Africa Automotive: Snoozing is losing

As Africa forges ahead in expanding its automotive horizons by embracing new energy technology and welcomes investments in manufacturing and allied industries, South Africa is in danger of falling behind despite the announcements made in the recent Budget Speech to facilitate automakers updating factory facilities to manufacture electric vehicles.

In the midst of a tumultuous election year in which the ruling ANC could well find itself unseated after 30 years of governance in favour of a Democratic Alliance-led coalition government, long-term important decisions regarding the future of the auto industry could find themselves even lower down on the ‘to do’ list.

Ongoing problems with the state energy suppliers, Eskom, mean the country is still subjected to regular stage electricity cuts and this is doing little to excite ordinary car buyers to consider making the move to electric vehicles (BEV). Equally, the high price of BEV with no mention by Government of any incentives or considerations to help persuade people to make the switch, is not making this a speedy process.

BEV manufacture in the country would, in the medium-term, be almost exclusively for export to feed European and American markets, with the manufacture of combustion engine and hybrid vehicles continuing for the local and many of the African markets.

However, competition is hotting up and Morocco has initiated its first-ever industrial zone focused on the production of electric vehicle batteries, with a substantial investment of USD 2,3-billion. This 283-hectare zone is poised to generate 4 000 new jobs and has already attracted attention from international investors, including the Chinese company CNGR and the Moroccan investment fund Al Mada.

It is absolutely vital South Africa has its own battery manufacturing facility that will feed local automakers as well as being price competitive on the global stage.

During COP28 in Dubai, world leaders in climate policy gathered to assess the progress of nations in reducing emissions and to bolster their commitment to climate goals. A major topic of discussion was the equitable and swift shift from fossil fuels, a subject met with both hope and caution.

The transformation of transportation systems is crucial in the move away from fossil fuels. To maintain the global temperature increase within 1,5 degrees Celsius, it’s necessary for two-thirds of passenger travel to be free of fossil fuels by 2030, to boost electric vehicle (EV) sales to 75% of the global market, and to encourage more active and public transportation usage.

African nations, despite their low greenhouse gas emissions, experience significant adverse effects from climate change. Rapid urbanisation in Africa, coupled with limited economic and institutional resources, exacerbates these challenges. African cities are grappling with issues such as declining air quality, which is responsible for more than 383 000 deaths annually on the continent, as well as flooding, extreme temperatures and water shortages.

Inaction is not an option for Africa, despite the imbalance between their contributions to and the impacts of climate change. African governments at all levels must seize the opportunity presented by the continent’s population growth and emerging markets to overhaul their transportation systems and enhance the resilience of their communities.

The urgency for Africa to act is clear. Delaying the transition to electric vehicles risks prolonging the Global South’s reliance on fossil fuels, potentially trapping these countries in a cycle of dependency.

The continent stands at a crossroads, with the chance to lead by example in the global shift towards sustainable transportation.

The World Resources Institute’s latest State of Climate Action report casts a sombre tone, yet electric vehicles (EVs) emerge as a hopeful segment. Presently, the global adoption of EVs in the passenger car market is on a trajectory that aligns with the 2030 electrification goals. This surge is primarily driven by large markets, notably China, where the combined registrations for EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles reach about 20-million annually.

Africa, while currently home to less than 1% of the global EV count, is poised for significant automotive expansion. This is attributed to its status as the second most populous and fastest-growing continent, coupled with the lowest rate of vehicle ownership. This presents a substantial opportunity for the electrification of road transport throughout Africa.

In recent years, African nations have recognized the benefits of vehicle electrification, such as enhanced urban air quality, decreased dependence on imported fuels, bolstered local car production, and progress towards climate mitigation objectives.

Countries across sub-Saharan Africa, including Rwanda, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, Cape Verde, and Zimbabwe, have been proactive in setting targets to increase EV shares in vehicle registrations and are crafting comprehensive electric mobility policies, along with specific regulations and incentives.

This shift in policy reflects a commitment by African nations to move away from fossil fuels. The rise of start-ups aiming to electrify commonly used vehicles in African urban centres, such as minibuses and two- and three-wheeled motorcycles, is a testament to this commitment.

These types of vehicles are particularly prevalent in the informal public transport networks of East and West Africa. For instance, in Kenya, two and three-wheelers represent a significant portion of the annual vehicle registrations, exceeding 65%. This trend underscores the continent’s potential to revolutionize its transportation landscape through electrification.

Kenya’s electric vehicle (EV) landscape is seeing a surge in two-wheeler EVs, which now make up 70% of the country’s total EVs. In regions where two and three-wheelers are less common, public transportation is becoming a key driver for electrification.

Cities such as Durban and Cape Town in South Africa, Dakar in Senegal, Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, and Nairobi in Kenya are either operating electric buses or have plans to introduce them.

The growth of local electric mobility startups in Africa and the adoption of innovative business models are pivotal for the continent’s EV market. Research indicates that once EV sales hit 1% of total vehicle sales, a rapid increase in adoption is likely to occur.

However, many African countries have yet to reach this benchmark. For instance, Kenya’s EV registrations from May 2018 to May 2023 are estimated to be under 3 000, which is a fraction of the 400 000 vehicles registered each year.

To align with environmental and developmental objectives, African nations need to implement strategies that boost EV adoption to surpass this critical threshold. African EV firms are exploring strategies to price EVs competitively against internal combustion engine vehicles. Urban economies in Africa are fostering EV accessibility through creative approaches such as battery swapping, pay-per-use systems, and leasing options.

Nonetheless, meeting the demand for EVs in Africa remains a challenge. Despite the emergence of local electric mobility startups, the demand outpaces the supply, with companies such as BasiGo and Roam experiencing waitlists for their electric buses.

As a primary importer of EVs, Africa is poised to leverage its unique assets, including rich mineral resources essential for battery production, renewable energy prospects, and a young, expanding workforce, to strengthen its position in the global EV market.

Looking ahead, it is essential to explore various strategies to enhance the electric vehicle (EV) lifecycle, from production to end-of-life processes, through a multifaceted approach encompassing policy, technology, and economics.

Nissan Motor has announced its intention to debut its e-power hybrid technology vehicle in Tunisia as part of a broader strategy to gauge the demand for EVs within the African market.

Despite these challenges, Sherief Eldesouky, Nissan Africa’s Managing Director, remains optimistic.

“Electrification might take some time in Africa but we have a plan on how to introduce electrification, especially with our e-Power technology in some of the markets that are ready for this technology in Africa,” he says.

Nissan has already launched this technology in Morocco with the Qashqai and in Egypt with the X-Trail, with plans to expand to Tunisia.

Eldesouky added: “We’ve been leveraging our technology because Africa is not ready in terms of infrastructure availability of electricity.”

Elsewhere, Chinese automaker, Geely, plans to invest $200-million in a vehicle assembly plant in Algeria. The factory will have a production capacity of 50 000 vehicles per year. The first model to come out in 2026 will be the GX3.

https://bit.ly/3TGZqIe

Porsche Taycan electrifies the Nordschliefe

Old school petrolheads should feel a shudder up the spine at the thought of an electric Porsche Taycan doing a 7min 07,55 sec time on the Nordschliefe.

Driven by Porsche development driver Lars Kern in a pre-series Taycan, the lap time is a whopping 26 seconds faster than he was on his last record drive, in a Taycan Turbo S Sport sedan equipped with the performance package back in August 2022.

“Twenty-six seconds is half an eternity in motor sport. Lars’ lap time of 7min 07,55 sec on the Nordschleife is sensational, putting the Taycan in the same league as electric hypercars,” says head of the model line, Kevin Giek. “And the impressive thing about it is that over several laps, Lars clocked almost exactly the same time.”

Fancy a Taycan for yourself - look no further

“I pushed as hard as I could, but that was really all I could do,” says Kern.

The Nürburgring-Nordschleife was at the exclusive disposal of the experienced racer for the day of fast laps. For safety reasons, the test car was equipped with the legally prescribed roll cage, along with racing bucket seats.

Compared to the 2022 record in a Taycan Turbo S, the times were significantly better: the pre-series car was a good 25 km/h faster heading into the Schwedenkreuz. To illustrate the difference further, by the time Kern crossed the finish line near Grandstand 13 (T13) this time, he would have only just been passing the entrance to the Nordschleife, about to enter the Antoniusbuche section, during his record drive in the Taycan Turbo S in 2022.

This put the distance between the pre-series Taycan and the current Turbo S at more than 1,3 kilometres – a figure that illustrates the leap in performance achieved on the 20,8 km course in Germany’s Eifel region.

Colin Windell

proudly CHANGECARS

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Colin-on-Cars - Charge in six minutes

Former Aston Martin Vanquish and Jaguar F-Type designer, Ian Callum’s company, is at the heart of an electric vehicle battery development that could reduce charging times to just six minutes..

Design and engineering business Callum, together with the pioneering developer of ultra-fast-charging batteries, Nyobolt, have revealed the Nyobolt EV. Designed by Julian Thomson, developed and executed by Callum together with Nyobolt, it is set to feature Nyobolt’s new advanced battery technology that can charge fully in less than six minutes.

David Fairbairn, managing director at Callum, says: “Nyobolt’s pioneering battery technology has provided us with a unique and inspiring opportunity to support the design and execution of a vehicle set to mark the way forward for EV technology.

“The collaborative creativity, engineering capabilities and steadfast efforts of Nyobolt, Julian Thomson and Callum have resulted in an EV that is not only exciting technically for the industry, but something that is beautiful to behold, too.”

Nyobolt, wishing to demonstrate this ultra-fast charging battery technology in a nimble, lightweight sportscar, turned to the talents of revered car designer, Julian Thomson.

Thomson’s natural starting point was the Lotus Elise, having conceived it in early 1994 and, since its release in September 1996, has always wanted to evolve and modernise it.

Following Nyobolt’s approach in 2021, and working as a freelance designer at the time before being appointed design director at GM Advanced Design Europe, Thomson embraced the opportunity, inviting design and engineering business Callum to see the design through to execution.

The result of this collaboration is the Nyobolt EV – a sports car with greater presence and exaggerated proportions. Sitting on 19-inch wheels all around, its low-slung body 100 mm wider and 150 mm longer than its inspiration, while maintaining an aggressive attitude and hunkered stance that’s reminiscent of the original.

“The aim was to evolve the design and bring it up to date while keeping that iconic sports car character that was so well received in the Elise,” explains Aleck Jones, creative lead at Callum.

“Nyobolt’s technology allows this car to tick all the boxes that made the original Elise such a desirable drivers’ car with a cult following, but it’s electric. These two things don’t usually come hand-in-hand due to weight and battery packaging constraints.”

The new battery technology is smaller, lighter and faster to charge. In the Nyobolt EV, set to weigh close to one tonne, this translates into a 35 kWh battery that is capable of fully charging in just six minutes with existing charging infrastructure, delivering a range of up to 250 km.

Additionally, the battery has been tested for over 2 000 fast charging cycles without significant performance loss.

Nyobolt’s ready-to-deploy technology, which will go into production in early 2024, unlocks this ‘holy grail’ through a proven 10C (six-minute) charge lithium-ion technology that is capable of immediate application and rapid scale-up. This breakthrough translates to a nimbler, more efficient EV with a lower up-front cost, lower running costs and lower use of scarce raw materials.

Sai Shivareddy, CEO at Nyobolt, said: “Unlocking the challenges faced by electric vehicle designers has been key to the development of our breakthrough fast-charging batteries.

“Previously, enabling a lightweight fast-charging vehicle was not possible without compromising its lifetime and so people have been relying on costly and large battery packs in the vehicle.

“With our unique technology, we have achieved a six-minute charge car and developed smaller battery packs that can deliver more power and charge in less time.”

https://bit.ly/3NyuYhK

Africa Automotive: Electric gets cheaper in Kenya

It could soon be cheaper to drive an electric vehicle in Kenya than a conventional internal combustion engine motor vehicle.

The country is about to introduce a new tariff for the e-mobility sector that could make it up to eight times less expensive than driving an ICE vehicle, according to the Africa E-Mobility Alliance and this is regardless of whether the vehicle is charged during off-peak or peak hours.

The country’s main electricity supplier and retailer Kenya Power Lighting Company PLC (Kenya Power) applied for a tariff review to Kenya’s energy regulator, EPRA in February.

“A significant aspect of the initial application was the proposed special tariff for electric mobility.

“As a prominent stakeholder in the e-mobility ecosystem, Kenya Power has been actively promoting e-mobility and recognising it as a critical area that will sustain profitability and increase shareholder value,” says the Alliance.

This dovetails with the Kenyan government looking at attracting investment in the country’s e-mobility sector through tax incentives. Part of the plan is to also look at infrastructure development.

The country currently has 1 350 registered vehicles on the road and 35 e-mobility companies. Kenya Power’s E-Mobility Conference Report said the 1 350 represented 5% of newly registered vehicles in Kenya, with electric motorcycles accounting for 844 and three-wheelers 153.

According to the Africa E-Mobility Alliance, the final peak tariff for the e-mobility sector will be around 32 Kenyan shillings/kWh (24 US cents/kWh) and the off-peak tariff will be 22 Kenyan shillings/kWh (16 US cents/kWh).

https://bit.ly/3nLjv4n

Colin-on-Cars - Thinking caps on

The thinking caps are working overtime in the auto industry in the quest to provide motoring solutions using the least amount of fossil fuels and generally being more enviro-friendly.

While recycling has been a long-used concept, a consortium of 19 industrial companies and research institutes, including the BMW Group, Evonik, Thyssenkrupp, the Fraunhofer Institute, and the Technical University of Munich, has set itself the goal of developing new processes for using sustainable materials for circular automotive production.

The core of the ‘Future Sustainable Car Materials (FSCM)’ initiative launched by BMW is to develop process routes and material concepts for large parts of the value chain, thus enabling a circular economy in vehicle production.

"We are pleased to contribute our specialty chemicals expertise to this pioneering consortium of industry leaders and internationally renowned research institutions to develop circular plastics solutions for the automobiles of tomorrow," says Lauren Kjeldsen, member of the Executive Board of Evonik Operations GmbH and head of the Smart Materials Division.

According to the principle of the circular economy, materials must be kept in the value chain after they have reached the end of their useful life so that new objects, such as automotive parts, can be produced without the use of fossil resources. It is particularly challenging to keep these materials in the cycle while maintaining the same quality and safety properties.

"Our mechanical recycling experts work closely with recyclers to prepare methods for cleaning up plastic parts, such as separating paint at the end of useful life,” says Patrick Glöckner, Head of the Global Circular Plastics Program at Evonik. “We also work with compounders to develop solutions for using the highest possible proportion of recycled plastics in new automotive parts."

On the other side of world, in San Diego, California, solar carmaker, Aptera, is about ready to launch the first in a series that will make the power of the sun a reality.

Steve Fambro, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, explains: “We’ve solved the equation for a more efficient way to travel by harnessing the power of the sun, and we’re excited to introduce our Launch Edition vehicle to the world. Our efforts have resulted in the Aptera vehicle, that can take you where you want to go using the creative energy directly from our sun and efficiently converted into free movement.” 

Aptera’s Launch Edition was created with one purpose in mind — energy efficiency. Its shape, ultra-lightweight, and ultra-strong materials allow Aptera to slip through the air using a quarter of the energy compared to other electric and hybrid vehicles on the road today.

Equipped with roughly 700 watts of proprietary solar technology, Aptera drives up to 60 kilometres a day directly from the sun’s rays.

Aptera’s Launch Edition comes integrated with a solar charging package allowing most people to drive for weeks, even months, without ever having to plug in to charge. However, should this be necessary, any standard power outlet in the world becomes a place to charge your vehicle. When plugged into an  outlet, Aptera’s Launch Edition can charge at 13 kilometres an hour or roughly 240 kilometres overnight.

This is only the beginning of Aptera’s plans to move solar mobility forward. After the company’s Launch Edition production line is up and running, Aptera expects eight different assembly plants to be in operation around the globe by 2028.

“While our delivery timeline is funding dependent, our goal is to begin production by the end of 2023,” Chris Anthony, Co-Founder and Co-CEO said. 

https://bit.ly/3Y9wbi1

Colin-on-Cars - Unlocking the opportunities for electric vehicle manufacturing in South Africa

Electric vehicles are the future of transportation, with many countries already putting a time limit on the future of fossil fuel driven cars. In South Africa, this is both a challenge and an enormous opportunity.

The import duties on these vehicles are prohibitively high, which means there isn’t much incentive to bring them into the country. However, it also means that manufacturing them locally would be incredibly beneficial, not only in terms of carbon emissions reduction, but also job creation and economic sustainability.

We already have everything we need to unlock this opportunity, it is simply a matter of adjustment, and it could be a sustainable long-term solution for economic progression.

Poised for success

The difference between an electric vehicle and one driven by fossil fuels is the engine, and the battery storage needed. South Africa already has vehicle manufacturing setups in place, as well as manufacturing facilities for battery storage. We also have the capability to mine lithium locally, which is a vital component in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries.

Our climate in South Africa is ideal, and we already have functional ports in place for export as well as plans to expand ports in areas like Gqeberha and Richards Bay. There are also plans in place to extend the special economic tax-free zones for manufacturing, both on the coast and inland.

Image by (Joenomias) Menno de Jong from Pixabay

The rail infrastructure needs to be extended and improved, and the private sector needs to be more involved to enable greater efficiency, improved maintenance, and a more cost-conscious rail transport network. This is critical to facilitating more inland manufacturing of the various components.

Bringing it all together

South Africa has both the capability and the capacity to become a significant player in the electric vehicle manufacturing space, but all the elements need to be brought together, and supply chain and logistics challenges addressed, so that we can unlock this significant opportunity.

This will involve collaboration between government, state-owned entities, and the private sector since everyone will need to work together to offer an effective solution to the global market. 

The labour component

From a labour perspective, there is a great opportunity to build and connect the supply chain and create the entire ecosystem necessary for the manufacture, assembly, and export of electric vehicles. There are also therefore many job opportunities throughout the value chain.

Some of the jobs that will be created are highly specialised and skilled, so we will need to source this expertise globally and then ensure that local training and skills transfer takes place so that our engineers and designers can upskill, and this can filter downstream.

Image by Goran Horvat from Pixabay

Upskilling, cross-skilling and preparing people for the different roles associated with the manufacture of electric vehicles is crucial. Having the right Temporary Employment Services (TES) partner throughout the development and evolution of this up-and-coming sector can be hugely beneficial.

A reputable, experienced TES partner will have the affiliations with training companies and accreditations with the various Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs), which is vital for obtaining funding for training. In addition, TES providers can leverage this opportunity for individuals who have the skills and have had to seek work elsewhere to be repatriated back to South Africa and provide sustainable employment through a broad base of clients.

Unlocking the opportunity

Even looking at one area of battery manufacture, the opportunity is huge. If we manufacture the batteries here, they will be less costly for locals who wish to purchase electric vehicles. We will also be able to recycle them here, which is currently a significant environmental concern.

However, we need to start with manual skills, and then automate to reduce cost, which will in turn create greater demand, more growth, and a circular economy. There are so many opportunities, from one end of the supply chain to the other but having the right TES partner lies at the very heart of unlocking this opportunity for economic progression.

By Viren Sookhun, MD at Oxyon

https://bit.ly/3AkIUFU

Colin-on-Cars: Electric vehicles - what about caravans?

While the electric car revolution is still in its infancy in South Africa, the growing move to battery electric vehicles (BEV) elsewhere in the world is showing there are still many obstacles to overcome – the latest highlighted in the recent WhatCar ‘Tow Car Awards’ where electric vehicles fell short.

With more than 98 000 registered caravans in South Africa, this form of holidaying is still extremely popular and needs to be taken into consideration in every decision relating to the move to BEV.

Hyundai Tucson

As part of the judging process for the awards, eight of the latest electric cars were range tested with and without a caravan.

Average

The best performer managed 180 km while towing a caravan weighted to 85% of the car’s kerb weight (the maximum recommended), and the worst just 125 km. Meanwhile, the average drop compared with the range without a caravan on the same test route and in the same weather conditions was 54,6%.

By comparison, the fuel economy in a petrol or diesel car typically drops by around a third when towing, so it will be necessary to stop more often with an electric car. Plus, topping up is likely to be much more complicated.

None of the motorway services run by the three main operators in the UK currently allow caravanners to charge without first unhitching. And due to one-way systems, some make it impossible to get back from the chargers to the towing parking area.

Improved

What Car? editor Steve Huntingford says: “Electric car ranges have improved massively over the last decade, but towing is always going to reduce how far you can go on a charge, so it’s crucial the infrastructure is in place to support those who use their cars to pull a caravan or trailer. At the moment their needs feel like an afterthought, even though the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK is just eight years away.”

Audi Q5

For now, a model with a combustion engine remains the only suitable option for many caravanners, with the Audi Q5 40 TDI quattro diesel named the best car for towing in 2022.

Priority

Huntingford explained: “Stability has to be the number one priority when towing, and the Q5 is as solid and secure as they come. However, it also offers a fantastic blend of performance and practicality, and is cleaner and more efficient than traditional diesel models, thanks to mild-hybrid electric assistance.”

Before deciding on the overall winner in 2022, the judges handed out awards to cars in five different towing weight classes, ranging from up to 1 400 kg to more than 1 900 kg. They also named the best tow car for practicality and the best electric, plug-in hybrid and estate cars for towing.

In addition to taking the top prize, Audi won the 1 700-1 899 kg weight category with the Q5. 

Two other manufacturers also took home a brace of awards: Kia won the 1 900kg+ category with the Sorento 2.2 CRDi and best electric tow car with the EV6 77,4 kWh AWD, while Skoda won the up to 1 400 kg and 1 550-1 699 kg weight categories with the Scala 1.0 TSI and Karoq 2.0 TDI Evo 150 4x4 DSG respectively.

Eligible

Testing was undertaken by matching eligible cars to caravans weighted to 85% of the car's kerb weight or its legal towing limit, depending on which was lower. They were then ballasted to simulate driving with passengers and luggage.

BMW iX

WHAT CAR? TOW CAR AWARDS - 2022 WINNERS

Overall winner
Audi Q5 40 TDI quattro Sport
Up to 1400kg winner
Skoda Scala 1.0 TSI SE

1400-1549kg winner
Seat Ateca 1.5 TSI Evo SE DSG

1550-1699kg winner
Skoda Karoq 2.0 TDI Evo 150 SE L 4x4 DSG

1700-1899kg winner
Audi Q5 40 TDI quattro Sport

1900kg+ winner
Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi 3 DCT

Electric car winner
Kia EV6 77.4kWh GT-Line AWD
Plug-in hybrid winner
Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid Premium 4WD Auto

Estate car winner
Ford Focus Estate 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155 ST-Line Vignale Auto

Practicality winner 
Volkswagen Multivan 2.0 TSI 204 Style DSG

 
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Colin-on-Cars - Augmented reality to become more disruptive

Increased levels of disruption will continue as autonomous vehicles become more widely available and, with hype around the metaverse continuing to gain traction, AR-related technologies such as simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), facial recognition and motion tracking will be vital for automotive companies developing metaverse-based use cases.

This is according to a recent report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, and Thematic Analyst, Emilio Campa, says: “The metaverse is a virtual world where users share experiences and interact in real-time within a simulated scenario, while AR is a technology that allows the user to see the real world overlaid with digital data. While the automotive sector is certainly making greater use of AR, adoption is slow and use cases limited.”

Opportunity

According to GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Augmented Reality (AR) in Automotive – Thematic Research’, level 4 autonomy (which describes vehicles that entirely drive themselves within set parameters) will be available in the mid-2020s, giving AR the opportunity to be more widely implemented in windscreen head-up displays (HUDs) for information and entertainment purposes.

Level 5 autonomous vehicles—fully self-driving vehicles that can handle all driving tasks in all circumstances—will not be available until at least 2035. By the time these vehicles launch, even more use cases for AR should have emerged.

Display

AR is already in use in several specific areas of the automotive sector. For example, some car infotainment systems—the display monitor in cars that allows the driver to control air-conditioning, radio, GPS, for instance—have integrated AR as part of an augmented GPS navigation system, displaying holographic arrows on a live image feed from the front of the car. AR headsets are also being used in maintenance and manufacturing to reduce training time and more efficiently and accurately perform quality control checks.

“The automotive sector is not immune to the hype around the metaverse, which is likely to be based on AR-related technology, as some automotive companies have already begun exploring it,” adds Campa.

“For example, BMW has partnered with Nvidia, and Hyundai has partnered with Unity, both with the intent of building virtually accessible 3D digital twins of their factories. This will allow employees to collaboratively assess modifications and adjustments to production lines in the early planning stages.”

Remotely

WayRay has also developed a concept car, the Holograktor, tagged a ‘metaverse on wheels’ due to its heavy reliance on AR technology. It is a single electric motor ride-hailing car that can be driven remotely from an AR pod by a qualified driver via a 5G and satellite internet connection.

This gives the car the feel of autonomy while avoiding the currently immature fully autonomous-driving systems.

It also has car seats equipped with joysticks that can be used to play games on the windscreen’s AR HUDs and even comes preloaded with a Guitar Hero-esque online karaoke game. The remote connection would require almost zero-latency for the car to be driven safely on the roads.

However, since 5G is due to be more globally available and car ownership among young people is falling, this may be what the future of auto looks like.

Impact

“Despite these specific cases, the current impact of AR and the metaverse on the automotive industry is minor.

“However, as the use of AR in consumers’ day-to-day lives increases, adoption in automotive will increase, especially in autonomous vehicles. AR will then improve future entertainment experiences by overlaying content and video games over the outside world or repurposing car windows to display a different world entirely. It is very possible that these worlds will be part of the metaverse, allowing avatars of family members and friends to keep you company on those long—and boring—drives.”

https://bit.ly/389qUCh

Colin-on-Cars - Lotus Eletre breaks cover

The re-imagining of Lotus a a global performance brand has picked up speed with the launch of the all-new Lotus Eletre, a fully electric Hyper-SUV.

The Eletre takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car – the Emira – and the aero performance of the all-electric Evija hypercar, and reinterprets them as a Hyper-SUV.

The Eletre delivers a significant number of firsts for Lotus – the first five-door production car, the first model outside sports car segments, the first lifestyle EV, the most ‘connected’ Lotus ever – yet it remains a true Lotus, packed with technology, genuine sporting performance and simplicity of purpose.

Driving

The Eletre is 4WD, has a battery capacity of 100 kWh and with power from 447 kW. A 350kW charger will deliver a 400 km range in just 20 minutes. The car’s target maximum WLTP driving range is 600 km.

Technology includes the most advanced active aerodynamics package on any production SUV and intelligent driving technologies such as the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system in a production car.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, says: “The Eletre is a bold and revolutionary new car, delivering on our commitment to move Lotus into completely new automotive segments as we widen our global appeal and accessibility.

Signal

“This is a momentous point in our history and a clear signal of our ongoing desire to transform our business. It is a true Lotus, and we’re confident it will delight performance car customers and offer a distinct alternative to the segment’s established players. The Eletre has the soul of a Lotus and the usability of an SUV. Alongside the Emira sports car, this is the perfect two-car garage from Lotus.”

The Eletre is the first in a new range of premium lifestyle performance electric vehicles to be built at an all-new state-of-the-art production facility in Wuhan, China. The car has been ‘Born British, Raised Globally’, with design led by the UK, supported by collaborative work with teams in China, Sweden and Germany. The overall exterior and interior design has been led by an international team based at the Lotus Tech Creative Centre (LTCC) in Warwickshire, UK.

Life

The Eletre is the latest in a long line of Lotus road cars whose name begins with the letter E, and means ‘Coming to Life’ in some Eastern European languages.

Pressing the button on the key or smartphone app activates the car’s exterior lights that run through a short sequence, the active front grille ‘breathes’ and the illuminated flush door handles deploy. The experience is repeated inside the car as the door closes behind the occupant.

Ben Payne, Head of Studio at LTCC, says: “This walk-up sequence is a ‘peacock moment’ – a little ‘showing-off’ that highlights the Eletre’s engaging personality. It’s a visual expression of a car coming to life, and a metaphor for the reinvention of the Lotus business and brand which begins with the Eletre.”

Porosity

A signature element of the design is its ‘porosity’ – the aerodynamic principle of air flowing through the car as well as under, over and around it. Porosity was at the heart of the Evija’s design, is integral to the Emira, and has provided clear inspiration for the Eletre.

It is most obvious where air is channelled under the leading edge of the car, emerging through two exit vents in the bonnet above. There are other examples of porosity ahead of and behind the front wheel arches, behind the rear wheels, and even at the top of the D-pillar. For the driver there are clear benefits to porosity – less resistance in cutting through the air, delivering a more efficient journey in terms of improved vehicle range, speed and performance.

The Eletre’s active front grille is a network of interconnecting triangular petals that dominate the central section. Intricately designed, they remain closed when the car is at rest or when there’s a need to reduce drag during driving. They open in a distinctive pattern to feed air into the radiator, allowing the Eletre to ‘breathe’ when cooling of the electric motors, battery pack and front brakes is required.

Each door mirror is replaced by an Electric Reverse Mirror Display (ERMD), which houses three different cameras – one for the rear-view mirror, a second to help create a 360-degree view of the car from above to aid parking, and a third that’s part of the intelligent driving technologies.

Inspired

The driver-focused cockpit and high centre console are inspired by the Lotus Emira and Evija, and the centre console includes a storage tray with wireless charging for mobile phones, as well as twin cupholders of different sizes which sit flush to the surface until they’re needed.

While every element of the Eletre can be controlled digitally, certain key controls are duplicated with analogue switches – another nod to the simplicity for which Lotus is famed. Voice control through advanced speech recognition technology is also available.

Technology is used for much more than infotainment on the Eletre. It is also at the heart of the car’s suite of intelligent Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), many of which are designed to be futureproof so new features can be enabled via Over The Air (OTA) updates.

Safety

The Eletre is available with Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Collision Mitigation Support Front (CMSF); Traffic Sign Information (TSI); Door Open Warning (DOW); Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA); Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA); Lane Change Assist (LCA); Children Presence Detection (CPD); Lane Keep Aid with Lane Departure Warning / Prevention (LKA+); Parking Emergency Brake (PEB); Collision Mitigation Support Rear (CMSR); and Emergency Rescue Call (E-Call). There are i-Size child seat anchor points on the outboard rear seats.

The latest connectivity technology, including 5G compatibility, is part of the Eletre package.

Gavan Kershaw, Director, Attributes and Product Integrity, Lotus, says: “Dynamically, the Eletre has been developed to deliver everything you would expect from a Lotus – outstanding ride and handling, highly communicative steering and exceptional driver engagement. From a performance perspective, we know the world is watching so there has been an obsession with getting everything just right. Everyone is delighted with it – it’s a world-class product and a true Lotus.”

The car has five-link suspension at the rear for optimised ride and handling, while standard equipment includes air suspension and Continuous Damping Control (CDC). Active ride height, active rear axle steering, an active anti-roll bar and torque vectoring via braking are all available.

The car comes with four drive modes, which adjust the steering, damper settings, powertrain and accelerator pedal response. The modes are Range, Tour, Sport, Off-Road and Individual, and are standard on all versions of the car.

https://bit.ly/3tOktgf

Colin-on-Cars - Audi e-tron can be pre-ordered

Colin-on-Cars - Audi e-tron can be pre-ordered

The ‘e’ in Audi is on its way and South Africa buyers looking to go electric can pre-order the e-tron on their choice from any of the 10 e-tron dealerships nationwide.

The official range, consisting of the Audi e-tron SUV, e-tron Sportback and S Sportback , e-tron GT and high performance RS e-tron GT, starts at R1,99-million, although a special launch edition is planned but Audi is keeping the wraps on the specs and pricing for now.

Outlets

There are three outlets in Johannesburg, another three in Pretoria and two dealerships in both Cape Town and Durban. The 10 Audi e-tron Dealerships will also be equipped to allow for fast electric vehicle charging and will be accessible to the public. This charging infrastructure ranges from DC 50 to 75 kW.

As part of an e-tron purchase, Audi customers will get a complimentary home check by an approved service provider to assess the customer’s individual home charging requirements, to determine the necessary upgrades or installations needed.

Accordingly, Audi will also cover the installation of a 32 Amp industrial socket up to the value of R5 000 to allow for convenient integration of single phase power (the most widely available power available in South African households) and the Audi e-tron charger, to deliver around 7,2 kW of power towards a 100% charge in an estimated 13 hour charging time.

Access

Audi South Africa has partnered with Gridcars to allow e-tron customers access to the growing public charging network in South Africa, which currently consists of more than 280 universal charge point connectors.

In addition, Audi will provide :

- A complimentary Audi branded RFID charge card for use with the Gridcars charging network.

- Complimentary first-year membership to Gridcars charging network and charging portal.

- A once-off charging voucher to allow for a convenient first-time charge at a public charging point.

e-tron SUV and Sportback get four zone climate control, adaptive air suspension, contour ambient interior lighting, power front seats with heating, comfort key with sensor controlled luggage compartment release, lane change and rear traffic assist, rear view camera, parking aid plus, Matrix LED lights with dynamic light design and turn signals, Audi connect emergency call, navigation and infotainment, Audi virtual cockpit plus, Audi smartphone interface, Bang and Olufsen premium sound system with 3D sound, and MMI navigation plus with touch response as standard.

e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT come with all of the above plus a panoramic glass sunroof, power exterior mirrors with heated, memory and dimming function, windshield with heat insulating and acoustic glass and 400 volt boost converter.

The Audi e-tron range will be available for sale in the first quarter of 2022 and will be priced as follows at launch, inclusive of the Audi Freeway Plan (5 years, 100 000 km) and a battery warranty of 8 years, 160 000 km.

Pricing:

e-tron 55 advanced R1 990 000

e-tron 55 S line R2 045 000

e-tron 55 Sportback S line R2 115 000

e-tron S Sportback R2 425 000

e-tron GT R2 715 000

RS e-tron GT R3 300 000

https://bit.ly/32BRaCN

 EV sales picking up in Euro markets

Electric vehicle sales are picking across Europe despite a general slowdown in sales and, while on a numbers basis South Africa remains a small player in the global contest, the trends in sales from source suppliers to our market is important. 

According to data from 26 European markets, new car registrations slowed in July, recording a year-on-year decline of 24% as total volume decreased from 1,27 million units to 967 830. Similar results were recorded in July 2012, when the market registered 966 090 units. 

The year-to-date results remain positive, up by 17% compared to 2020 with 7 381 735 units registered, but down by 24% when compared with January to July 2019.

 

Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics, commented: “Despite the efforts of national governments to boost consumer confidence, the impact of the pandemic is still being felt by the industry.” 

While volume increased in Norway, Croatia, Greece, Latvia, Romania, Estonia, Ireland and Lithuania, this combined accounted for only 8% of total registrations during the month. 

In contrast to the overall trend, consumers in Europe continued to buy more low emissions vehicles. In July, a total of 160 646 BEV and PHEV vehicles were registered, accounting for almost 17% of total registrations. This is the second highest monthly market share after June 2021 and the third highest ever in Europe – BEVs accounted for 47% of that total. 

Munoz added: “Consumers continue to respond positively to the deals and incentives attached to EVs which have made these vehicles far more competitive in terms of their pricing. But despite becoming increasingly popular, consumer uptake has not been enough to offset the big drops posted by diesel cars.” 

JATO data indicates between July 2019 and July 2020, the market share for diesel vehicles dropped by just over 2 points, while their market share dropped by almost 8 points between July 2020 and July 2021. During the same period, the market share for EVs grew by the same amount lost for diesel vehicles. 

The market share for gasoline cars has steadily declined from 63,4% in July 2019 to 59,8% in July 2020, and to 59,0% last month.

 

Munoz continued: “We are beginning to see the impact of campaigns that favour EVs over ICE vehicles playout in the market, however the industry is not yet doing enough to enable EVs to absorb the losses sustained by traditional powertrains.” 

While diesel registrations decreased by 166 000 new units between July 2020 and July 2021, and almost 207 000 between July 2019 and July 2021, EVs gained only 49 000 units between July 2020 and July 2021, and 125 000 units between July 2019 and July 2021. 

In July’s model rankings, the Dacia Sandero (Renault Sandero in South Africa) secured the top spot for the first time since its launch back in 2008. 

Thanks to the new generation, the subcompact posted significant gains in Germany (+15%), Romania (+24%), and topped the rankings in France and Spain – alongside being the 8th best-selling car in the year-to-date rankings. 

The Sandero’s volume fell by only 2% compared to July 2019, while other leaders such as the Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Polo, Dacia Duster, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Tiguan, Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, Skoda Octavia, Peugeot 208, Mercedes A-Class and Renault Clio, posted drops between 17% and 52%. 

Last month, there were also strong performances in the SUV segment as both the Hyundai Tucson and Ford Puma entered the top 10. JATO data shows that SUVs recorded the highest ever monthly market share in Europe during July at 46.1%. Although the registrations volume fell by 15%, these vehcicles gained market share at the expense of larger declines posted by the traditional cars (-28%), MPVs (-48%) and sport cars (-37%).

Iconic Ford GT40 re-imagined with electric power

Petrolheads reading this may well begin to weep into their pretzels but the reality of electric motoring is reaching deep into the classic heart with news a spark-powered re-creation of the iconic Ford GT40 is on its way. 

Everrati, a technology company specialising in the redefining and futureproofing of automotive icons through the integration of advanced electric vehicle powertrains and Superformance, a leading manufacturer of 1960s-era continuation component sports cars, have formed a strategic partnership – with the first new model being an electrified version of the legendary GT40.

Everrati was founded to further the legacies of some of the most desirable and iconic cars in the world, redefining and precision re-engineering them with state-of-the-art electric drivetrains, maintaining and enhancing the character of the original. 

Each Everrati is fitted with a custom-designed electric power unit and battery system, leading to enhanced performance and a zero-emissions future.  

Superformance offers a full line of high-performance component cars celebrating some of the most iconic vehicles of all time. All vehicles are built under license from trademark holders including GM and SAFIR GT40, adding authenticity and value. Sold as a rolling chassis, a Superformance car can be configured with heritage or modern drivetrains. 

The Everrati and Superformance partnership will allow enthusiasts to drive an electric-powered GT40, with development of this first model already underway. A prototype chassis has been built and is being comprehensively adapted from ICE power to advanced electric propulsion at Everrati’s UK development centre in Upper Heyford, a former US air base in the English Cotswolds. 

As with all Everrati vehicles, meticulous attention to detail is being applied to key factors such as battery location and weight distribution to maintain and enhance the character and soul of the original. Further details on this first new model from the partnership and reimagined icon will be announced in the coming months. 

Justin Lunny, Founder and CEO, Everrati, says: “This is the perfect partnership. The sole focus of both Everrati and Superformance is iconic cars and Lance and his team are THE guys when it comes to authorised continuation chassis of some of the most legendary cars in history. 

“Marrying these chassis with our advanced EV powertrains and precision engineering will enhance performance while keeping the essence and soul of the original. We aim to create the best electric driver’s cars while, at the same time, future-proofing these true past masters.

“So many legendary cars were created by Anglo American partnerships during the 1960s. In fact, the very first GT40 was brought to life in the early Sixties by a UK-based team led by expat British engineer, Roy Lunn, at Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough. Its body was even made by Abbey Panels in Coventry, before the finished car was shipped to the US for its unveiling the day before the New York Auto Show, in April 1964. 

“So, it feels highly appropriate for Everrati to be partnering with Superformance, furthering not only the legacy of automotive icons but the partnership between the UK and US. Another cross-Atlantic connection is that our development HQ is located on a former US air base in the Oxfordshire countryside.” 

 Lance Stander, CEO, Superformance, added: “I’m very excited about the partnership we are announcing today. Justin and the team at Everrati have a compelling vision for the future, along with the engineering pedigree and expertise to reimagine this automotive icon for the 21^st century. 

“While I will always love a V8-powered vehicle, there is no doubting the ultra-high performance of Everrati’s advanced EV powertrains. I am genuinely impressed with the lengths to which Everrati goes to maintain the weight distribution and character of the original car. Electrification is the future in so many ways and adds another option for those who love classic sports cars.” 

 Ambitious electric plans from Volkswagen

All Volkswagen Group vehicles should be 100% zero-emission by 2050 as the company transforms itself into a software-driven mobility company with a strong focus on its brands and global technology platforms, providing synergies and scale as well as opening up new profit pools. 

“We set ourselves a strategic target to become global market leader in electric vehicles – and we are well on track. Now we are setting new parameters,” said CEO Herbert Diess during the presentation of NEW AUTO, the Group’s strategy through 2030. 

“Based on software, the next much more radical change is the transition towards much safer, smarter and finally autonomous cars. That means for us: Technology, speed and scale will matter more than today. The future of cars will be bright!”

By 2030, the Group plans to reduce its carbon footprint per car by 30% over its lifecycle (vs 2018), in line with the Paris Agreement. In the same timeframe, the share of battery-electric vehicles is expected to rise to 50%, while in 2040, nearly 100% of all new Group vehicles in major markets should be zero- emission. 

Profit and revenue pools are expected to shift gradually from internal combustion engine cars (ICs) to battery-electric vehicles (BEs) and then to software and services, boosted by autonomous driving. The ICE market is set to decline by more than 20% over the next 10 years. 

In parallel, BEVs are projected to grow rapidly and overtake ICEs as a leading technology. At an estimated €1,2-trillion, by 2030, software enabled sales could add around one third on top of the expected BEV and ICE sales, more than doubling the overall mobility market from around €2-trillion today to a projected €5-trillion. 

Individual mobility, based on cars, is expected to still account for 85% of the market and Volkswagen’s business. 

“We intend to install industry leading platforms across strong brands, to be able to have more scale and capture even more synergies in the future”, CFO Arno Antlitz said. “We will scale our BEV- platforms, we want to develop a leading automotive software stack. 

“And we will continue to invest in autonomous driving and mobility services. During this transition, our robust ICE business will help to generate the profits and cash flows to do so.” 

Volkswagen is also committed to reducing material costs by another 7% and is optimising its ICE business with fewer models, a reduced ICE drivetrain portfolio and a better price mix.

 

The comprehensive approach across four key technology platforms is meant to allow Volkswagen Group to generate synergies for all passenger and light commercial vehicle brands as well and can also be partially leveraged for trucks. Synergies are expected to arise in many areas: from a universal BEV product architecture to CARIAD’s global software platform, own cell and battery production at scale, all the way to a mobility platform that bundles a range of services seamlessly. 

The SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) as Volkswagen Group’s next generation mechatronics platform will significantly reduce complexity over time and will extend the consolidation from three ICE-platforms to two BEV-platforms, to finally one unified architecture for the whole product portfolio. From 2026 onwards, the Group plans to start the production of pure electric vehicles on the SSP. 

Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi, said: “Introducing the SSP means leveraging our strengths in platform management and building on our capabilities to maximize synergies across segments and brands. In  the long run, our SSP will significantly reduce complexity in mechatronics. It particularly is the enabler to manage future challenges in vehicle development, as cars become more and more software-oriented.”

Volkswagen Group’s automotive software company CARIAD plans to develop the leading software platform by 2025, as one software backbone for all group cars. 

“Software plays the decisive role in the transformation from a pure car company to an integrated mobility group. By 2030, software – on the basis of automated driving – can become a major source of income in our industry”, said CARIAD CEO Dirk Hilgenberg. The new unified 2.0 software platform for on-board connectivity and software to be rolled out throughout

Volkswagen also plans to establish a controlled battery supply chain and is introducing one unified battery cell format with up to 50% cost reduction and up to 80% use cases by 2030. Six giga factories in Europe with a total production capacity of 240 GWh by 2030 will help to secure battery supply. 

By 2030, Volkswagen Group will also have systems capabilities for autonomous shuttle fleets, owning some of them and expanding its offerings of mobility services and financing. Mobility as a service and transport as a service, fully autonomous, will be an integral part of NEW AUTO. 

Volkswagen Group is already involved in a self-driving system for autonomous shuttles with its strategic partner ARGO AI. CARIAD will develop level four automated driving capabilities for passenger vehicles. The Group could thus create the biggest neuronal network of vehicles on the streets worldwide. 

With pilot projects in Munich, Volkswagen Group is currently testing the first autonomous buses and is planning to roll out similar projects in other cities in Germany, China and the US. 

Christian Senger, CTO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “By the end of the decade, automated driving will completely change the world of mobility. Together with ARGO AI, we are developing an industry leading self-driving system which will enable us to offer completely new mobility services and autonomous transport services. Volkswagen Group is aiming for a significant market share and additional revenue streams in this important future business.”

Racking up the kilometres

 

Statistics are wonderful things and, structure the question correctly, they will tell you exactly what you wanted to know – but here’s one that does produce some interesting and relevant information, notably European electric vehicle (EV) drivers travel further than their combustion counterparts (ICE). 

In fact, on average they are annually travelling 630 clean kilometres further than European internal combustion engine (ICE) drivers according to recent research commissioned by Nissan. 

The study reveals EV drivers are becoming trailblazers on European roads, totalling on average more than 14 200 km yearly compared to their ICE driver counterparts, who are averaging 13 600 km – this research using pre-lockdown numbers.  

“This research reiterates electric driving is not only a smart option beneficial to the environment but also a fun, exciting and convenient choice for the owners. It is no surprise people now drive EV further than ICE cars. We are confident that with more EV on the road dispelling myths, range anxiety will soon be in the past,” says Arnaud Charpentier, Region Vice President, Product Strategy and Pricing, Nissan AMIEO. 

Of the European EV drivers surveyed, Italian electric drivers travel the furthest, averaging more than 15 000 km yearly closely followed by those in the Netherlands (14 800 km), and the majority (69%) of European EV drivers are happy with the current charging infrastructure available. 

Almost half (47%) of European ICE drivers say the main advantage of a petrol or diesel car is greater range autonomy. Likewise, when looking into the reasons behind the 30% of European ICE drivers who are unlikely to consider a fully electric vehicle, the majority (58%) said the biggest concern is EVs have low driving range autonomy.  

Further exploration into factors that would convince drivers to switch unsurprisingly reveal:

• 38% of ICE drivers in Europe believe the biggest pull-factor would be greater range 
• 32% of European ICE drivers would be drawn by ease of charging. 
• 30% note having a better charging infrastructure would persuade them to switch. 

“With EVs on the cusp of wide-spread adoption, we can be confident these positive findings should help change the opinion of the ICE drivers for whom a degree of range anxiety is still preventing them from converting to electric mobility,” continued Arnaud. 

A quarter of European EV motorists say that running out of charge (28%), charging time (30%) and EVs being expensive (31%) are amongst the biggest myths of EV driving, implying that charging and infrastructure are sufficiently developed. 

Still a long way to go for South Africa - Ed 

“This is an exciting time for the automotive industry. As we continue to expand our electric line-up with the all-electric coupé crossover, the Nissan Ariya and the all-new Qashqai with our e-POWER technology, there will be more choice to help inspire drivers to make the switch and continue this positive trend of cleaner travel for our planet,” continued Arnaud Charpentier.