SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTWEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2020

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMohammed Salim Mohamed

SUPPLEMENT EDITORPramod Prabhakaran

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDr. Khalid M Al-Shafi

ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATORMuhammad Shammas

DESIGNAbraham Augusthy

DAVID SHEPARDSON REUTERS

In a first-of-its-kind approval by US regulators, a federal agency recently gave permission for autonomous vehicle startup Nuro Inc over the next two years

to deploy up to 5,000 low-speed electric delivery vehicles without human controls like mirrors and steering wheels.

The rollout of the R2 vehicle will take place in Houston, with plans for it to deliver items like pizza and groceries. It is about half the width of a regular car, has no steering wheel or seating

positions and boasts gull-wing cargo doors reminiscent of the time-traveling car in the “Back to the Future” films.

Nuro, a privately held robotics company based in Mountain View, Cal-ifornia, said it will begin public road testing to prepare deliveries in Houston in the coming weeks. Nuro called the regulatory approval by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “a milestone for the industry.”

Americans “waste a lot of time running errands,” Nuro said, adding that it envisions “a future where eve-rything comes to you, on-demand, for free.”

The agency’s approval of Nuro’s

petition will allow the company to deploy the R2, a vehicle designed to have no human occupants and operate exclusively with an automated driving system, as part of a delivery service for restaurants, grocery stores and others. Walmart Inc and Domino’s Pizza said last year they would launch pilot delivery projects with Nuro in Houston.

The R2, which Nuro describes as an “electric-powered delivery robot,” is designed to make short trips and will be restricted to pre-mapped neigh-borhood streets. Nuro told NHTSA in its October 2018 petition that the R2 vehicles will at all times be monitored by remote human operators who can take over driving control if needed.

Automakers must meet about 75 auto safety standards to win such reg-ulatory approval, many of which were put in place with the assumption that a licensed human driver would be in control.

The approval followed three years of talks between the government and Nuro. US lawmakers have spent years trying to overhaul federal laws to speed deployment of self-driving vehicles.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said in a statement that for Nuro “certain features that the department traditionally required - such as mirrors and windshield for vehicles carrying drivers - no longer make sense.”

The agency said it issued the approval with such exemptions, the first time it ever approved a petition to allow deployment of automated

driving systems without meeting all existing US auto safety standards. NHTSA said as a condition of its approval it would require “greater oversight of the R2 than typical for an exempt vehicle” including “required outreach to the communities where the R2 will be deployed.”

Nuro said despite the approval, regulators “must modernize the existing regulations that never envi-sioned a vehicle without a driver or occupants.”

Because the R2 is classified as a low-speed neighbourhood vehicle, it does not need to meet all safety requirements of traditional vehicles.

Nuro partnered with Michigan-based supplier Roush to build the R2 with 65% more compartment space than the prior version, new temper-ature controls to keep food fresh and

a larger battery pack to enable all-day operation.

NHTSA said the R2 includes the same automated driving system present in Nuro’s prior “R1” vehicle.

Nuro, which was co-founded in 2016 by two former engineers of Google’s self-driving car project, said last year it raised $940 million from SoftBank Group Corp, which valued the Silicon Valley-based company at $2.7 billion.

Nuro has worked with grocery store chain Kroger Co since 2018 on a pilot project to deliver groceries auton-omously, first in Scottsdale, Arizona and then in Houston.

NHTSA is requiring real-time reporting about safety issues, regular meetings with the agency and com-munity engagement in deployment areas.

US startup Nuro to deploy driverless delivery vehicles

Four commonly held myths about tyres

Future of mobility: Some wildrides seen ahead at tech show

PAGE 02 PAGE 06

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 20202

Auto Class Cars unveils special offer on MG 6

1. Plenty of tread means plenty of remaining tire life.

Here’s the truth: Many are sur-prised that tyres can reach the end of their lives without having gone far or done much work.

Some auto manufacturers rec-ommend replacing tyres every five or six years, regardless of tread depth. A tyre that's been on a car seven or eight years is much like a 65-year-old human: No matter how fit and healthy he looks; he shouldn't play football against 19-year-olds. If it's 105 degrees Fahr-enheit outside, a simple stroll can be deadly to both out-of-shape older people and poorly maintained old tyres.

Here's how you can tell how old

your tire is:Look on the sidewall to find the

letters "DOT." Following that will be a sequence of numbers, which may be in three or four separate windows. The last four numbers tell when the tire was made: "3112" means the tire was built during the 31st week of 2012.

Check for hairline cracks in the sidewall. Cracks are a strong indication the tire needs to be replaced.

Inspect for deteriorating rubber, which can be a big problem for rarely driven vehicles, such as motor homes, collector cars and exotic cars.2. A tyre will burst if the "max press" number on the sidewall is exceeded.

Here’s the truth: A new quality tyre will not burst even if the "max press" is exceeded by a very large amount. However, all bets are off if the tyre has been damaged or it's fitted on a cheap or damaged wheel.

The “max press” number, coupled with the “max load” number (also found on the sidewall), provides the maximum load-carrying ability of a tyre. Know this: It's air pressure that allows the tyre to carry a load. At 1

pound per square inch (psi) of air pressure a tire can support no weight. To increase its load-carrying capacity, air pressure must be increased. (Imagine a plastic soft-drink bottle: With the top off, it's easily crushed; but when it’s new and unopened, it can support a grown man.) However, at some pressure, adding more air to the tyre will not provide increased weight-carrying capacity. That's what the "max load/max pressure" means.3. The "max press" on the sidewall is the proper inflation pressure for your tyres.

Here’s the truth: The proper inflation pressure for a tyre is deter-mined by the vehicle manufacturer

– not by the tyre manufacturer. The new cars have the recommended pressure on a placard located on the driver's doorjamb. On older cars this placard was often on the doorjamb, but it could also be found on the trunk lid, glove box door, console lid or fuel door. If you can't find the recom-mended pressure placard, look in your owner's manual or call your vehicle manufacturer's customer service department. Inflating the tyre above the vehicle manufacturer's recommen-dation may make it more susceptible to damage from potholes and will reduce ride comfort.4. Budget-brand tyres are as good as big-name brands because they're built by the same company.

Here’s the truth: As with most products, you get what you pay for.

It's easy to see how this miscon-ception developed. Each tyre company has a premium brand upon which it focuses its research, development and testing. In addition, almost all of these companies pro-duce other brands. Many build tyres for others to sell under different brand names. The R&D from the premium brand often – but not always – trickles down into the budget brands. So maybe the differ-ence is so small that you can't tell the difference. Or maybe not.

You can be fairly certain that dis-count and private brand tires built by big-name companies will resist failures as well as that company's premium offerings. However, things like tread life, traction, ability to resist deep water, noise and comfort will probably – but not always – be inferior.

It's easy to argue that tyres are the most complex, most important, least understood, least appreciat-ed and least maintained component on any vehicle. Serious drivers will tell you they know that al-ready.

Top four tyre myths

Auto Class Cars, the authorized dis-tributor of MG in Qatar, launched a new offer on MG 6 sedan with special price and a package of benefits.

The price of the sedan starts from QR 60,000 with no down payment and availability on monthly installments, free registration and com-prehensive insurance for one year, 6 years war-ranty or 200,000 km (whichever comes first).

In addition, all new buyers will have free tinting for the cars and will get a gift of gold coins immediately on purchase.

Hesham Al-Sahn, General manager of Auto Class Cars said: “The MG6 retains its position as one of the best sedans. Today we are pleased to present this special offer with a great package of benefits, and complementary gold coins paid to the new buyers upon purchase. This is our way to reiterate our commitment towards our community and customers who trust our brand and are keen to drive one of our cars. We will continue our special offers to give them the best deals ever."

The MG 6 along with MG line up of cars are available now at Auto Class Cars showroom on Salwa Road.

The sleek, dynamic profile of the all-new MG 6 is boosted by carbon fibre trim on the front bumper, headlamps featuring a ‘London

Eye’ design concept, twin chrome exhaust pipes and a ‘Star Rider’ front grille, which takes inspi-ration from the brand’s expressive design lan-guage. The sporty, premium vibe continues inside the cabin with a smartly configured dash-board and central console, complemented by stylish leather-wrapped seats boasting a black and red interior on top-of-the-range models.

In addition to offering the most interior space in its segment, the all-new MG 6 builds on MG’s reputation for providing extremely generous levels of equipment. An 8-inch colour touch screen with Apple CarPlay, push start button, keyless entry, auto hold function, tyre pressure monitoring system, rear parking camera, and a dual-zone cool climate control system featuring rear air-conditioning vents are just some of the features that are set to be offered as standard.

The MG 6 will be equipped with a 1.5-litre turbo engine, mated to a 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DTC) with paddle shift option, for smooth, effortless performance. This effi-cient petrol unit delivers maximum power of 169hp and maximum torque of 250Nm.

Since its acquisition of MG Motor, SAIC MOTOR, as a Global Top 500 company, has opened a new chapter for this British-born brand with the introduction of totally new models in different categories.

Free gold coins to new buyers

Most of us know very little about tyres – and a lot of what we think we know is flat wrong. Here are four commonly held myths about tyres.

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2020 3

Every Cadillac is designed to stand out. And the XT6 is no exception. This luxurious 3-row crossover has now arrived at the Cadillac Mannai showroom. Mannai, the exclusive dealer of Cadillac in

Qatar has announced that the vehicle is now available for sale starting from “QR229,000”, customers are encouraged to call the hotline 800-1808 for more information and to book a test drive .

Attention to detail is the mark of a luxury experience, so the 2020 Cadillac XT6 has been carefully curated to offer a refined ride and com-fortable interior that elevate every drive.

“The interior environment is about simplicity, with an execution of premium materials,” said Andrew Smith, executive director, Cadillac Design. “We want the customer to focus on the expe-rience —making each journey extraordinary.”

Some of design details in the XT6 are front and center, such as the exotic wood decor on the Premium Luxury model and the precision weave in the carbon fiber trim on the XT6 Sport model. Premium French seaming appears throughout the cabin, and perforations in the available ven-tilated front seats echo the shape of the Cadillac crest.

Finer details are woven into the fabric of the XT6’s functionality. They blend thoughtful design and clever engineering solutions to amplify the vehicle’s refinement, flexibility and comfort.

“The XT6’s thoughtful details reveal them-selves the longer you live with the car,” said John Plonka, XT6 chief engineer. “Our goal is to antic-ipate our customer’s needs for a refined, engaging ride, matched with an interior experience that provides a place of rejuvenation, connectivity and adaptability in all three rows.”

1. A Dimensional Design That Foils WearA vehicle’s grille is literally and figuratively

on the front line when it comes to appearance and wear. The XT6 Premium Luxury model stands up to tough road conditions with a bright grille finish created with a premium hot foil stamping process. The dimensional, foil-based finish is treated with a protective coating to make it more durable and easier to clean.

2. Spoiler AlertForm and function blend seamlessly in the

XT6’s rear spoiler. Its primary role is enhancing aerodynamic efficiency, but it also cleverly houses the rear window wiper and washer, as well as the available rearview mirror camera1 and wash.

All are cleverly hidden beneath the spoiler’s trailing edge for a cleaner, smoother appearance — and an unobstructed rear view.

A hydrophobic coating on the XT6’s rear camera lenses helps resist mud, snow and spotting, a detail drivers will appreciate every time it rains or snows.

3. Seeing Clearly, Day or NightThe XT6 offers technologies to help support

a clear, unobstructed view. The available Sur-round Vision camera system1 provides a bird’s-eye view of the vehicle, making tight maneuvers and obstacles easier to manage. The available Rear Camera Mirror1 provides a digital display that removes objects that could obstruct a tradi-tional rear mirror view, such as passengers, head-rests or the vehicle structure itself.

The available Night Vision1 system is designed to provide the driver with an infrared night vision image of the area beyond the headlamps that highlights and provides alerts when it detects pedestrians or large animals. The system pro-vides additional alerts if the XT6 is approaching

an identified pedestrian too quickly, potentially giving drivers more time to react.

4. A Place for EverythingThe XT6’s first-row center console offers a

convenient, lined and lit storage area with a ded-icated phone compartment and standard wireless charging, a flocked change holder and cupholders with retractable lids. In the second row, the rear console drawer glides on metal rails for smooth operation and offers convenient storage space. Third-row storage includes individual cupholders and phone storage for both passengers.

The rear cargo area features underfloor storage with a clever cover that stays open in any position or at any angle for additional carrying capacity and easy loading — an elegant and thoughtful detail with immeasurable function-ality. The covered compartment in the floor of the XT6’s cargo area is perfect for stowing things out of sight.

5. Breathe Easy The available, next-generation air ionizer is

designed to clean the XT6’s air by reducing air-borne contaminants such as pollen and fine par-ticulate matter. Cleaner air can make the drive more comfortable, particularly for those who suffer seasonal allergies.

6. Safe ZoneBeing a modern family crossover, the Cadillac

XT6 offers the most comprehensive standard safety package in its class. It comes standard with seven airbags, including a roof rail-mounted head-curtain airbags for outboard positions of all three seating rows. It also gets an HD Rear Vision Camera with Remote Wash for impec-cable visibility while reversing.

Other safety features include Forward Col-lision Alert, Following Distance Indicator, Auto-matic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Front and Rear Park Assist, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Safety Alert Seat and Rear Seat Reminder. All in all, the XT6 is one of the safest vehicles in its class.

All-new 2020 Cadillac XT6 arrives in Qatar

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 20204

2020 Mazda3 Sedan and Hatchback, Mazda6, CX-3 and CX-5 earn IIHS “Top Safety Pick+" award

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently announced that the Mazda3 Sedan and Hatchback, Mazda6, CX-3,

and CX-5 vehicles have earned its 2020 Top Safety Pick+ award. Mazda’s CX-9 Crossover earns an additional Top Safety Pick for 2020 Model Year (MY) when equipped with specific head-lights. IIHS noted Mazda as a standout, earning more awards than any other automaker.

To qualify for the 2020 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards, Mazda vehicles earned good ratings in each of the Institute’s six crashwor-thiness evaluations: moderate overlap front, driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints & seats. Mazda vehicles also earned advanced or superior ratings for front crash prevention in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian eval-uations. Additionally, Mazda achieved good or acceptable headlight ratings, with the “plus” awarded to its models that come exclusively with good or acceptable rated headlights.

“We are proud to be the top 2020 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award recipient. It’s a big accomplishment and stems from our commitment to our owners,” said Mazda spokesperson. “Always keeping our customers in mind, Mazda is dedicated to providing the most advanced safety technologies, giving our customers a more enjoyable and confident driving experience.”

Mazda’s i-Activsense is an umbrella term covering a series of advanced safety technologies which make use of detection devices such as milli-wave radars and cameras. They include active safety technologies that support safer driving by helping the driver to recognize potential hazards, and pre-crash safety technologies which help to avert collisions or reduce their severity in situations where they cannot be avoided. Mazda’s i-Activ-sense advanced safety technologies include Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, Smart Brake Support with Collision Warning, Smart Brake Support, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go Function, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning System with Lane-Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert, High Beam Control, Adaptive Front-Lighting System, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

To learn more about Mazda’s i-Activsense advanced safety tech-nology, please visit the Mazda website - https://www.mazda.com/en/inno-vation/technology/safety/

The IIHS is an independent, non-governmental safety-testing organi-zation, funded by the insurance industry. For more information, visit https : / /www.i ihs .org/rat ings/top-safety-picks.

National Car Company is the sole agent for Mazda in Qatar for over the last 4 decades. The new generation of Mazda sedans and SUVs are currently on display at the state-of-the-art showroom located in Al Nasr.

Introducing the 2020 model range with the highest safety ratings, Mazda

spokesperson said. “Each Mazda vehicle is brought to life through a sense of motion and speed, even at a complete standstill through impas-sioned designers and engineers. Mazda’s “soul of motion” KODO design philosophy is reflected in the sleek and aerodynamic lines breathing life into the car. The design embodies the dynamic beauty of life, the power and elegance of a wild animal in the instant when it pounces on its prey. That's the essence of the ultimate “Motion Form” envisioned by Mazda and the reason why Mazda stands unique in a diverse marketplace.”

Feel Pure Driving Pleasure: Skyactiv Technology

Mazda’s path breaking SKYACTIV family of technologies that lifts per-formance to new heights and delivers sheer driving pleasure at the same time. Effortless joyful driving makes one feel alive!

Ingenious Solutions Spark Breakthroughs

Mazda’s engineers design their cars to a feeling, not a spec sheet. They know they got it right when the car feels like it has come to life. And at the heart of every Mazda is its engine – its life force.

Mazda is constantly looking for ways to increase the efficiency of its engines without sacrificing per-formance. While most of the auto-motive world has given up on inno-vating the internal combustion engine, Mazda believes there is still room for improvement. It is this obsession with squeezing more efficiency through continuous improvements that has led to some of Mazda’s most prolific breakthroughs.

Kodo Design - Breathing Life into the Car

The Kodo – Soul Motion design, breathing life into the car, has been rede-fined by strengthening the low, wide expression of the evolved Mazda identity. Mazda has settled on ‘refined toughness’ as a keyword and challenged themselves to elevate the KODO concept to a new level. Inspired by traditional Japanese crafts, Mazda has pursued minimalist aesthetics -Less Is More Concept free of all non-essential elements. The result is a bold and premium-looking exterior, and an interior that gives all occupants a pleasant feeling.

Driving DynamicsMazda new generation vehicles are

equipped with G-Vectoring Control Plus, the first of the Skyactiv-Vehicle Dynamics technologies. Driving per-formance has been polished in line with human sensibilities, realizing dynamic behavior that corresponds with driver expectations and a com-fortable ride with minimal torso-sway for all vehicle’s occupants. The cabin is quieter, allowing for more com-fortable conversation, and the rear seats provide greater levels of comfort and usability.

Confidence Inspiring i-Activ All-Wheel Drive

Mazda’s unwavering commitment to making vehicles that thrill and delight is evident in the driving dynamics derived from the confident inspiring i-ACTIV AWD which is far ahead in technology and performance than any contemporary crossover SUV.

The assurance of i-ACTIV all-wheel drive comes through its sensors, which take into account factors like steering angle, throttle inputs and wheel-spin along with temperature and use of wipers to paint a clear picture of the outside conditions. i-ACTIV all-wheel drive can adjust power output more than 200 times per second, using 27 different variables, to “predict” what the road conditions look like.

Mazda scores most 2020 IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick+’ awards

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 20206

In the not-too-distant future you could ride one, two or three wheels... or maybe none at all.

Tech-inspired solutions for mobility -- on land, air and water -- featured prominently at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show last month in las Vegas.

Some innovators played with long-established ideas like the bicycle or scooter by adding arti-ficial intelligence, electric power and other technologies.

With bold and striking designs, the new trans-portation gadgetry suggests a wild ride ahead:

Autonomous and sharedAutonomous and shared vehicles intended to

curb traffic and emissions were front and center.Swiss-based group Rinspeed showed its latest

"modular mobility" vehicle "Metrosnap," which is built on a skateboard-like chassis and looks like a futuristic minibus. Different components can be swapped in to accommodate passengers, deliveries or even a mobile retail outlet.

Germany's Bosch showed a similar auton-omous shuttle bus-style vehicle that can offer "customized on-demand mobility."

"If there is demand, it can transport people, and then if there is a need to move goods, it can be adapted for that as well," said Bosch's Andrew Yip.

Juergen Reers, a mobility analyst with Accenture, said people are looking for flexible solutions.

"People want something more than (transit) where they are tied to rigid schedules and pickup stations," he said.

Pedal power, with extrasAdaptations of the bicycle, infused with new

tech for the connected generation, appeared at CES.

French startup Wello showed its open-sided, three-wheeled car-bike that relies on pedaling, electric power and solar panels on the roof, already in use by French postal services.

"It's taking the best from the bicycle and the best from the car," said Arnaud Chereau, co-founder of the group, which is based in Reunion

Island in the Indian Ocean."It's 100 percent sustainable because it pro-

duces energy from the solar panels."Also seen at the show was an off-road electric

cargo bike from Sweden-based startup Cake, which riders can customize for various kinds of trips.

"You can commute to work, pick up your gro-ceries and then Grab your surfboard and head to the beach," Cake spokesman Garin Fons said of the two-wheeler.

Another electric-assisted tricycle concept from Italian startup Measy adds another dimension: a cargo bay for a small delivery robot that can be set free to bring goods inside buildings.

"This is a concept for multimobility," said Measy engineer Matta De Santis, demonstrating with a robot from fellow Italian startup Yape.

China-based Smacircle offered a simpler, lighter electric bicycle designed as two small, con-nected rings that fold up and fit a backpack or commuter case.

"If you take a train to work, you can use this for the first mile or last mile," said Smacircle's Darren Pike of the e-bike, which is only 53 cen-timeters (20 inches) high and weighs just over 10 kilos (24 pounds).

Breaking the moldSome models presented a more outlandish

way to get from A to B.Ninebot Segway, which makes personal trans-

porters and scooters, unveiled its S-Pod, a self-balancing armchair designed for urban streets.

"We are looking at different solutions for urban mobility," said company spokeswoman Julie Tang.

According to Segway, the new personal transport pod can travel up to 24 miles (39 kil-ometers) an hour and is designed with intuitive controls to avoid tipping over.

New Zealand startup Manta5 presented its water bike, which also uses electricity.

"Our founder had a dream that he was riding a bicycle, and he saw dolphins, and that's how this started," said spokesman Louis Wilks.

The Manta5 hydrofoiler, with variable electric power assistance, is "a new category of water sport" that is quiet, environmentally friends and allows you "to see directly into the water," Wilks said.

Flying above the crowdSome CES exhibitors said the best way to

cope with traffic on the ground is to rise above it. Aeronext unveiled a scaled-down model of its "flying gondola" designed as a personal trans-porter. The gondola uses so-called "4D gravity" to keep the passenger compartment stable even during turbulence.

"This is original technology. Conventional air mobility drones are not stable," said Keisuke Toji, chief executive of the group, which has offices in Japan and China.

Toji said the company hopes to have a working prototype in the next year as it moves toward commercialization.

South Korea's Hyundai meanwhile announced it would begin mass-producing flying cars for Uber, moving the idea of aerial robo-taxis closer to reality.

Putting it all togetherThe vast array of new transport options could

lead to a more sustainable future, but only if coor-dinated, Accenture's Reers said.

Hyundai proposed a network of hubs to connect various forms of personal and mass transit with stations for its drones.

Toyota said it would create a "woven city" in Japan, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, where it would test autonomous driving and related technologies.

At the moment, Reers said cities have resisted new modes of transport like scooters because they don't fit into the ecosystem, highlighting the need for better planning.

"These new developments create huge oppor-tunities to manage the system in a more sus-tainable way," he said. "Instead of looking for the next big thing, we should be thinking about making things work together."

Future of mobility: Some wild rides seen ahead at tech show

An attendee sits in the Wello solar electric tricycle.

An electric cargo bike from Italian startup Measy uses a delivery robot.

The Segway S-Pod can reach up to 39

kilometer (24 miles) per hour.

The Smacircle S1 micro-mobility bike.

Rinspeed's concept vehicle MetroSnap

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2020 7

OTT UMMELAS BLOOMBERG

Sleek new Tesla Model S or electronic BMW has a dis-tinctly 19th century feature that you may not be aware of, among its batteries. A

company in Estonia wants to change that.

Skeleton Technologies Group OU is working on supercapacitors, light-weight and long-life components that can distribute intensive bursts of power. These may help eliminate lead-acid batteries, a piece of technology invented in 1859 that still lurks under the hoods of Teslas in addition to the main lithium-ion power source.

Supercapacitors have some way to go before they are widely adopted. There is still a gap with the popular lithium-ion units on how much energy they can store, Skeleton Chief Exec-utive Officer Taavi Madiberk admits. Even so, the technology is promising for offering higher peak power output and reliability in extreme temperatures and Skeleton has already sold it to clients across the transport industry.

"Sometimes people think that lead is a problem of the past because it relates to internal combustion engines but in practice all electric vehicles have 12-volt lead acid batteries,” Madiberk said. "We are working on a viable alter-native to replace all lead acid batteries."

Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk actually moved to Silicon Valley in the first place to do research on supercapacitors in his PhD studies at Stanford University, he wrote in a blog post in 2006. While Musk eventually dropped out from Stanford to start his new ventures, he hasn’t abandoned his bet on supercapacitors, also referred to as ultracapacitors.

Tesla, also searching for a break-through for electric car batteries, bought Skeleton’s competitor Maxwell Technologies last year. Musk’s company, like other manufacturers, still uses the relatively cheap and recy-clable lead-acid battery in addition to the lithium-ion unit.

The sector is at a stage where the

lithium-ion battery industry was around 1999, according to Madiberk, whose company also has a base in Germany. Back then, lithium-ion bat-teries cost over $5,000 per kilowatt hour, compared with under $200 now. Supercapacitors may similarly go from $5,000 to as low as $300, he said, without giving an exact timeline.

The technology may be useful for some tasks such as regenerating energy from braking, perhaps in conjunction with a lithium-ion unit, said James Frith, an analyst at BloombergNEF who focuses on energy storage. However, it’s only one of a number of available routes for the industry.

"There’s been a lot of interest in supercapacitors over the years,” Frith said. "The trouble is that lithium-ion

batteries have been coming down in price quite rapidly.”

To replace lead-acid batteries, Skeleton is cooperating with some major European carmakers, Madiberk said, without disclosing names. Its products reach an energy density -- a key measure of performance -- of 60 watt-hours per kilogram, exceeding regular lead-acid batteries. Their raw material, a patented graphene com-posite, provides cost advantages in the long term not just compared with lead-acid but also lithium-ion batteries, he said.

"If you look at the supplies of cobalt, lithium, nickel, manganese, then sooner or later with electrification we see significant bottlenecks,” Madiberk said. "The issue with lead is,

of course, it’s toxic: the manufacturing process is environmentally harmful.”

In heavy transportation, Skeleton has supplied systems that recuperate the braking energy of trams made by Czech manufacturer Skoda Trans-portation AS and which reduce the fuel consumption of hybrid-electric buses made by the UK’s Wrights Group Ltd. Having signed orders totaling more than 150 million euros ($163 million) last year, the company targets revenue of 1 billion euros by 2025 when it sees its serviceable market reaching about 60 billion euros. It expects to reach a profit on the operating level by the end of next year.

Aside from Tesla, Madiberk lists US-based AVX Corp. and China State

Railway Group as key competitors. The raw materials Skeleton uses have given it a competitive advantage over the bigger rivals, he said.

The company’s products had the highest power and maximum peak current from five supercapacitor makers, including Maxwell and Ioxus, in last year’s study by the US Office of Naval Research.

Supercapacitors may find their niches if the cost becomes compet-itive, said Frith, the analyst at BloombergNEF.

"The heavy transportation appli-cations probably is the best use case for supercapacitors,” Frith said. "There definitely is a lot of areas within the automotive market where they could find applications.”

Tesla rival sets out to banish 160-year-old lead tech from cars

WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 20208

Qatar Automobiles Company continues special offer on range of Mitsubishi vehicles

Qatar Automobiles C o m p a n y , t h e authorized distributor of Mitsubishi Motors Cor-poration in Qatar, con-

tinues its special offer on a range of Mitsubishi vehicles including Eclipse Cross, Outlander and Mirage.

Valid until March 1, the offer has several benefits including 1-year free comprehensive insurance, 1-year free registration, 3-year warranty or 100,000 km. The vehicles are available with no down payment and the option of in-house financing through NBK Financial Services (terms and conditions apply). The monthly installment starts from QR699, with special prices for cash purchase.

Sheikh Faleh Bin Nawaf Al Thani,

Automotive Operations Director, at Nasser Bin Khaled Group said: “Qatar Automobiles company, as part of its commitment towards our community, continues its special offers to help customers get a new car and enjoy great benefits. With zero down payment and affordable monthly instalments, it is easier to get their favorite car. This is our way to give back to our community”.

Hesham Al Sahn, General Manager of Qatar Automobiles Company said: “Mitsubishi vehicles are well known for their reliability and quality, and meet the customers demand whether for individual use or corporate use. As the offer includes sedan and SUV vehicles, customers can choose what best meet their requirements in an easy way and

enjoy great benefits”.The Eclipse Cross's beautiful,

dynamic form creates the same sense of excitement and inspiration as the diamond ring effect during a total eclipse. While stylish like a coupé, it's unquestionably a Mitsubishi Motors SUV. The dynamic, sculpted form projects the explosive power of an athlete from sporty face to high-tech rear lamps. All harmonize in a strong personality that drives you to explore. The fresh surprise of the body per-sists in the cabin where engineering passion culminates in sporty, dynamic refinement. From distinctive hori-zontal instrument panel to shining silver trim and monotone color scheme, the cockpit welcomes you to a bold new experience with Display Audio and Head Up Display keeping

you stimulated and informed. The newly developed 1.5L petrol turbo engine, it provides a pleasing response, high revolutions and strong acceleration.

Outlander offers plenty of room for seven passengers with its standard third-row seating. You can also quickly change the seating configu-ration to meet your needs with the quick-folding 60/40 split second row and 50/50 split third row seats. No matter where your weekends take you, with optional roof. The 2018 Out-lander is equipped with a 166 horse-power, 2.4L MIVEC engine that achieves 30 highway MPG3, or upgrade to GT for even more per-formance with the powerful 224 horsepower, 3.0L MIVEC engine.

Mitsubishi MIRAGE is the family economy car which secures utmost peace of mind and cost effectiveness. Thanks to its flexibility and minimum fuel consumption, the Mirage meets the expectations of the drivers and passengers alike. In terms of safety, Mitsubishi Mirage has enhanced light body, made of reinforced steel which absorbs shocks and shatters the effect in all directions.

All the cars are available now in Mitsubishi Motors Showroom on Salwa road. Customers can visit the showroom at Salwa Road from Sat-urday to Thursday from 8 am to 9 pm and on Friday from 5 pm to 9 pm, and Al Khor Showroom from Saturday to Wednesday from 8 am to 8 pm, and on Thursday from 8 am to 3 pm.

The offer

includes

Eclipse Cross,

Outlander and

the sedan

Mirage