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KTM announces extra ETS trains for Hari Raya Haji
Click to enlarge KTM has announced extra ETS train services for next month’s Hari Raya Aidiladha a.k.a. Hari Raya Haji holidays. If you take the train back to your hometown, you skip the trouble of spending hours on the road, getting stuck in the jam.
There are nine extra trains from KL Sentral to Padang Besar from June 13-18 and 21-23, and another nine from Padang Besar to KL Sentral. ETS train 9286 departs the capital city daily at 5pm and will reach Padang Besar at 10.20 pm. The 9283 train heads south from Padang Besar at 11.05 am and will reach at 4.30 pm daily.
As for the KL Sentral to Butterworth route, there will be six extra trains up and six extra trains down from June 13-18. The northbound train 9188 departs KL Sentral at 4.30 pm (you’ll reach Penang at 8.49 pm), while train 9187 departs Butterworth at 11.20 am for KL Sentral. Ticket sales opened yesterday afternoon.
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GAC Aion Hyper HT previewed in Malaysia – EV SUV, Tesla Model X-style “falcon” doors, end-2024 launch?
Aion, GAC’s electric vehicle sub-brand, may have taken off in Malaysia with the launch of the Aion Y Plus, but at the Malaysia Autoshow, the company is showing another car that will bring it to new heights. This is the Aion Hyper HT, part of a new crop of Hyper models (a sub-brand within a sub-brand) tasked with lifting this mainstream EV maker further upmarket.
Whereas Aion cars – which include the S sedan and the LX and V SUVs – have rather funky angular designs, the Hyper HT features a sleek, streamlined “coupé” SUV look reminscent of the Tesla Model Y. But the inspiration from the Silicon Valley carmaker doesn’t stop there.
You see, just like the Model X, you can spec the Hyper HT with “falcon” rear doors, replete with hinges near the roof that fold slightly as the doors go upwards, enabling them to open in tighter parking spaces. Measuring 4,935 mm long, 1,920 mm wide and 1,700 mm tall, it’s actually closer in size to the Model X (5,057 mm long) than the Model Y (4,751 mm), although this car is still resolutely a five-seater.
Inside, the Hyper HT features a minimalist cabin typical of many Tesla-aping Chinese EVs, dominated by a massive 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen. The driver environment, however, takes a leaf out of the Peugeot book, with a small steering wheel sitting below an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster. Both run on Qualcomm’s ubiquitous Snapdragon 8155 flagship automotive chip.
Despite its premium positioning, the Hyper HT is only available in rear-wheel-drive form, its single motor producing either 245 PS (180 kW) and 355 Nm of torque or 340 PS (250 kW) and 430 Nm. The zero-to-100 km/h sprint is completed in 6.8 seconds and 5.8 seconds respectively.
Four sizes of battery are available – the less powerful motor can be had with either a 70 or a 72.7 kWh battery providing a CLTC-rated range of 550 km and 600 km respectively. Meanwhile, the high-powered version can be specced with either an 80 or 99.5 kWh pack that can travel up to 670 km and 825 km respectively.
Interestingly, only the more powerful versions have an 800-volt electrical architecture for faster DC charging, with Aion claiming that the Hyper HT can gain up to 425 km of range with just 15 minutes of charging. The 400-volt versions, on the other hand, receive up to 140 km of range with ten minutes of DC charging.
No details on Malaysian availability have been released just yet. However, dealers at the show have let slip that distributor Warisan Tan Chong Automotif (WTCA) may be looking at bringing the Hyper HT in as early as the end of the year. No surprise, given that the car is already open for booking in Thailand with an introductory price of around 1,999,900 baht (RM257,000).
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Targeted diesel fuel subsidy implementation date, mechanism to be announced soon: PM Anwar Ibrahim
The implementation date and mechanism for the targeted fuel subsidy in Malaysia will be announced soon, Bernama has reported.
According to prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the matter will be explained by finance minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, because the prime minister has given an overview and follow-up action is to come. “Some people ask why? Not all prime ministers do it. I give the big picture and framework, then there will be follow-up action,” the prime minister was quoted as saying.
From a separate Bernama report last week, minister of domestic trade and cost of living Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said that all ministries involved are ready, and are only waiting for the government’s announcement of the implementation date before the fuel subsidy rationalisation is carried out.
The other ministries involved include the finance ministry, the transport ministry, the agriculture and food security ministry, the plantation industries and commodities ministry, and the entrepreneur development and cooperatives ministry, Armizan said.
Meanwhile, the ministry of domestic trade and cost of living (KPDN) will implement several measures to ensure no parties take advantage of price gouging on price-controlled goods after the diesel fuel adjustment has been announced.
Last week, the prime minister announced that the government will proceed with the implementation of targeted fuel subsidies, with the Cabinet having agreed to the move. This will begin with diesel subsidy rationalisation in the peninsula, with that for Sabah and Sarawak to be set aside until later.
The prime minister has also said that the government does not intend to introduce a new taxation system, and instead implement a fairer targeted subsidy mechanism that meets the needs of the people.
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Government has no intention to introduce new taxes – targeted subsidies better to meet needs of the people
The government has no intention of unveiling a fresh taxation system but will instead implement a fairer targeted subsidy mechanism that meets the needs of the people, according to prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The implementation of targeted subsidies will impact the affluent, big industries and foreign nationals while e-hailing and taxi drivers, fishermen and smallholders will all be exempted,” Anwar said after opening the International Madani Convention recently.
“The issue with the diesel subsidy is the loss of billions of ringgit where wealthy and mega industries benefited from,” he added, as reported by The Star. It was recently announced that the government will proceed with the diesel subsidy rationalisation programme which is expected to save about RM4 billion annually.
For now, it is not confirmed when the targeted fuel subsidiy programme will begin, nor has a mechanism for how the subsidies will be distributed been revealed. RON95 petrol will join diesel in the programme, although this is slated to take place sometime in the second half of this year.
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JPJ eBid: ANN and TCX number plates up for bidding
JPJ has announced that ANN and TCX are the next number plate series to go up for bidding on its online auction platform, JPJ eBid.
Perak’s latest running number series is ‘ANN’, and it opened for tender on May 23. The bidding period on JPJeBid is five days, ending 10pm today, May 27. As usual, the results will be out the following day. The whole process is online now, as it has been for some time, and bidders will get the good (or bad) news via email.
Also available on JPJ eBid is the Terengganu series ‘TCX’. The bidding period started on May 26 and will close at 10pm on May 30. Results will be out the day after the auction closes.
New car coming soon and want a nice number plate for the new ride? Why not DIY and skip the reseller’s markup and runner fees? If you have never bid for a number yourself, check out our step-by-step guide on how to navigate JPJ eBid and the techniques needed to get your preferred number at “retail price”.
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PDRM adds Honda City sedan to its patrol vehicle fleet
Honda vehicles have proved to be a popular choice for patrol vehicles with the Royal Malaysian police (PDRM) in recent times, with the force first utilising 435 units of the Honda Civic FC 1.8L for the job back in 2020 before switching over to the Civic FE 1.5L Turbo earlier this year.
Now, the department looks to be adding the Honda City to its patrol vehicle fleet, if the sighting of a trailer load of the facelifted sedan, all kitted in PDRM livery, is any indication. A video clip uploaded on the Paultan.org Automotive Discussion Group page on Facebook shows six City sedans, complete with roof strobe lights, being moved on a transporter.
The petrol City sedan is powered by a 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated inline-four DOHC i-VTEC engine that delivers 121 PS (119 hp or 89 kW) at 6,600 rpm and 145 Nm at 4,300 rpm, with drive going to the front wheels via a CVT.
Expect to see posts about the new City patrol vehicle units, sourced by government vehicle fleet supplier Spanco, making the rounds on social media in the near future.
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Chery Tiggo 8 Pro e+ PHEV previewed in Malaysia – 326 PS, 545 Nm, up to 80 km EV range, launch soon?
While Chery’s stand at the Malaysia Autoshow wasn’t exactly a hubbub of activity (the real action for the company was happening elsewhere), the Chinese brand still had something to show at the event. As promised, it debuted the plug-in hybrid version of the Tiggo 8 Pro, the e+, albeit only as a preview and in left-hand-drive form.
At the heart of this particular Tiggo 8 Pro sits the Omoda 5’s 156 PS/230 Nm 1.5 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, here paired to twin electric motors integrated into the three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT). Total system output is rated at 326 PS and an impressive 545 Nm of torque.
In China, the Tiggo 8 Pro e+ is available with two battery sizes – the smaller one delivers a pure electric range of 42 km on the WLTP cycle, while the larger 19.27 kWh unit stretches this to 80 km. All models support up to 29 kW DC fast charging and up to 6.6 kW AC charging; the bigger battery also enables a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function at up to 3.3 kW.
Chery says that its PHEV has nine operating modes – single-motor pure electric, dual-motor pure electric, series and extended range mode, direct engine drive mode and parallel drive mode. Despite differentiating between single- and dual-motor operation, the Tiggo 8 Pro e+ is resolutely a front-wheel-drive vehicle.
The other four are related to energy recovery – parking and charge mode, driving and charge mode, single-motor brake energy regeneration and dual-motor brake energy regeneration. This is par for the course for PHEVs, with the exception of the aforementioned single- and dual-motor modes.
There’s little that differentiates the e+ on the outside, unlike in China where it gets an entirely new front end. That means you’ll still find a massive Audi-style “galaxy” front grille, trapezoidal LED headlights with twin L-shaped daytime running lights, chrome door and window strips and full-width taillights. Even the 19-inch two-tone alloys are identical to the petrol version’s.
Just three items are actually different – the charging port door on the front left fender, the blue ring around the fuel filler cap and a new diffuser that dispenses the real quad exhausts for twin fake ones. That’s not surprising, given that you also see this on the Omoda 5 with the same engine.
The same can be said about the interior, which carries over the seven-seat layout, Mercedes-inspired dashboard (replete with a widescreen display panel with twin 12.3-inch screens) and even the black-and-brown colour scheme. The only visible difference is the blue trim on the electronic gear selector.
No details about local availability have been revealed, only that the car will arrive in CKD locally-assembled form. The car was initially scheduled to arrive early this year, and that deadline has long since passed, so your guess as to when it will actually come are as good as ours. Are the specs good enough to tempt you into one when it eventually arrives here? Sound off in the comments after the jump.
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April 2024 Malaysian vehicle sales down by 18%: MAA
The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) has released vehicle sales data for the month of April 2024, announcing that a total of 57,991 vehicles were delivered to buyers last month. This is 13,061 units less than the 71,052 units reported by the association for March, representing a 18.4% reduction in volume.
The association said that the drop in numbers last month was due to a short working month as a result of Hari Raya festive holidays.
Compared to the same month in 2023, April’s total was 21.3% (or 10,189 units) higher than the 47,802 units achieved last year. As for the year-to-date TIV numbers for the year, the first four months of 2024 has seen 260,236 units delivered, which is 8.3% (20,019 units) higher than the 240,217 units managed in the same period last year.
The association added that vehicle sales in May are expected to be slightly higher compared to April.
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Kineta, ChargEV sign MoU to further develop Malaysia EV charging network, bid for large ASEAN tenders
Electric vehicle charging solutions provider Kineta has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ChargEV to further enhance and expand the electric charging network in Malaysia. The wholly-owned subsidiary of Sime Darby Berhad said the strategic partnership is in line with its goal of providing “the most comprehensive EV charging solutions and EV charging network” to customers and business partners.
In addition, the deal will enable the two entities to jointly bid for selected large tenders in Malaysia and the region. Kineta says it has one of the largest Energy Commission (ST)-certified teams, with 40 electrical engineers ensuring safety and regulatory compliance of all installations, as well as fully-fledged in-house customer service, after-sales, technical support and warranty teams.
Meanwhile, ChargEV is a leading charging network provider in Malaysia and Singapore, and it also helps businesses electrify their sites and onboard them to its network.
“With our combined forces, we can certainly accelerate the government’s aspirations to have 10,000 chargers within the next few years,” said Kineta managing director Sunny Lee. “We believe this partnership represents a major milestone in our EV industry, merging ChargEV’s extensive charging infrastructure network between Malaysia and Singapore and KINETA’s total EV charging solutions to ease the transition to electric vehicles for all drivers.”
ChargEV managing director Seng Teong Chua added: “Battery Electric Vehicles only made up 1.45% of new car sales in 2023, but as demand for fully electric vehicles grows, so will the demand for easily accessible, reliable, and seamless charging infrastructure. With KINETA’s solid track record in delivering high-quality installation, customer-centricity, and an innovative approach to product development, we believe this is just the start of an electrifying partnership.”
The two companies say they are committed to supporting the country’s aspirations of having a 15% EV market share by 2030, aligning with the government’s Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint and the National Transition Roadmap. Kineta recently debuted a new one-stop Kineta Charge app, so perhaps the partnership means the ChargEV network will now be integrated into this app.
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Mercedes-Benz Malaysia sets out to elevate customer experience with Star Elegance lifestyle retail concept
Yesterday’s launch of the Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ SUVs and sedans also saw Mercedes-Benz Malaysia introducing Star Elegance, a new lifestyle retail concept offering a host of experiential services, all aimed at elevating the customer experience in the brand’s showrooms.
Making its debut with a luxury nail spa at Hap Seng Star’s Bukit Tinggi facility, the range of wellness services available under Star Elegance will be expanded over several phases, with new brands and collaborators offering a repertoire of luxury retail services set to be enlisted in the near future.
“Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is pioneering an industry-first by integrating a wellness-centric approach into our retail environment. The Star Elegance concept seamlessly blends innovative retail experiences with meticulously curated lifestyle elements, creating a holistic and unprecedented luxury experience for our customers,” said Mercedes-Benz Cars Malaysia CEO and president Amanda Zhang.
The company added that the introduction of Star Elegance is strategically aligned to insights gleaned from focus groups involving nearly 400 MBM customers, where 94% of the customers said they find the idea of a lifestyle retail concept interesting, and 91% said they would patronise a lifestyle shop while their vehicle was being serviced.
“Star Elegance epitomises our commitment to delivering the pinnacle of customer experience and setting new standards in luxury automotive solutions. This initiative underscores our unwavering dedication to meeting the diverse and sophisticated needs of our esteemed customers, solidifying Mercedes-Benz as the premier choice in the luxury automotive segment,” said Mercedes-Benz Cars Malaysia’s VP of customer services, Edmin Naidoo.
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2024 Honda ADV 350 in Malaysia, RM33,999
Getting its launch at the Malaysia Auto Show is the 2024 Honda 350, priced at RM33,999 ex-showroom. There are three colour schemes offered – Mat Gun Powder Black Metallic, Pearl Smoky Gray and Mat Candy Tulip Red along with a two-year or 20,000 km warranty against manufacturing defects.
The ADV 350 with its adventure motorcycle bodywork styling slots between the Honda X-ADV 750 (RM68.899 in Malaysia) and the Honda ADV 160 (RM12,999). Power for the ADV 350 comes from a 330 cc Enhanced Smart Power+ (eSP+) single-cylinder SOHC four-valve, liquid-cooled engine.
Power for the ADV 350 is claimed to be 28.9 hp at 7,500 rpm and 31.9 Nm of torque at 5,250 rpm. A CVT gearbox and belt drive gets power to the rear wheel.
Wheel sizing for the ADV 350 is 15-inches in front and 14-inches at the back, wearing 120/70 and 140/70 rubber front and rear, respectively. Equipped with two-channel ABS and two-mode traction control (with off mode), the ADV 350 does braking with single 256 mm disc in front and a 240 mm disc in the rear.
Suspension uses 37 mm diameter upside-down forks in front and preload adjustable twin shock absorbers at the back. Riding conveniences include a USB charging port, height adjustable windshield and keyless start, along with a 48-litre storage compartment under the seat.
Weight for the ADV 350 is listed at 186 kg, with an 11.7-litre fuel tank and 795 mm seat height. The ADV 350 displays the necessary information on an LCD instrument panel while LED lighting is used throughout.
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Jaecoo Malaysia signs partnership with 30 dealers for distribution, aftersales across 35 dealerships
Jaecoo Malaysia has officiated its partnership with 30 dedicated dealers in the country at the 2024 Malaysia Autoshow, the company has announced.
These 30 dealers will operate 35 dealerships in charge of distribution and aftersales of Jaecoo vehicles across the central, northern, southern and East Malaysia regions, stated the company, and its network of dealerships are supported by a dedicated auto parts warehouse as well as a production plant in Malaysia, it added.
Jaecoo Malaysia dealerships get brand signature features such as a ‘super walkway’ which greet customers upon entry, while other conveniences include a dedicated coffee bar, product displays, and a delivery lounge.
“Hand-in-hand with our dealer partners, we are excited to deliver best-in-class vehicles equipped with innovative technology and the absolute best customer experience to the Malaysian market,” said Jaecoo Malaysia president Leo Chen.
Our investments encompass an ecosystem of strategically positioned dealers and comprehensive facilities, complemented by a strong team of service advisors and highly skilled technicians. This is the foundation of Jaecoo’s strength and a testament of our readiness to launch in Malaysia,” said Jaecoo Malaysia vice president Emily Lek.
The company’s announcement at the event came alongside its preview of the all-electric J6, while the J7 is also slated for launch soon in Malaysia.
The J6 on display at the 2024 Malaysia Autoshow is a early unit, being a left-hand-drive example, and pricing has yet to be disclosed. Meanwhile, the petrol-powered J7 is closer to its Malaysia market debut, and the SUV is estimated to be around the RM160,000 mark; read our impressions of the 2024 Jaecoo J7 here.
GALLERY: 2024 Jaecoo J6 previewed in Malaysia
GALLERY: 2024 Jaecoo J7 tested off-road
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GWM Haval H6 Hybrid previewed – Malaysian spec, 2 variants, 243 PS, 530 Nm, 5.2 l/100km, Q3 2024 launch
Alongside the Tank 300 at GWM’s Malaysia Autoshow stand sits the Haval H6 Hybrid, being previewed ahead of its launch in the third quarter of the year. The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that this exact model was displayed at the same show last year, but the company says that the petrol-electric SUV is truly almost ready to go on sale.
There is a hint of “This really is it, I promise” about the whole affair, but for what it’s worth, GWM did bring two supposedly Malaysian-spec units to the event. The Metal Grey car you see here appears to be an entry-level car, slotting beneath a Jade Green (more baby blue than anything) example that we have already shown you during our Auto China coverage.
Both variants are powered by the same hybrid powertrain, consisting of a 150 PS/230 Nm 1.5 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 177 PS/300 Nm electric motor, the latter integrated into the two-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT). Total system output is 243 PS and 530 Nm of torque, and GWM claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 5.2 litres per 100 km.
On the outside, the H6 Hybrid is as per what was shown last year, replete with the “Star Matrix” grille first seen on the plug-in hybrid model. Matrix LED headlights and full-width LED taillights are shared across both variants, with the differentiator being the wheels – 18-inch two-tone alloys on the low-spec car and 19-inch black rollers on the high spec.
Inside, the low spec gets sober black leather upholstery with white stitching and silver trim, whereas the high spec is more showy with black-and-white interior and rose gold trim. Both come with the same level of tech – a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a Qi wireless charger and eight speakers.
Also common to both variants are power-adjustable front seats (with lumbar adjustment for the driver), dual-zone climate control, rear air-con vents, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a 360-degree camera system and a powered tailgate. The high-spec model is differentiated by a panoramic glass sunroof, a head-up display and shoulder switches on the front passenger seat.
Both cars seen here come with a windscreen camera, meaning that they should both come with the same level of advanced driver assistance systems.
These will likely include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist, an Intelligent Evade system that gives more space in the lane for large vehicles such as lorries, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert with auto brake, traffic sign recognition and auto high beam. One item that will probably be reserved for the high-spec model is park assist.
GALLERY: GWM Haval H6 low spec at Malaysia Autoshow 2024
GALLERY: GWM Haval H6 high spec at Auto China 2024
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No date set yet for start of targeted diesel subsidies
While the Cabinet has given the green light to proceed with the implementation of targeted fuel subsidies, no timeframe for its execution has yet been ventured. That could be a while more, given that the government has not yet made a decision regarding the implementation date, as indicated by domestic trade and cost of living (KPDN) minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
He said that although the government has agreed in principle to begin targeted fuel subsidies this year, it will only set the implementation date when the Cabinet is satisfied with the targeting mechanism and ensuring that target groups that will receive social assistance will get it, as Bernama reports.
“As soon as the government refines and strengthens the social assistance mechanism for the target groups, I believe the government will then announce the implementation date,” he said. As announced by prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, the implementation of targeted fuel subsidies would begin with diesel in the peninsula, with that for Sabah and Sarawak to be set aside until later.
The PM also said that subsidies will be given to traders using diesel-powered commercial vehicles under the subsidised diesel control system 2.0 (SKDS 2.0) programme, essentially covering 10 public transportation vehicle and 23 goods transport vehicle types in order to prevent any drastic increase in the cost of goods and services.
Armizan said that KPDN will implement several measures to ensure no parties take advantage of price gouging on controlled goods after the diesel price adjustment is enforced. He said that the ministry has approaches to address the possibility of price gouging on essential goods.
He added that a total of 28,000 land transport companies have registered and received approval under the SKDS 2.0 implementation, and 90,000 fleet cards have been issued by five major oil companies to eligible transport companies.
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Proton Saga – two million units of the national car sold
The Proton Saga has surpassed the two million-unit mark in units sold, the carmaker has announced. The nameplate spans four generations beginning in 1985, which was succeeded by the second-generation model in 2008, followed by its facelift in 2010.
The Saga SV arrived in 2013 as a value-added base variant, before the third-generation car was launched in 2016. This subsequently received its first facelift in 2019, when it swapped its CVT gearbox for a four-speed Hyundai-sourced unit.
Another update for the Saga followed, in the form of the MC2 ‘minor change’ facelift that arrived in 2022. This carried on with no mechanical changes, continuing to use the 1.3 litre naturally aspirated inline-four petrol engine with 95 PS and 120 Nm, with the Standard MT variant becoming the sole manual transmission variant across Proton’s line-up.
One mechanical change to the Saga came in mid-2023, when the sedan switched from the Hyundai automatic transmission to a Aisin-sourced unit, continuing to be a four-speed gearbox.
Looking back to earlier versions of the Saga, there continues to be much affection for the original, exemplified not least by this 1990 1.5S model as restored by Dream Street Restoration.
