With our ever changing weather patterns it looks like flooding in big Asian cities are here to stay. It started in Thailand last year with the massive flood that destroyed thousands of cars. Philippines recently got hit by 2 typhoons and 1 huge tropical storm resulting in mass flooding covering 50% of Metro Manila. Highways and main roads were damaged or swept away by flood waters.
Advanced cities such as Singapore was also not spared in 2010 when a huge flash flood hit the city and Singaporeans experienced their first serious flood problem. Numerous luxury cars and supercars were damaged by the flood as flood waters seeped into basement parking lots.
We all know that cars and water don't mix. Do we start buying small inflatable rafts to keep at home? or buy ramps to elevate our cars? It is little wonder why the sales of SUVs and pick up trucks have risen in the last 10 years. People in Thailand love their SUVs and pick up trucks, like wise in Philippines and Indonesia. Bad road conditions coupled with frequent flooding has pushed people to buy these cars. Running cost of SUVs and pick up trucks are higher than that of normal passenger cars but the added convenience and sense of safety have offset the additional running cost.
With the rising popularity of SUVs and pick up trucks, a whole flurry of accessories have also hit the market. The infamous snorkel is now very popular as it will allow the SUV or pick up truck to drive in deep waters in flood situations or drive through river crossings. It really looks like a practical choice to have a SUV or pick up truck at home as a back up vehicle.
Tuesday 28 August 2012
Friday 17 August 2012
Hybrid Sports car - are they the way to go for the future?
The word hybrid seems to be the hot topic in the automotive industry in the last 5 years. Apart from producing daily run about hybrid cars the car makers have started to develop Hybrid Sports cars. Not all car makers have gone down this path but many are already working on a development car of some sort. The question is whether this is just a trend or is it really here to stay?!
Here are some examples of currently under development hybrid sports cars / super cars:
- Toyota / Lexus - the next super car (not the LFA) is going to be a hybrid. Supposedly to be a Supra replacement but nothing can be confirmed at the moment. Toyota has been seen testing their hybrid motor in Le Mans which could mean that it may be included in their new super car.
- Honda - The new NSX is expected to have 3 electric motors, 1 for each front wheel and 1 main unit that works with engine. The concept has been displayed since 2011 but there are no official release dates at the moment.
- Porsche - The new 918 is expected to be one of the most powerful hybrids. The prototype of this model has been seen under testing phase.
- Ferrari - now working on a new a hybrid super car. Expected to be launched in 2014.
Sports cars / super cars are often regarded as the show piece of an automotive manufacturer and they would usually pour all their resources to make the car the best that it can be. Having a hybrid sports car / super car seems like a big juggling act because on one hand the car is expected to be as powerful as possible and yet the hybrid system is trying to make it as fuel efficient as possible. Power comes at a cost in terms of fuel. With the hybrid system the extra power and torque boost will come from the electric motor however this cost comes in the form of weight of the batteries. Hybrid batteries are notoriously heavy and this has an impact on performance as well as the balance of the car which in turn will effect the handling.
In some cases the hybrid motor only acts as a performance booster.
Right now there are no hybrid super cars available yet. Once the first one is officially launched, we shall then be able to see how well it stacks up against traditional super cars with only a combustion engine.
We have seen electric sports cars like the Tesla and Fisker. These are different from the hybrid super cars that Toyota, Honda, Porsche and Ferrari are developing.
Here are some examples of currently under development hybrid sports cars / super cars:
- Toyota / Lexus - the next super car (not the LFA) is going to be a hybrid. Supposedly to be a Supra replacement but nothing can be confirmed at the moment. Toyota has been seen testing their hybrid motor in Le Mans which could mean that it may be included in their new super car.
- Honda - The new NSX is expected to have 3 electric motors, 1 for each front wheel and 1 main unit that works with engine. The concept has been displayed since 2011 but there are no official release dates at the moment.
- Porsche - The new 918 is expected to be one of the most powerful hybrids. The prototype of this model has been seen under testing phase.
- Ferrari - now working on a new a hybrid super car. Expected to be launched in 2014.
Sports cars / super cars are often regarded as the show piece of an automotive manufacturer and they would usually pour all their resources to make the car the best that it can be. Having a hybrid sports car / super car seems like a big juggling act because on one hand the car is expected to be as powerful as possible and yet the hybrid system is trying to make it as fuel efficient as possible. Power comes at a cost in terms of fuel. With the hybrid system the extra power and torque boost will come from the electric motor however this cost comes in the form of weight of the batteries. Hybrid batteries are notoriously heavy and this has an impact on performance as well as the balance of the car which in turn will effect the handling.
In some cases the hybrid motor only acts as a performance booster.
Right now there are no hybrid super cars available yet. Once the first one is officially launched, we shall then be able to see how well it stacks up against traditional super cars with only a combustion engine.
We have seen electric sports cars like the Tesla and Fisker. These are different from the hybrid super cars that Toyota, Honda, Porsche and Ferrari are developing.
Thursday 16 August 2012
Car manufacturer's sense of responsibility towards consumers
Every now and then we see car manufacturers make recalls for cars to rectify problems that they discover in their cars after the cars have been sold to customers. No car maker is immune to this as the production process and sourcing of parts from a large number of suppliers make it virtually impossible have full control of quality. Naturally, car manufacturers will put a lot of emphasis to ensure that the components and parts are up to their expectation and are sufficiently tested. Occasionally the testing is insufficient and flaws start to appear causing problems or premature failure of the component.
Each car having hundreds of thousands of parts, some moving and some static means that to ensure optimum quality the stringent evaluation process has to start very early during the new model development phase. Even simple items such as carpets and floor mats have to be designed and tested but yet occasional problems occur like in the recent case of floor mats for the Mercedes M Class sold in US.
Large car companies such as Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, Mercedes, BMW and Porsche are quick to acknowledge problem when it arises and will quickly issue recalls to rectify the problems. This cannot be said for companies such as Proton which has over time produced shoddy quality cars which they take no responsibility to rectify. The very common case was the exploding front windscreen for car assembled before year 2000. The front windscreens were not laminated and numerous cases of exploding windscreens were reported after the cars were parked under the hot sun. Some cases happened when the cars were being driven on the road. Other common issues were the power windows that wouldn't close or jammed while being closed. This led to many Proton owners opting not to open the windows but to open their doors instead to take parking tickets or pay tolls. Proton did not issue a recall on this and left thousands of Proton owners in a lurch. Having this kind of attitude it is little wonder why the average Malaysian who can afford to buy a car other car Proton will immediately buy a non-Proton car.
Some car makers will even shun warranty claims. In a recent case in UK, a lady owner of a Hyundai i20 wanted to claim warranty for the replacement clutch for a 4 month old car. Hyundai in UK did not acknowledge that it was a problem with the component and denied the warranty claim considering it as a wear and tear item. Under normal usage, it is almost impossible to completely wear out a clutch in 4 months and Hyundai demonstrated that they lacked the responsibility towards the customer. All this when it hits the media is bad press for Hyundai. Hyundai should have investigated when the clutch was worn out in 4 months and check the quality of the component with their supplier or manufacturing arm. Such bad press will not bode well for reputation and also it quickly can turn ugly especially when it will cause potential customers to lose confidence in their warranty system.
Having the right sense of responsibility towards the customer makes a huge impact on repeat sales. Customers in general can accept the odd recall and that the car maker was responsible enough to acknowledge the problem and take the action to rectify it. The customers would likely return to buy another car from the same car maker (if the ownership experience is satisfactory). Margins for selling cars these days have dropped tremendously with fierce competition and rising manufacturing costs. Customer retention is now more important than ever before.
Each car having hundreds of thousands of parts, some moving and some static means that to ensure optimum quality the stringent evaluation process has to start very early during the new model development phase. Even simple items such as carpets and floor mats have to be designed and tested but yet occasional problems occur like in the recent case of floor mats for the Mercedes M Class sold in US.
Large car companies such as Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, Mercedes, BMW and Porsche are quick to acknowledge problem when it arises and will quickly issue recalls to rectify the problems. This cannot be said for companies such as Proton which has over time produced shoddy quality cars which they take no responsibility to rectify. The very common case was the exploding front windscreen for car assembled before year 2000. The front windscreens were not laminated and numerous cases of exploding windscreens were reported after the cars were parked under the hot sun. Some cases happened when the cars were being driven on the road. Other common issues were the power windows that wouldn't close or jammed while being closed. This led to many Proton owners opting not to open the windows but to open their doors instead to take parking tickets or pay tolls. Proton did not issue a recall on this and left thousands of Proton owners in a lurch. Having this kind of attitude it is little wonder why the average Malaysian who can afford to buy a car other car Proton will immediately buy a non-Proton car.
Some car makers will even shun warranty claims. In a recent case in UK, a lady owner of a Hyundai i20 wanted to claim warranty for the replacement clutch for a 4 month old car. Hyundai in UK did not acknowledge that it was a problem with the component and denied the warranty claim considering it as a wear and tear item. Under normal usage, it is almost impossible to completely wear out a clutch in 4 months and Hyundai demonstrated that they lacked the responsibility towards the customer. All this when it hits the media is bad press for Hyundai. Hyundai should have investigated when the clutch was worn out in 4 months and check the quality of the component with their supplier or manufacturing arm. Such bad press will not bode well for reputation and also it quickly can turn ugly especially when it will cause potential customers to lose confidence in their warranty system.
Having the right sense of responsibility towards the customer makes a huge impact on repeat sales. Customers in general can accept the odd recall and that the car maker was responsible enough to acknowledge the problem and take the action to rectify it. The customers would likely return to buy another car from the same car maker (if the ownership experience is satisfactory). Margins for selling cars these days have dropped tremendously with fierce competition and rising manufacturing costs. Customer retention is now more important than ever before.
Monday 13 August 2012
electric cars... are they really practical?
Electric cars seem to be the buzz these days in the motoring media. Nissan has the Leaf model, Hyundai has the Elantra EV, Mitsubishi has their Miev and etc. The real question is whether these models are really practical in daily use conditions. Lets consider the strengths and weaknesses of the electric car.
Strength:
Good instant torque and power for brisk acceleration. Will be able to move 3 passengers and 1 driver with ease since the torque available is higher than a small capacity combustion engine.
Weakness:
Very short driving range which limits the distance the electric car can travel on a single charge. Can be very annoying to have to charge the car every 150km if you are planning traveling 400km.
Based on the strengths and weaknesses lets consider how it will fair in the two main driving conditions.
City driving:
the stop-go traffic conditions and short traveling distance is good for the EV since the EV's usual range is not more than 200km. The city is also more sensitive to exhaust emissions and air pollution. If the city is well planned, charging stations will be accessible every 10km to 20km, or car parks may have charging points.
Highway driving:
not suitable since EVs are not good for highway cruising like a diesel engine. EV's range is far too short for long distance driving. With an average range of 200km in a single charge, the short range can be a real bummer for people who want to drive intercity. Most of the electric cars either use a CVT transmission or a single gear transmission which inhibits real high speed driving. Driving at high speeds also drains the battery power very quickly as the single gear transmission will be turning at very high speeds.
In the real world in order for the electric car to be successful they must first address the fundamental issue about driving range. If it is able to achieve a driving range of over 350km on a single charge, it would make a huge difference in terms of overall practicality. The Japanese car makers also need to look at switching to better batteries such as Lithium Ion or Lithium Polymer which are able to hold far more power, more compact and has a better recharge rate than the out of date Nickel Metal Hydride batteries currently used in the Prius and other hybrids.
Strength:
Good instant torque and power for brisk acceleration. Will be able to move 3 passengers and 1 driver with ease since the torque available is higher than a small capacity combustion engine.
Weakness:
Very short driving range which limits the distance the electric car can travel on a single charge. Can be very annoying to have to charge the car every 150km if you are planning traveling 400km.
Based on the strengths and weaknesses lets consider how it will fair in the two main driving conditions.
City driving:
the stop-go traffic conditions and short traveling distance is good for the EV since the EV's usual range is not more than 200km. The city is also more sensitive to exhaust emissions and air pollution. If the city is well planned, charging stations will be accessible every 10km to 20km, or car parks may have charging points.
Highway driving:
not suitable since EVs are not good for highway cruising like a diesel engine. EV's range is far too short for long distance driving. With an average range of 200km in a single charge, the short range can be a real bummer for people who want to drive intercity. Most of the electric cars either use a CVT transmission or a single gear transmission which inhibits real high speed driving. Driving at high speeds also drains the battery power very quickly as the single gear transmission will be turning at very high speeds.
In the real world in order for the electric car to be successful they must first address the fundamental issue about driving range. If it is able to achieve a driving range of over 350km on a single charge, it would make a huge difference in terms of overall practicality. The Japanese car makers also need to look at switching to better batteries such as Lithium Ion or Lithium Polymer which are able to hold far more power, more compact and has a better recharge rate than the out of date Nickel Metal Hydride batteries currently used in the Prius and other hybrids.
Thursday 2 August 2012
Fuel Economy claims
When we see new car advertisements in magazines or newspapers often we see claims on fuel economy figures published in bold to attract prospective car buyers. It is good way to promote the car's fuel economy but is it realistic? can it really be matched in the real world?
Japan and Europe each have their own way to test fuel economy and will result in different claims. All car manufacturers will naturally try to get the best result possible and publish the lowest figure. However, it is very often that we drive in less than perfect conditions to enable us to match the claimed fuel economy figures as claimed in the publications.
Several key factors contribute to us not be able to match the claimed fuel economy figures:
- using air conditioning
- driving with under inflated tyres (very common problem)
- carrying more weight in your car than you should (meaning you have your golf bag and other items in the trunk)
- driving faster than the ideal fuel economy speed
- getting stuck in heavy traffic often
- high ambient heat
- brisk acceleration
Fuel economy claims should be used as just a rough guide only. It does not necessarily mean that you will be able to achieved the claimed fuel economy. In an ideal world with ideal conditions there is the possibility of achieving the claimed figures but we don't live in an ideal world with ideal driving conditions.
Honda in US was recently sued over false fuel economy claims. The fuel economy claims were far lower than what was actually achievable by an ordinary driver. This law suit set an example and a warning to car manufacturers to not simply claim fuel economy figures and only state a realistic fuel economy figure. To be fair to the motoring public, only a very small percentage of drivers will even attempt to drive according to best fuel economy practices on a daily basis.
Japan and Europe each have their own way to test fuel economy and will result in different claims. All car manufacturers will naturally try to get the best result possible and publish the lowest figure. However, it is very often that we drive in less than perfect conditions to enable us to match the claimed fuel economy figures as claimed in the publications.
Several key factors contribute to us not be able to match the claimed fuel economy figures:
- using air conditioning
- driving with under inflated tyres (very common problem)
- carrying more weight in your car than you should (meaning you have your golf bag and other items in the trunk)
- driving faster than the ideal fuel economy speed
- getting stuck in heavy traffic often
- high ambient heat
- brisk acceleration
Fuel economy claims should be used as just a rough guide only. It does not necessarily mean that you will be able to achieved the claimed fuel economy. In an ideal world with ideal conditions there is the possibility of achieving the claimed figures but we don't live in an ideal world with ideal driving conditions.
Honda in US was recently sued over false fuel economy claims. The fuel economy claims were far lower than what was actually achievable by an ordinary driver. This law suit set an example and a warning to car manufacturers to not simply claim fuel economy figures and only state a realistic fuel economy figure. To be fair to the motoring public, only a very small percentage of drivers will even attempt to drive according to best fuel economy practices on a daily basis.
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