup.

Japan’s Best Car Web brought this scoop, as they suggest that the five-door Jimny in Japan could come with a hybrid powertrain. 

The electric motor will apparently produce an additional 33 horsepower and 60 Nm of torque, giving the Jimny a total output of 133hp and 190Nm of torque if paired with the same K15B 1.5-litre engine on the 3-door. 

The 3-door which comes with the K15B 1.5-litre engine, currently only produces 100hp and 130Nm of torque. It has also been said that the non-hybrid variant of the 5-door Jimny could come with a new K15C 1.5-litre DualJet engine which is said to offer more power and torque compared to the current K15B.

We will keep a close eye on the updates of the 5-door Jimny as we hope Suzuki’s official distributors in Malaysia, Naza Eastern Motors Sdn Bhd, will bring the more spacious Jimny into the country.

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Chery surpasses 1.1 million units sold in 2022

Chery has been on a role for the past six months in a row following a constant monthly sales volume of over 100,000 units.

With 2022 just a couple of days away from ending, the Chery Group sales have officially surpassed the 1.1 million mark, which is an amazing feat if you ask anyone or any company.

Global exports up by 70.9%

We’re probably guessing that the 2022 closing sales figure from Chery will be slightly bigger as 1,127,289 units of sold vehicles were actually recorded from January until the end of November. Compared to the same period last year, that’s an increase of 32.6%.

Chery also set a new export record for Chinese brand passenger vehicles following its export volume increase of 70.9%. Being the country’s top car exporter for the past 19 years in a row, Chery actually broke its own record with over 50,000 units being exported every month for four months.

30,000 CKD units in Malaysia by 2024

Chery is planning to establish its own CKD operations here in Malaysia sometime in 2023. When the factory is fully set up, over 30,000 units of production capacity have been targeted for local assembly for the Malaysian market as well as other ASEAN countries.

The most exciting model that’s also in plans for CKD assembly is the Chery Omoda 5 EV. Other models include the Tiggo range of crossovers as the start. With 30,000 units in their plans, we’re pretty sure that more models will creep into the major CKD plans right here in Malaysia.

 

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Tokyo Auto Salon is coming to KL in June 2023?

The Tokyo Auto Salon will be organising a show right here in KL in June 2023. Is this the real life, or is this just fantasy?

It seems that there’s already a Tokyo Auto Salon KL Facebook page as well as the ‘official’ Tokyo Auto Salon Kuala Lumpur official website, which looks legit but let’s dive a little bit deeper to see if this is a hit or miss.

Tokyo Auto Salon KL – MITEC KL, 9-11 June 2023

Both the website and FB page indicate that the Tokyo Auto Salon KL event will take place at MITEC KL from 9-11 June 2023. The event will be organised by MUSE Group Asia and co-organised by Element X together with its official marketing partner, 36Five X.

The MUSE Group Asia FB page seems to have its location set in Bangkok, Thailand, but they have organised a few high-profile events such as Spartan Malaysia, L’Etape Malaysia, and more. As for the Tokyo Auto Salon KL event, not much else has been stated apart from the dates and location.

Event already listed under MITEC’s event calendar

Upon further digging, we can also see that the Tokyo Auto Salon KL event has been listed under MITEC KL’s event calendar on the same dates (9-11 June 2023). Some folks might still be skeptical about this, but this should bring some form of legitimacy before more details are unveiled in the coming months.

For now, the original Tokyo Auto Salon 2023 will take place at Makuhari Messe, one of Japan’s largest convention centres located in Chiba, Japan. One of the highlights for the Japanese event will be an entry from Malaysia’s very own Retro Havoc and their build, the world’s first Ford Escort Mk2 Pandem nicknamed “Emotion”. Malaysia represents in Japan, yet again!

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Subaru will be unveiling a new Levorg STI prototype car at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon

Subaru will be debuting a new Levorg wagon STI concept car at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon.

Subaru’s Tecnica International, or STI, has been responsible for many fabulous cars over the years, and now it seems they have turned their attention to the Subaru Levorg, which apparently will make an appearance at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon 2023 in January.

The Japanese equivalent of the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas has debuted many exciting cars over the years, so it’s apt that Subaru would use the Japanese Autoshow to show off its Levorg STI concept.

Dubbed the Levorg STI Sport, we can safely assume that STI would have gone to town on its appearance as well as its performance. 

Built on the Levorg STI R EX variant, a sporty trim version of the wagon, it has been said that the WRX based wagon will be equipped with turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer-four engine producing 271 hp, but don’t get your hopes up about the engine being paired to a manual transmission as it’ll still probably be equipped with an auto tranny.

Subaru is being coy and has not disclosed any details of the Levorg STI Sport’s mechanical upgrades, but the prototype is said to be able to offer better stable handling qualities and driving experience.

A JDM-spec Impreza, complete with the STI package, will also be revealed for the first time at the Tokyo Auto Salon,  but the WRX STI, may only get a cosmetic upgrade as Subaru has no plans, for now, to be selling an STI version of the WRX for the current model.

Cause we love wagons we can’t wait to see what STI has done to the Levrog, and it’s about time Subaru beefs up the already sporting-looking wagon.

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Datuk Jean Todt urges Anwar Ibrahim to make road safety an agenda in Malaysia

UN Special Envoy for Road Safety, Datuk Jean Todt, is urging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Federal government to get serious about saving lives on the roads by making road safety one of the main agenda.

According to an exclusive interview with The Vibes, the former Ferrari boss is urging Malaysia to enforce the relevant laws to deal with the high number of road deaths and reduce the accident rate.

“There’s no point in having laws if sometimes you don’t enforce them.Yes, the law is out there, but it needs to be enforced. You (the government) may not be popular, but eventually, you will become popular because you  save lives on the road”, said Todt.

“Malaysia’s situation is almost similar to some European countries and Australia about 30 or 40 years ago until they decided to put road safety as the main agenda and deal with it,” he said.

During the interview, Todt did admit that Malaysia has better road infrastructure than other countries in the region,but Malaysia must implement effective speed limit monitoring and increase enforcement other areas.

Todt met up with Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook last Thursday and proposed several measures to the ministry, including the involvement of voices in the community to support efforts to save lives on the roads.

“In my capacity as a UN special envoy, I have to work hard so that you don’t lose momentum,” said Todt, who has lost a friend in a road accident.

He also took the opportunity to highlight the importance of empowering the Malaysian Road Safety Council and forming the highest committee at Cabinet level.

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This car only needs you to smile at it to get it unlocked and going

The Genesis GV60 doesn’t need a key or a smartphone to get it unlocked and going.

Facial recognition technology has moved by leaps and bounds in the last few years, and it seems that auto manufacturers are about to take advantage of this helpful technology and integrate them into their cars.

The first to do so is Genesis, where they will use similar technology to the latest smartphones, where all it takes to unlock it is to look at it.

A glance or a smile is all it takes to unlock the doors and start the upcoming Genesis GV60. The South Korean automaker, the luxury division of Hyundai, has announced its plans to add facial recognition to the security package for its newest model. 

The system, called Face Connect is apparently already fitted to the GV60 sold in the USA, according to Drive Australia, and will be added to European cars in 2023.

“The system allows owners to unlock and access the car using what Genesis calls a ‘face recognition sensor with a deep-learning image processing controller’. Facial recognition is built around a sensor in the car’s roof pillar next to the driver’s door, which scans the driver’s face and also uses an LED indicator to confirm when the system is active.”

Genesis believes Face Connect will be ideal for outdoor activities, including swimming and running, where the driver will be key-free when doing their leisure activity.

We’re pretty sure the facial recognition technology will trickle down to most of the companies’ associated brands, including sister brand KIA, but it’ll probably be a while till the more entry-level cars from the group to be utilising this advanced feature.

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Anthony Loke points out ‘defects’ at KLIA2

Malaysia’s Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, is back at it again and this time, it’s our beloved KLIA2 airport.

Following his appearance to launch the latest “fixed fare midnight flight” over at Red Q of AirAsia, Loke went around the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 for a quick spot-check. He has managed to point out a few things that can and should be improved.

Poor lighting in the e-hailing waiting area

The first thing that was mentioned by Loke was the poor lighting conditions at the e-hailing or taxi waiting area. Following some complaints and feedback gathered by the public, this was one of the most obvious things to improve at the Level 1 transportation hub.

Things are especially gloomy at night and even worse when it rains, but those who have been to KLIA2 during these times already know this all too well. Loke noticed that this particular aspect should be improved and upgraded for the sake of safety as well as comfort.

Upgrade works to commence in January

Loke also pointed out some uneven road surfaces in his FB post which may endanger the users at KLIA2. It seems that the airport management has already elected a contractor to start with the upgrade works which is scheduled to begin at the end of January 2023.

Our beloved transport minister also urged all stakeholders to get involved with not just what he saw during his brief spot-check session, but also other aspects of the airport that need to be repaired or improved. Any other things that you would like to point out?

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Hyundai Ioniq 6 is coming to Malaysia in 2023

Hyundai Malaysia has teased us with a short video showcasing four new models to arrive on our shores, including the Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV.

The short video showcasing the brand’s accomplishments and achievements over the years ended with the quote “All these milestones, yet we’re not even close to being done” before signing off with a photo of four different car models with the caption “Coming soon”.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 + 3 SUV models

The video above which was posted on the Hyundai Malaysia Facebook page ended with the prospect of four new models that they’ll bring into the market next year (we assume). The models in question are of course the Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV and three SUVs – Creta, Santa Fe, and Palisade (from left to right).

The Santa Fe and Palisade are already in the market, but the Creta which just received its five-star ASEAN NCAP rating is a brand-new model built in Indonesia but has been recently spotted on Malaysian soil just a few months ago. While the Creta should be an interesting prospect price-wise if it’s locally assembled, EV enthusiasts are obviously more interested in the Ioniq 6.

First Korean EV sedan with 610km range

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 ‘streamliner’ is a different ball game in terms of design compared to the lovely and muscular-looking Hyundai Ioniq 5. Based on Hyundai’s latest  Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), there are two different configurations for the Ioniq 6, which are rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD).

The range-topping AWD unit comes with twin electric motors and a 74.kWh battery pack that offers 239kW, 605Nm of torque, and up to 610km of all-electric driving range. A cheaper version of the Ioniq 6 with a slightly smaller 53kWh battery pack will also be offered in the future, just like how the Ioniq 5 is currently available in three different variants priced from RM207k to RM270k.

The Malaysian EV assault is getting more and more intense, folks. Which one are you gunning for? In the meantime, check out our review of the Kia EV6 and our camping trip by the beach in the video, below!

 

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