The third national car project could see the eventual vehicle emerge to be fully powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG), if a local company has its way. The New Straits Times reports that Astana City Group is looking at heading down that route, bringing to the table technology that enables cars to use LPG.
According to Astana City MD Nik Mohd Fareez Nik Ahmad Azman, the company has submitted a proposal on the project to the ministry of international trade and industry (MITI) via its Thai partner, Pap Econ. Among the benefits of LPG is its ability to reduce carbon emissions by 20% compared to petrol, he said. “Take Japan, for example. Their government has made it compulsory for taxis to use LPG. This is because it is much more cost-effective and causes less environmental pollution,” he said.
The prototype for the third national car is expected to surface in the first quarter of this year, and Astana City Group’s long-term plans include the construction of LPG refuelling stations nationwide, which will create further economic opportunities for locals, he said.
The company has sent applications to the government for the construction of said LPG stations and is now awaiting response, Nik Mohd Fareez said. “If the government agrees to our application, we plan to cooperate with Mara and Petronas in terms of acquiring manpower and launching the stations,” he added.
Last week, the entrepreneur development ministry was said to have approved approximately RM20 million in funding for the new national car project (NNCP), which minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof said were sourced from existing grants that have already been approved. Redzuan has since clarified that the RM20 million sum secured was not just for the new national car prototype, and that it is part of he allocation for the ministry’s research and development as a whole.
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Apa plak ni…. Lpg…. Kejap letrik… Kejap hybrid…. Macam biskut la….. Mesti company anak atok nak jual lpg
Nope….gas is not the future.
Electric is.
Just that our gomen needs to produce more electric using renewable source to reduce running cost. No more coal power plant.
20 million in funding just for a LPG vehicle? those taxi drivers can do it in just few thousand ringgit.
hello world, just to let u guys know… I didn’t vote for this gov in the previous general election.
the world is looking at malaysia every day, and every day our minister has something stupid to announce. malu weehhh…
The real national car game changer brand, habisla Proton!
Whether LPG, Diesel, Minyak Tanah or Minyak Sapi also does not matter.
We must see History. Proton failed not because it had a bad product. Proton cars were excellent. They were top quality.
Proton failed because their staff were lazy and had a tidak apa attitude towards customers who complained about their cars.
Now NNCP is the same. No difference. They will still get the same type of People running Proton and working in Proton.
These people will still be lazy, lepak, tuang kerja (Proton has a serious problem with MC and truancy) and tidak apa attitude.
So what has changed? Nothing. NNCP will be another Proton.
Unless we bring in fresh blood and new talent, things will be the SAME
Yes, you are right but many people just like Ostrich, just put their head in the soil.
I hope you are not serious when u said proton cars are top quality…. oh dear….. proton fails because of everything! Especially due to poor quality !
Governments may change but it is still the same people running the show and the Government.
New Government means just change of Cabinet only. It is still the same lembap people running Putrajaya.
They don’t have intelligence like Singapore. This is why they come out with absurd ideas like this.
great idea by Astana City Group. LPG powered can lead Malaysian taxi revamp of NGV cabs ,
High probably will be targeting all those city cabs and airport limo replacement model…or maybe grab and other similar app ride hailing transports as well…
LPG definitely to increase petronas revenue.
Pity, when the whole world is moving towards EV, we move towards LPG.
Then how to sell our NNCP cars overseas? Tun said, only sales overseas can make a car company survive.
But how to sell overseas when the whole world already moved towards EV?
According to news data, by 2035, the whole of Europe will be fully EV and no petrol cars will be sold
Not long more. That is ONLY 16 years more.
Then when our NNCP cars cannot sell overseas, NNCP wil cry bailout like PRoton
From 1985 to 2018, our car prices went up 700% because of protectionism given to Proton.
Toyota Corolla in Malaysia in 1985 was RM20k. In 2019, it is RM139k
Expect to see car prices go up another 700% from 2019 onwards.
Another failure in the making. All the same type as john, just lazy and want everything free in life.
Nope. Combustion is still the way to go.
When you let cows talk, it will sound like the guy quoted above, waxing lyrical about LPG.
The future is electric and fuelcell lah.
At first black school shoes and socks.
Then,no matching grant for UTAR/TARUC.
GOmen hospitals turn away patients who need different cholesterol/hypertension drugs
But suddenly …got money for protiga.When the project is going to kick start…make no mistake,,easily RM 1 Billion will be given to the crony to undertake “R and D “.
So,we r back to square one.CASH IS INDEED KING.
HELLO…PAKATAN HALANGAN….the next GE will be your downfall if you take voters for a ride.
PH say i dun care,janji all my cronies & myself gasak & hentam all your money first,butthurt ah? If can,vote us out lah,by that time Msia pun sudah bankrupt lo.
Tis ACG guy Nik Mohd Fareez my same kampung
Just rebadge Tesla, everyone happy.
True
…. and cannot afford.
20 million in funding just for a LPG vehicle? those taxi drivers can do it in just few thousand ringgit.
hello world, just to let u guys know… I didn’t vote for this gov in the previous general election.
the world is looking at malaysia every day, and every day our minister has something stupid to announce. malu weehhh…
Boss, taxi in malaysia been using NGV/CNG. Not LPG. LPG is in liquid form while NGV/CNG in compressed gas form. LPG u can find in your kitchen. U better refine your knowledge before spouting nonsense.
LPG is not “low tech” actually, certainly not compared to CNG. Sure it’s used in low tech applications such as for cooking, but since it has twice the energy content as CNG it is a capable automobile fuel.
The fuel tank can be made smaller for the same range requirement compared to CNG.
I personally don’t fancy the idea because it’s not very exciting, and I said it could be used to power electric charging stations for EVs. But, with our economy we won’t be shopping for EV’s and Hybrids for our ‘first cars’ anytime soon.
It can be done, and it can be as refined and as “techy” as any petrol engine (ultra lean burn, HCCI, direct injection, etc). An all LPG car could use smaller catalytic converters because it’s a much cleaner fuel, or none at all depending on the country’s regulations. Engineered properly, a purpose built LPG engine can be as powerful as an equivalent petrol if not more. It takes up turbocharging well. You can also expect longer oil change interval as it doesn’t foul the engine oil.
It is a myth that LPG cars are “explosive”. If they are as dangerous as people think then countries like Hong Kong and Italy would be littered with charred remains of LPG cars. Cars pre-built with LPG systems has all the safety features, and the tanks are well placed, designed, shaped, and armoured by the car chassis.
Japan advocates the use of LPG vehicles. Italy has over 1 million LPG vehicles. Europe has the largest number of LPG vehicles in the world. Major manufacturers like Peugeot, Hyundai, Ford, Toyota, and Volvo have been making LPG cars and they still do. So it’s not entirely a bad and outdated idea. Sure it isn’t as fancy of a technology like hybrids and EVs, but it is highly marketable and practical step towards lessening crude oil dependency and reducing carbon emissions.
FYI LPG is not equal to CNG. LPG is much more simpler and lower tech actually compared to CNG.
Your Highness Sam
So u voted for the bandits? Shame on u.Your kids will grow up behaving like bandits.PH ‘s only setback is this
stupidity and black school shoes.
Well actual fact those ruler you voted into power has the least power, they still take orders from their real master whom are the owners or and the BoD of GLc / MNc that dictates the nation’s economies…
You want to powered by cow dung also doesn’t matter. Just address the elephant in the room.
I didn’t expect the gomen to ride on national car project again..but if they’re gonna do it right, they better go with hydrogen or electric powered vehicles.. Don’t screw us again with sub-standard national pride!!
Hahaha… Another failure in progress..
It will not sell if it is fully LPG. Going against the world market trend is not a wise direction. Don’t make the 3rd national car another failure, in the footsteps of the 1st national car.
We need EV, not gas tank in our boot..
Gas cars won’t bring our industry forward
Nahh.. Nonsense plus Merapu. 20 milion only for LPG. just like step back when other country move on the next tech. Then what the benefit for placing the EV charge park at some RnR on the highway? Merc,BMW and other car put effort to compete in EV car busisness but our Malaysia Third Car only can use LPG? Wanna make a car bom ka? Like LPG on the kitchen leak and then explosion happen. LOL. Our Prime Minister have fun on his EV car but the citizen will be use LPG car?? LOL. Better buy proton and perodua with turbocharged or Dual VVT engine.
Electric car is non-pollute the environment.
chill la bros
the above is proposal from astana city group.
other party proposed different tech.
Dumb and dumber 2019 vrrsion
It just a rebadge proton preve with front and rear bumper uplift only.. they will change the meter console with lenovo tab make super futuristic..
The main reason LPG is not used for cars in malaysia is to prevent the abuse of subsidised cooking gas for other uses, including for cars. That is why the alternative CNG is promoted instead. CNG needs a stronger and more heavier gas cylinder to store compressed natural gas. There has been a few accidents when people illegally converted cooking gas cylinders to be filled with CNG.
My opinion? These dreamers should not be given the 3rd national car project, they are a low pressure cylinder maker, not automotive technologists.
So many ignorant malaysians think LPG is the same as CNG (aka NGV). Haih. LPG is your cooking gas lah, not the same as those taxi filling at Petronas stations.
seems like dont take any step forward just reverse as fast as you can… tahniah Malaysia baharu.
WTF…! Is the govt run by idiots who listen to idiots…?
If LPG cuts a mere 20% carbon emmisions… electric will cut 100%…! Electric propulsion is the future. Most EU countries will ban the internal combustion engines by 2030.
We need new, longer lasting and efficient batteries… efficient propulsion units… and how to regenerate electric energy on the go. If govt or this so called private venture is to proceed with this LPG… it will not sell… more money down the drain.
Well to wheel emissions. EVs are clean when used, but it takes A LOT more resources to make. You still use fossil fuel to mine and refine copper, lithium, and neodymium. Propane and Butane are by-products of petroleum refinement. So from that single chain of process you get 2 fuels that can be used by the same engine.
EV cars are currently made to accelerate tech development, they are not the proper solution yet. They are designed so that customers can reduce pollution at their end only, while the rest of the manufacturing chain bears the brunt of the pollution penalty. Scientists are looking into battery chemistries and topoligies with higher power densities while using less exotic and toxic materials, while other scientists and physicists are working on better renewable power generation and nuclear fusion. We’re quite a bit away before those techs become more than just prototypes and affordable to the RM40,000 per year average citizen. LPG if done absolutely properly can be a very good alternative to petrol for the time being.
Other countries are laughing at us, still play national car game, more like komunis country where every company owned by the state..while they are advancing we more and more backwards
Hahahaha what a joke by this clowns, when i saw it in the news at mamak last night, i laughed so hard that my Milo tumpah. So with LPG, 0-100kph in 25 secs? No thank you! This NNCP gonna fail big time.
Stupid, still want to make money from petroleum one form or another.
Nope nope nope nope nope
They really should continue with the HSR project, which gives more job opportunities. If More cars on roads, means more money need to pump for the expanding the roads and maintenance to cover the traffic jammed issue.
I, as malaysian citizen, I’m not support with the Third National Car Project.
Going to monopolized by Petronas again… In Malaysia, only Petronas can sell this kind of gas, and you need to line up under hot sun like taxis, limited volume can pump each time depends on weather or pumping station pressure… Pay cash only, no credit card usage… Don’t drive too far, you might not find the next station with working pump or the attendant is on MC leave…
Oi, dumbass. Perotiga belongs to Lynk & Co. Perotiga must be a part of Geely Empire too.
Go balik kampung tanam jagung with your LPG junk.
Astana City group main business is in “Bottling LPG”.
1. New car design running LPG gas and need the RM20mill R&D. Astana has no experience what so ever in motoring industry.
2. No place to refill. Petronas station only do NGV (NGV is made up of natural gas while LPG is made up of propane and a small quantity of butane). More money/grant to setup refueling structure.
3. All these money and only serve ONE brand of car.
Nik Mohd Fareez Nik Ahmad Azman, go get the LNG filled airhead of yours fixed. Don’t insult us with this type of proposal.
Old man and his crazy obsession. Spare us the expensive car taxes old man, not everyone has the spirit of ‘Daddy-Kasi’ like your son and grandchildren.
How much more AP Taxes you want us to pay? How many more lives need to sacrifice for your madness?
If we can’t even build a simple motorbike and export it to poorer countries, what makes you think we can make a decent car and export it?
I am glad that I did not vote for Mahathir. Crazy man and his car, toll, cronies, taxes, anti-singapore and whatnot.
Hahahahahahaha. 1 LPG tong conversion only cost rm2,340.45 with installation for Saga. What is MITI thinking? They are clearly not fit to lead this NNCP. no thank you, next!
What shit is this????? Our RM20 Million is gonna be used to “develop” old technology LPG????? Halo, teksi using LPG still spewing out pollutions lah.
Isn’t the spirit of this 3rd National Car to develop FUTURE technology like PHEV all the way to EV? We’re supposed to be moving forward, not regressing. Ini kroni company siapa ni?
Bloody hell, this is like the “old” Proton wanting to kampung hero by spending RM600 Million on turbo engines. Today that RM600 Million dah burn. (Just for comparison, the new Tanjung Malim plant upgrade costs RM1.2 Billion).
Tepuk dahi…
This is how we going to waste our money folks
come on la….LPG is also not very new tech la…go for something more green please..
Use palm oil la better. EU China all don’t want to buy already. Too many stocks and nobody wants. Use as fuel so that all peladangs happy.
They should learn from RIVIAN. Small company managed to produce something more versatile and beautiful than Tesla at a much lower price point.
Look out for RIVIAN. The next big thing in EV!
Actually there’s is no need for a NNCP project in the 1st, second is going towards LPG is kinda regressing, we should pave way for the EV
Mahathir should step down
Some say electric cars are the future which I agree unreservedly yet we are willing to accept cars that are outdated or non-electric especially when the country “exporting” them is going future, looks dumping old technology too me or is it BAU or BAU at “right price”
Even i stopprd using LPG to cook at home. My kitchen is fully electric.
LPG is old tech. Electric is the future. Does Minister know that EU will ban combustion engines in cars and later trucks on the road by 2030…? Did Minister not know why most car manufacturers are developing electrc vehicles NOW…??
Actually, the scope for most of the combustion engine ban only goes to petrol and diesel. Some countries like Spain and the Netherlands bans any emissions vehicles by 2030-2040, but most of the others are not against LPG and NGV. No mention of alcohol fuels as part of the ban either. Most explicitly say “fossil fuel”.
Because the M’s children supply petrochemicals. He is just saying what they want to hear . .
Smart. But back to 1990s for us. .
This is not progress. .
NO MONEY, NO MONEY …..but have plenty for old mans pet projects. Cronies very happy
LPG is a bad idea to begin with.
EV is the future. What are you smoking here, Astana? Why you’re only looking to taxi’s in japan. That’s not good enuf. Get rid of this mangkuk ayun people, then, our country will move forward
LPGs should be for fuelling electric charging stations for EVs.
I can say that 90% of the commenters just talk without finding out more before hand.
It seems that LPG cars are widely used in Europe, Japan & Korea. And from this pdf catalog one can understand that emissions may be reduced by 80% instead of 20% as mentioned in that article.
Read more and be smart. Click on below link:
https://www.wlpga.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Autogas-Vehicles-Catalogue-2018.pdf
Although the future is in EV but it’ll require very heavy investments now. Resulting in highly priced EV cars. At the end of the day, can you afford one? Already, the X70 Boyue at a “mere” RM 124K is making U “sakit gigi”! What more can I say since in Malaysia it’s all about “Pheng leng cheng” (Cheap, Nice and Perfect!!!)
Their whole reason of existence very much depends on LPG. They basically have nothing else to offer.
They just want taxpayer’s money through that grant approved by Mahathir’s government.
We’ve seen these fly-by-night businesses one too many. Anyone recalls inventqjaya ran by that shady arab guy? Oh, that was during the Multimedia Super Corridor hype in the early 2000s.
Yep, that’s 400 million down the putrajaya lake.
Come on la LPG is outdated. Even Hydrogen fuel cell been scrapped. Full Electric please. If you want to do it, follow global trend. Do you the NEW goverment still think that the people is stupid?
Please make LPG FOC. Thank yoh
LPG? Omg tats backward tech leh.
LPG? Hi, PM Mahathir, will you really approve it? Do not become a even better joker than previous government! We walking moving forward, not backward!!!!
Second, we do not need 3rd car project!!! Do not take away the hard earned money form Malaysia that donated to save Malaysia!
We just need to make sure Proton and Perodua can really manufacture a car by ourselves. Not just copy cat!!!
What make us so proud while Proton X70 from Geely Boyue and Perodua Aruz from Toyota Rush?
haha korang ni, nak kereta murah tapi nak kereta elektrik, lagi cerdik suruh rebadge je tesla tu..haha. korang tau ke tak ev cars is more expensive than petrol car? memangla future tech katanya, tapi kalau mahal sape nak beli? dah nak kereta murah2, kita guna tech mcm taxi jela..haha. suprisingly, lpg car is globally used in europe, japan, etc. so, to say it low tech hmm okk..but in aspect of economy saving, maybe that one of the best choices. persamaan previous & current gov 1 je, dua2 PM penyamun. tapi, beza dua2 ni 1 je. previous gov penyamun takde sape berani tegur, even paspispus also support..and now become kawan baik. and current gov klu jadi penyamun jangan kata oppo, in gov also can tegur kaw2. ala..2 tahun lagi rehatlah org tu, korg ni pun sabarla sikit. tax tak bayar tapi nak macam2..haha
Teringat kata kata Mahathir semasa masih dalam UMNO. Nak tukar parti pemerintah kena fikir betui-betui. Macam tukar lauk. Kalau lauk tu tak sedap, lima tahun lah makan lauk tak sedap. Sekarang aku betui2 faham apa yang beliau pernah cakap. Memang tak sedap lah Parti Harapan buat pada Malaysia..
Dunia apa guna gas masak. Semua going elektrik. Good bye this project
The government, MITI, MOT, MOF, MAA, and all rakyat Malaysia. I have a few questions below, let’s have a brainstorm session.
The challenges of designing an LPG car:
1. The safety measurement of the fuel tank? From weather condition to environmental factor. Also when collision happen.
2. The size of the fuel tank? Compromise the cabin size.
3. The cost of material use for the engine. More expensive material needed to stand the high heat ignition.
4. Compare to EV, how environment friendly is LPG car? Consider the emission of LPG car produce vs the emission the power plant produce to generate electricity for charging EV.
Impacts to Malaysia economy:
1. Where are the potential export countries for LPG car? Why?
2. How much is the target contribution to Malaysian GDP in short term and long term? (5 & 10 years)
3. How likely LPG car can stand the competition to EV, when more than half of the globe is turning to EV.
4. Ultimately, can this project help Malaysia in the global economy stand point?