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The approach of the year-end holidays often also means the annual pilgrimage Singaporeans take to Japan to soothe their souls after a long year will soon kick into high season. (Just open any of your social media applications - Instagram, Facebook or TikTok - and you'll see.) For the many amongst us who can spare neither the financial expense nor the time, however, there's no reason to fret. Allow the mind some space to wander, and one will find there are many places on our sunny island that could momentarily fool one into thinking they had been transported to Japan. Don't believe us? Instead of hopping onto a plane, hop into your car for a road trip around the island on a coming weekend, and you may just find yourself suddenly in the land of zen and good food. To stay even more on-theme, you'll probably want to take something along like a purebred Japanese electric vehicle to round the itinerary off most cohesively - which brings us to… Japanese EV, proudly Made in Japan Our Japanese chariot of choice for a Japan-themed day out is none other than the made-in-Japan Nissan Ariya. As Nissan's first electric vehicle since the Leaf, the Ariya carries on all the trusted expertise in electrification built up by its older sibling, but takes a step upwards in terms of luxury, refinement and practicality. The latter quality comes courtesy of its bespoke electric platform, which gives it wondrous spaciousness courtesy of uninterrupted flat rear and front floors. The Nissan Ariya was our all-electric steed for this all-Japanese excursion! It's arguably more Japanese than its electric forebear too; just look at the traditional kumiko patterns that dot bits of interior including its doors and underneath the dashboard. Meanwhile, the woodgrain texture of its dashboard reminds us of fusuma and shoji often used in traditional Japanese architecture. Best of all, it's not just pure material comfort that the Ariya offers, but genuine day to day usability too. Its electric drivetrain makes it effortless on the go, and its 66kWh battery gives it excellent range of up to 500km - more than enough even for the extensive 80km route we've planned for this road trip itinerary, as we set off from the Nissan showroom! 1. Ridout Tea Garden (+15km) Its name today may not suggest it, but on the site of the current Ridout Tea Garden actually stood the island's first Japanese-themed community garden in 1970. Named "Queenstown Japanese Garden", it was built to "provide more recreational facilities for flat dwellers in Queenstown", and served as a crucial jewel of the estate by offering residents not just a haven in which to relax but also to shop. An unfortunate blaze consumed the original Garden in the late 1970s, but it was thankfully rebuilt into the 1.38-hectare site that we know it as today - replete with its iconic pond and large McDonald's outlet (one of the longest-standing in Singapore!). Interestingly, it appeared that this outlet would close its doors a few years back after more than three decades in operation - but the fast food chain ultimately managed to win the tender, and has since expanded its footprint here. Ridout Tea Garden is perhaps best known for the McDonalds there, offering alfresco dining with a view Business as usual, then - and we're all the better for it, since you can still come here for a hearty breakfast before transporting themselves momentarily out of Singapore as they traverse the little bridge over the pond (and say hello to the terrapins sunbathing out there while they're at it). Where to park: Ridout Tea Garden Carpark Ease of parking: 3.5/5. While parking here is generally quite easy (lots are both wide and plentiful), newer drivers might want to take note that traffic moves quite regularly and quickly out of the sole entrance/exit point. We’d advise a bit more caution just for this group. 2. Keyaki Japanese Restaurant (+14km) Nestled right in the heart of the city and among the skyscrapers all around is a serene little oasis that routinely puts diners at Pan Pacific Hotel's upmarket Japanese restaurant at ease. Right outside Keyaki restaurant lies a Japanese wonderland whose mixture of modern and traditional Japanese architecture - if angled correctly - could genuinely trick an unknowing friend into thinking that you had taken a flight to the land of the rising sun. Said to be inspired specifically by Kyoto, there are charming details to take in everywhere. The sounds of a flowing stream will greet you before you see the stones that invite you to cross it; traditional toro are hidden towards the back of the garden; and a koi pond takes centrestage. A special highlight here too, is the Keyaki Garden Pavillion - with its own Shoji-inspired screens which can be booked out for private luncheons or celebrations. Located at Pan Pacific Hotel, Keyaki is a up-market Japanese restaurant who's architecture and surrounding appointments want to teleport you right to Kyoto Come slightly before the restaurant's official opening hours (as we did) and you might just have the space all to yourself - for a nice photo and video shoot, or indeed, just for a break away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Where to park: Marina Square Carpark Ease of parking: 4/5. Parking here shouldn’t be an issue, given the size of Marina Square’s carpark, but one issue that may certainly face visitors is navigating on foot from the carpark to Pan Pacific Hotel. Remember - it’s not any of the other hotels around here - but Pan Pacific! 3. Japanese Garden (in Jurong Lake Gardens) (+21.6km) After nearly half a decade of extensive rebuilding works, the Japanese Garden (alongside the Chinese Garden) has finally started to welcome visitors since September this year. Step into the latter, and the sight of a red bridge that wouldn't look out of place in Fukuoka's Ohori Park or Osaka's Tennoji Park will already greet you. Elsewhere, new facilities including a Guesthouse and a Guest Pavillion next to a pond further accentuate the feeling that is not in the far West of Singapore, but perhaps the outskirts of Tokyo. Head over to the recently-reopened Japanese Garden and you can see the largest collection of water lilies in Singapore But the Japanese Garden is particularly noteworthy for our nature-heads. Within it, one will also find the Sunken Garden, whose walls are lined all the way up high with epiphytes, as well as the Water Lily Garden, which boasts the largest collection of water lilies in Singapore. While the rest of the locations on this list are arguably more bite-sized breakaways, this one's good for a proper afternoon out - just make sure to check the weather before heading out! Where to park: Jurong Lake South Carpark Ease of parking: 4/5. This carpark feels relatively new - in line with the rest of the larger garden - with wide and clean parking lots. We’re docking points just for the fact that it’s not sheltered - but hey, this is a park after all, isn’t it? 4. &JOY Food Street, Jurong Point (+3km) Once you're done working up an appetite from that stroll (or cycle), food awaits again. And instead of just a standalone Japanese restaurant, why not consider an entire Japanese culinary world - in the form of &JOY Food Street at Jurong Point? Whether it's ramen, yakitori, a Japanese hamburger steak joint - or even Mister Donut - you're bound to find something that tantalises your palette at the Basement 2 Japanese Food Street here. (It happened to start raining when we arrived, so we settled ourselves with some udon instead.) &JOY Food Street offers a wide range of Japanese delicacies! Before you dismiss this as just another Japanese joint filtered through a Singaporean lens, here's a final fun fact: &JOY Food Street is owned by RE&S, which was actually founded by Osaka native, Hiroshi Tatara, in 1988. Where to park: Jurong Point Carpark. Ease of parking: 3/5. For such a big mall, Jurong Point’s carpark is fittingly large too, meaning that unless you’re super picky about good spots closer to the entrances, straining for a lot is unlikely to ever be a problem. The only issue, however, is that the ramps leading down and out of the mall can be quite tight in instances where there are oncoming cars. 5. Don Don Donki, Jurong Point Don Don Donki outlets are now dime a dozen in Singapore, so the mention of one may not be particularly interesting at this point. Yet the one at Jurong Point continues to maintain its own lustre with a unique touch you won't find anywhere else on the island: With a specific arcade theme. Crane your neck upwards and you'll notice that the cardboard signs are printed in an eight-bit style. Meanwhile, the plethora of neon signs hanging from the ceiling (including those of actual controllers) are a nice homage to the bright glow of a bustling arcade in downtown Osaka or Fukuoka. It's an extra charming touch that should make the already ever-enjoyable experience of shopping for Japanese snacks even more pleasant. 6. Japanese Cemetery Park (+25km) Quietly tucked inside of a private housing estate off of Yio Chu Kang Road, the Japanese Cemetery Park is once again proof that Japan-reminiscent spaces often blend seamlessly into unspectacular and everyday Singaporean environments. Said to be the largest and best-preserved Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia, this site measures 30,000 square metres, and contains an estimated 910 tombstones. Nearly two centuries old, it stopped accepting burials in the 1970s, and has since been gazetted as a memorial park. Japanese Cemetery Park is the largest and best-preserved Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia Indelible heritage aside, giving the site its unmistakable Japan-likeness is a mido - or prayer hall - as well as a grand, uninterrupted corridor marked by rounded arches with trumpet flowers. These weren't in full bloom on the day of our visit - but come round when they are, and their vibrant pink can make one feel as if they've been teleported to a park during the cherry blossom season. Where to park: Japanese Cemetery Park (drive all the way in and you’ll notice some unsheltered and unmarked lots towards the end). Ease of parking: 5/5. Given its niche status, it’s unlikely this place ever gets crowded - even on weekends. Parking is free here too. - Matt

Very insightful video, all eyes on you gahmen. We want a better public transport to make us more green!

I was reading an interesting article on "things that will disappear from the auto industry by 2030" and my itchy fingers decided to compile a list of discontinued driver features we'll not be seeing soon with the rise of electric vehicles. https://motor-junkie.com/30-things-that-will-disappear-from-the-auto-industry-by-2030 Keys, Keyfobs to RFID and NFC Keycards No more physical keys with electric cars? What happens if you're locked out of your vehicle? Polestar, why so bulky? Manual Folding Side Mirrors to Auto Folding Side Mirrors to Side Mirrors with Reverse Tilt Down Cue the introduction of Virtual Wing Mirrors on one of Audi's e-tron models, essentially ditching the traditional reflective mirrors for cameras mounted outside of the vehicle, which will in turn be projected onto screens inside the car. Damn, my car doesn't even come with reverse tilt down which I think is super useful when parking. Coincidentally saw this review on the e-tron page. Sometimes less is more. Just imagine getting your fancy video side mirrors hit by lanesplitting motorcyclists or that cockeye human with eyes fixated on their phones - won't be just a flying vehicle plate lol. CD Players!!! Lexus comes to mind instantly, other than having the most comfortable carmat. Haha. I can't remember any other modern cars with inbuilt CD player still. But that's not a result of electric cars, who uses CD players still anyway? Grilles! Grilles are interesting. Some have completely ditched grilles, some have reinvented those iconic grilles into something familiar, and some, strange lol. No grilles on the Teslas. Wafer grille on the Polestar 2, still synonymous with Volvo. The newly launched BYD Atto 3. BYD e6 - Not for those with Trypophobia. In my opinion, this Mazda MX-30 looks really good. Honda-e. Too cute. Looks like my brother's cat. Lol. Volkswagen ID.4. Kia EV6. Upcoming Opel Mokka-e. I really like the big nose grille on the M3 and M4 but not working for me on the SUVs especially the BMW iX. MB EQA. Byebye exhausts. No need for fake exhausts please. TBC! Add on if you will.

I recently had a PHEV - the BMW 225 XE as a temporary replacement car. While the 225XE is not exactly a 100% electric car, but if you keep the battery charged up, you can technically run on full electric power for about 25km. Was eager to try out how it is like to be living with an EV in Singapore and here are my observations: Driving on pure electric power was weird (like driving around with your engine shut down) in the beginning. But i kinda enjoyed it after awhile, i guess. Biggest challenge with the short range is...eventually, it will fall back into petrol powered mode and it takes forever to charge the battery up again until you plug-in again. A domestic power point + the supplied cable is not enough, you'll need a wall box to be installed in order to safely charge the car. It's a big pain to find places to charge when you're out of the house and run out battery juice. While there are quite a number of charging points, but they're often operated by different service providers (each requires u to become a member + place deposit/min fee etc. etc. to use). When you eventually find it, you'll end up staring at the grass for the next 2-3 hours waiting for the car to charge up.🤣 The instant torque of the electric motor + engine is super addictive a total blast when overtaking with 385 Nm of near instant torque !!! No one will be willing to wait 2-3 hours for the battery to be fully charged. Not practical for anyone who does not have a charger at home. Oh ya... this short, fat and very family looking car does 0-100 in 6.7 sec 😈 ultimate sleeper car! Long term cost of maintenance is a big question mark. In conclusion, Singapore's infra is still far from being EV friendly. The most practical way for someone who does not have a home charger to drive an EV...go the PHEV way if you want to experience electric car and yet can fall back to the petrol engine for a decent drive if u run out of juice.

Just out of curiosity, how well do you think electric vehicles perform in a flood? Are there certain safety features installed to prevent extreme damage to the car? The floods this morning looked quite serious and resulted in a few cars stalling in the middle of the road, which got me thinking about how EVs would be impacted by floods like this. 😅

https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/tesla-lays-off-singapore-country-manager-after-elon-musk-warns-of-global-job-cuts Tesla lays off Singapore country manager after Elon Musk warns of global job cuts SINGAPORE - Tesla Singapore's country manager has been laid off as part of global job cuts that chief executive Elon Musk has warned about in recent weeks over worries about a coming recession.

<Dodge Sets 2024 Death Date For Charger And Challenger To Make Way For The Brand's "eMuscle" The best selling muscle cars in America will be gone in the next two years as Dodge transitions EVs Dodge Charger and Challenger Jailbreak models. Image: Dodge It’s finally happening: The Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle machines will be no more by 2024. Motor Trend spoke with Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis about the brand’s plans for the next two years as the company tries to appease muscle fans and appeal to EV buyers. Kuniskis is aware that a lot of people won’t be happy with the direction the brand is taking (he’s already receiving death threats for the changes). He calls it, “feeding the beast.” Image: Dodge The discontinuation of the Charger and Challenger, and the start to the brand’s EV models are all a bigger part of its “Never Lift” plan. Within the 24 months of the plan, Dodge plans to release special editions of each departing model: Editions they think will get people talking like the recently introduced Jailbreak. It’s really more of a softening of the blow to muscle car fans who will soon be robbed of their Hemi fix from the brand. Image: Dodge So, you’re asking, “what’s replacing the Charger and Challenger?” Those of you waiting for an EV muscle car won’t have to wait long. Kuniskis says a concept version of the “muscle EV” is coming in the next four or five months. And in a surprising nod to automotive outlets, it’ll be able to be driven and tested. Dodge also has a plug-in hybrid expected to go into production at the end of 2022. We speculate it may be a version of the Durango, but Kuniskis didn’t say whether or not the Durango would be moving to a new platform or if the model would be around at all. A third new model is also in the works. Kuniskis is light on details, but says “The third one is going to be a very, very, very, significant car at the end of the year.” And in a move that should make our very own Jason Torchinsky very happy, Dodge’s made up Fratzog badge will be used exclusively on EVs. Whatever floats your boat, or rather, charges your batteries. So you muscle car fans who are mad about this: calm down. Chances are the power output is even better than your Hemis anyways, and it needs to be done for the planet. You can expect these new models to take the stage at major auto shows next year, presumably in Dodge’s Detroit home, at the North American International Auto Show.>

With all the rave over electric cars in Singapore recently... According to Rave Reviews, Tesla is apparently Singapore's most hated brand. https://www.sgcarmart.com/news/article.php?AID=25607&fbclid=IwAR12tO1yIbeN82ozi62UuskdsiFJ9xyYkiJgLEon6QocQaHXcFaffLKF0m4 What is your take for it? Would you choose Tesla if an electric car is going to be your next car? Also, if no, why?

https://www.thedrive.com/tech/43172/ev-fire-extinguisher-pumps-water-straight-into-the-batteries <EV Fire Extinguisher Pumps Water Straight Into the Batteries The extinguisher hopes to make fighting EV fires easier for emergency crews. Electric vehicles pose a unique risk on the road, in that their lithium-ion batteries can catch fire and burn fiercely in an accident. Fighting these fires poses a challenge for emergency responders, which Austrian firm Rosenbauer hopes to solve with its new extinguisher specially designed for the task, as reported by Rideapart. The system consists of an extinguishing unit which is placed under the target vehicle, and a control unit which can be operated by firefighters from a safe distance, with the two connected by hoses. For cars on their side or roof, the extinguisher unit can be placed on the top of a vehicle, or even in the interior or luggage compartment, in order to best access the battery. Once activated from the control unit, the extinguisher drives a piercing nozzle into the battery pack, allowing it to pump water directly where it's needed to cool the battery modules or the cells themselves. It's an effective way to bring the battery temperature down, calming the thermal runaway that makes lithium-ion battery fires so spectacular. Being able to directly fill the battery with water is a far more efficient way of fighting a battery fire than simply blasting away with a hose from the outside. Rosenbauer notes that this has multiple benefits, allowing crews to put out EV fires more quickly, while also reducing the amount of harmful smoke and gases released along the way. The system also allows firefighters to remain at a safe distance, 25 feet away from the vehicle, operating the control unit rather than having to hold a hose. The extinguishing unit can also be left attached to the vehicle during transport, once the fire has been put out. Damaged batteries can sometimes catch fire again after initially being extinguished, so having the unit still attached allows more water to be pumped into the battery if necessary at a later time. The system has been tested in partnership with several organizations to ensure the hardware is fit for service. Patrick Looß, head of the Securitas Fire and Safety department in Leipzig, Germany, noted that "The extinguishing system is currently one of the best and most innovative of its kind to contain the spread of battery fires. Operation is very user-friendly and effective. From my point of view, the system is a must-have for every fire department." Expect to see this and other similar solutions become popular with fire departments as more electric cars get on the road. Alternatively, if solid-state batteries ever go mainstream, their lower flammability could also go a long way to solving the fire issue. Until then, however, fire crews around the world will need to be prepared to deal with battery fires, and gear like this goes a long way to helping in those situations.>

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a38090275/biggest-threat-from-electric-cars/ "Electric Cars Could Represent an Existential Threat for Luxury and Performance Brands Every company seems jazzed about the electric future. Think hard about market forces, though, and it’s obvious that someone is going to lose. How do you justify this many high-end car brands when every electric powertrain feels fundamentally the same? A question like that could kill a brand. Yet wandering the halls of the electric-oriented Munich auto show, you won’t find answers. You won’t even find anyone acknowledging the question. Here, the future is brilliant, boundless, and secure. Every brand is uniquely capable of winning. Every car is uniquely suited to its electric mission. And every executive can recite from memory the story of what will surely happen over the next decade. Getting out of one electric car demonstration drive and into another, though, I was unconvinced. Everyone cannot win. And the nature of electric cars likely means there can be fewer winners in the future. Evidence in favor surfaced in the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The electric crossover looks like an upsized Eighties hot hatch adapted for Cyberpunk, with an interior that could shame many concept cars. On the country lanes circling metro Munich, the Ioniq was brilliant. Its cabin was Cadillac quiet, its powertrain Rolls-Royce refined. Even in a lineup filled with all-stars, the Ioniq 5 is special. To deem the Hyundai as good as Mercedes’s flagship EQS electric mega-sedan would be an overstatement, of course. Going from the Hyundai to the Benz, there’s a palpable step-up, not just inside, but in the overall experience of the car. But it’s a gap that’s not quite big enough to keep sweat off the suits in Stuttgart. The Ioniq 5 might not be the match of the EQS, but it’s a hell of a lot closer than any middling Hyundai has ever been to the luxury stalwart, the Mercedes S-class. One core competency that unites the most conventionally successful premium brands is their mastery of the internal-combustion engine. McLaren and Porsche offer not just power but power that’s immediate and unending. Power with thunderous V-8 or wailing flat-six acoustic accompaniment. Rolls-Royce and Bentley, meanwhile, trade not only in suede and solidity, but smoothness and silence. As the industry shifts toward electric propulsion, these companies will inevitably continue to offer plenty of power, effortless acceleration, and total tranquility. Trouble is, so will Hyundai. So when whatever’s on the lot for $299 a month can get off the line without hesitation in its powertrain or vibrations through its seat rails, it’s hard to imagine how much more will the market bear for the driving experience of a Rolls-Royce. Surely names like Rolls-Royce and Mercedes stand for more than just engine refinement. Luxury brands have long differentiated themselves with stunning interiors, next-gen technology, seamless sales and service procedures, and exclusivity. But anyone with a cursory understanding of economics knows that the fewer differentiating factors there are to compete on, the tighter the margins will be in any market. This is why the endless variations of apples drive strong profits (have you seen what Honeycrisps go for?), while the genetic clone that is the common banana can be picked up for pennies. Electric motors are closer to the latter than the former. Every electric motor good enough to land in a current production car is torquey and linear. Some are permanent magnet, some are synchronous, but you’d never feel the difference if you weren’t told. EV powertrains can compete on how long they can draw from their batteries before they die, how efficient they are, or how well they’re tuned. Yet the fundamental experience is the same. Asked about how they’ll address this, different premium brands offer different not entirely satisfying answers. AMG says it’ll differentiate itself on tuning. BMW points to its in-house motors as a source of pride. Rolls-Royce ignores the email. Others have more to say in informal chats, but every major OEM stops short of admitting that someone’s going to get hurt. Because if you, as an automaker, acknowledge the obvious conclusion to the question, you may be expected to come up with a solution. No one seems close. It doesn’t take a trip to Munich to see it. Wander around any urban center and you won’t find it swarmed with I-Paces or e-trons. All you’ll see are gas cars and Teslas. It took an upstart to recognize that you didn’t need intricate interiors and unquestionable quality to stake a claim in the premium space. The EV experience was luxurious enough; all it took was that and a big touchscreen to convince the world that the brand selling the world’s simplest interiors was worthy of the luxury moniker. Less than a decade later, Tesla is the only EV that matters. For now, at least. It is all but impossible to build a successful business these days on sedans, unless of course the sedans have “Tesla” on the steering apparatus. The brand is so profoundly captivating that market trends seemingly do not apply. As the electric offerings from competitors improve, the homogeneity of the EV experience will threaten Tesla too. But its status as the default EV brand gives it some time to settle the matter. Those are the spoils of being the first company to understand the immense opportunity afforded by the switch to electric cars. Tesla hasn’t had to face the fundamental question here because it owns the space. In their rush to catch up, though, traditional automakers have become blind to the brewing threat of that very same transition. If they want to endure, they’ll have to find more unique, enduring visions beyond making their current cars electric. Otherwise, I’m not sure that the utopian vision from the auto show stands a chance at coming true."

nice looking concept from honda. Much better than the Insight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfD67KCFxqI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi2wrqAlK5Q looks a tad like the first gen civic

https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/motoring/ford-agent-lands-byd-dealership I'm excited by the prospects of the introduction of BYD cars, but I'm apprehensive about Vantage Motors as their agent... Their track record with Ford has not been the best.. As for the idea of buying an electric car, there's a whole debate on how green they really are, especially when you take into account the carbon footprint of making the battery and it's disposal. As for buying Chinese, that's ok, there are different levels of QC - their local Chinese market ones can be quite nasty, but their better ones are very impressive. I think they will want to put their best food forward.. and already BYD cars are being used as taxis.. Vantage will be pleased, their business has been rather slow recently.. BTW mods: BYD is not a selectable option in the list of car brands for discussion... FYI...

As you all probably know by now, Top Gear isn't the most reliable source of information on 'Green' cars because of their inherent hatred towards them making them more prone to giving biased reviews. However, whoever said Top Gear was about pure facts? Its hilarious! Obviously, Clarkson and May were using EVs for a rather incredibly stupid but entertaining challenge; they were going for a cross country 'trek' which i assume is what these EVs were 'made for' if you catch my drift. Clarkson was in the Nissan Leaf which as you know if you have been reading this blog, it won the 2011 World Car of the Year. I actually wonder how it did that since 2011 isn't even over yet. Anyway, James May was driving a Peugeot iOn which is basically just a Mitsubishi i-MiEV till his ran out of juice as well. How coincidental. I wouldn't be surprised if it was staged but who really cares? Its all for entertainment sake anyway. I know there are lots of people who despise Top Gear's style of info-tainment but I'd say just let the boys have some fun eh?

Mercedes has teamed up with China car manufacturer BYD to create a whole new automotive firm for the Chinese market. Though the name hasn't been cast in stone yet, it is by no surprise as to why Mercedes has chosen BYD to be their partner in China when you see the cars that BYD has produced so far. They look almost identical to the cars the Merc produced in the late 1990s! Not only do their cars look identical, their logo is 'inspired' by BMW as well. However, the main partnership between Merc and BYD will be focused predominantly on building cost effective electric cars, and as we all know by now, China is the best place to start looking for 'cost effectiveness'. Apparently, despite the fact that Mercedes spends millions of dollars a day on Research and Development, they haven't found ways to produce an electric car in the cheapest possible way and thus explains their decision to direct their problem to China, where they have found their solution. BYD's Lithium-Ion and Mercedes' Li-Tech battery technology will be combined in the process of manufacturing the new car. Both companies will be sharing their resources and the result will be a car which is cheap to own and will probably do 300,000km since keeping a car for any longer than that is just not the way to go in China. And I think thats true. Mercedes has definitely gone to the right people when they decided they need to learn how to do things cheaply, and in about 3 years time, the world will be able to see the first Mercedes-BYD electric car. Let's see how good, or bad that's going to be.

Now we all know that going green is essential or so it seems, to our survival and our future generations as well. However, when this noble act of saving the earth becomes obsessive and as you will see, rather far fetched, it seems like car manufacturers are just jumping on the bandwagon to show that they're being 'green' and 'environmentally friendly' when in actuality, it may just be marketing ploys and the influence of pop culture. In one of the most surprising revelations in the recent weeks, Indonesia has revealed their latest creation. A hybrid car. Which is both amusing and rather desperate when you find out how long it takes to start up. The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) revealed their car and unfortunately, it took 15 minutes to actually move. No doubt it still is in it infant stages, but when you reveal a car to the world, at least make sure it works! The ride was bumpy, slow, and there isn't even power steering. So is this a step forward or backwards? It becoming rather confusing. The main idea of a hybrid car would send the message that a country is moving forwards in the spectrum of technology, but this? I highly doubt so. The LIPI produced car is just one extreme. On the other hands, there are geeks all over the world who congregate together and think of ideas and designs which frankly only people who live in a world where everyone travels around in bubbles can ever think of. And if you thought a Chinese-American union was a good idea, this is what results. General Motors and the Shanghai Automotive Industry have come up with this: the EN V concept which is their idea of a 'new global urban mobility vehicle'. I can't really be bothered to talk about the designs but they can be described with one word; hideous. And this is a quote which explains what these 'urban mobility vehicles' are all about: "The EN-V concepts are GM's solution for the congested urban centers in which we're all likely to live by 2030. Their all-electric, two-wheel drivetrains take care of the emissions problem. They're also fitted with the latest GPS, vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity and an array of sensors and cameras that allow fully autonomous driving. The effect of all this tech is less congestion on city roads and the virtual elimination of accidents. Zero emissions, zero traffic jams and zero accidents

- A Leaf Now after writing about hybrids and then reading about the Nissan Leaf I am of the opinion that totally electric cars (not hybrids) of the near future (anything less than 5years from today) are actually going to be troublesome for most of us. Firstly, if you read their specs they have the range of about 2 feet on a single charge. Really. A supposed 160 kilometers range (like the Nissan Leaf) is actually useful if you work within a radius of 20km and you don't do any outside appointments. This is because in our climate, humidity, heat and traffic will mean that batteries will not last as long as cooler climates and a theoretical 150km mileage could be much less. If you travel a lot, which this writer over here does on a daily basis, a totally electric car isn't practical at all. And not all drivers are sensible drivers. Last week I witnessed a Toyota Prius which was piloted by someone who absolutely was trying to overtake every other car on the highway. I don't think any hybrid or totally electric car will save the world if Lead Foot Larry was doing the driving. Secondly, a fully electric car will be a pain if you have to open the socket cover on an electric car, take a power cord and plug in to recharge every time it goes flat or every time you reach home. Most of us already find it tedious going to the gas station to queue up, pop open the filler lid, reach for the pump and them pump petrol or diesel into the car at least once or twice a week. Now, with an electric car, we are supposed to do something dreary and totally dull almost everyday. Unless electric cars have a battery life of your average cellular phone, which is at least three to five days between charges, most long haul drivers will keep away from electric cars. Maybe it could work in a country like Singapore, where most commutes are short distances, most of the time. Thirdly. Have you heard your blender or your vacuum cleaner lately? They sound utterly and terribly boring, even if they may be noisy. Their electric motors spin at thousands of revs per minutes but they just sound monotonous. How interesting would a sports car be if it were powered by a blender? Look at the Tesla Roadster, yes its green, yes its fast (to a point) but it is so quiet but if the electric motor were to make a sound, it would sound like those appliances or a large version of the R/C car you bought for your kid last Christmas. They would just go 'wheeeeeeeeeee' and nothing else. One of the points of actual sports car driving or ownership is the aural thrills it would give you. If you've heard a Zonda, or a SL55 or a 911 GT3 RS or even a F430, all of which I have had the opportunity of hearing their exhaust notes on song, you'd never want a silent car, ever. The sound made by all of these cars, you will never find in a Tesla or even a Prius. Or maybe they should make all electric cars sound like those pod racers in Star Wars. Especially Sebulba's pod racer. Or then again, make it sound like a TIE fighter. Then I'd buy an electric car. Go watch Star Wars and choose your favourite sounds for your electric car's noise making speakers, if they ever installed speakers to liven up electrics/hybrids. It actually would make people buy them if it sounded like something from Star Wars. - Let's put speakers on quiet electric cars like the Tesla and make them sound like.... -.............. this. So does that mean that I will never go green? I hereby promise to keep the potted plants on my apartment balcony alive by watering them so that they absorb carbon from the atmosphere, buy a British Racing Green coloured car, put paper/aluminium/glass waste in their respective bins and then save up and buy a C63 AMG as it has catalytic converters in its exhaust system that will actually clean the air that it consumes to make that beautiful Messerschmidt-like AMG V8 sound. - an 'environmentally friendly' car I'd buy.

As we are all familiar by now, hybrid cars run on both petrol engine and an electric motor. And this has caused a rather unusual problem. They're too quiet and that poses a source of danger to pedestrians like children or old people who can't really hear that well. Amazingly, hybrid cars such as the Prius only emit 30 decibels which is as loud as a Careless Whisperer.. The Japanese government is stepping in to tackle this new problem on their hands, one which they created for themselves in the interest of public safety and being environmentally friendly. What they plan to do is to install a simple device that makes a noise while the car is operating on its electric motor. The biggest problem that the Japanese government faces is the kind of sound that the car should make. Some suggested the sound of a horse's hooves, the voice of a person shouting out warnings, or the amplified sound of tyres. One thing's for sure is that the Japanese never fail to entertain just by looking at the suggestions to solve the problem! However, the Transport Authorities aren't going to make it compulsory to install such sound-generating devices into hybrids or electric cars even though they are becoming increasingly popular in Japan. Just imagine the roads of Japan with sounds of ducks, horses, monkeys? A jet fighter, a bomb, a phone ringing, an ice-cream van jingle. The list can go on... Which is why the authorities want to standardize the type of sound emitted before they implement such measures. Since Japan is always at the forefront of technological advances, I believe that if Singapore follows their example of promoting environmentally friendly vehicles like hybrids and EVs (electric vehicles), we will face the same problem they are facing now one day. So get our heads cracking and decide whether your car should go 'Moo' or 'Ruff ruff!'... But come on, what's wrong with conventional engine noises? Stuff your eco-friendly car with some Bose speakers and blast the sound of a burbling Supercharged V8 from a Mercedes SLR or something and the problem is solved. Well that's one possibility. What do you think?