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PETRONAS ROVR, Malaysia’s First Mobile Refueling Service

The PETRONAS ROVR is Malaysia’s first mobile refueling service.
It widens PETRONAS’s reach to customers.
It delivers petrol to consumers and diesel to commercial fleets.

Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) keeps Malaysians on the move with PETRONAS ROVR, the first mobile refueling service offered by PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad (PDB) in the country. ROVR’s innovative service allows for a seamless and safe refueling experience for both commercial and everyday drivers, beyond conventional petrol stations.

ROVR has been serving commercial customers (B2B) since its pilot in October 2018 and has since delivered over 1 million liters of fuel. ROVR is now ready to cater to more B2B customers nationwide with the introduction of more ROVR trucks.

End-consumers (B2C) will soon be able to experience this innovative solution as ROVR will be delivering the latest PETRONAS Primax95 with Pro-Drive at high-traffic hotspots, widening PDB’s coverage area beyond the extensive network of PETRONAS stations nationwide.

“At PDB, we invest heavily in understanding the customer journey and we address the frictions in their daily lives by offering progressive solutions. ROVR provides a new refuelling experience, and we are excited to have our customers be the first in Malaysia to experience this. We have received positive feedback from our B2B customers, and we are ready to cater to more. We want our customers to move like never before as we continue to deliver a seamless and frictionless customer experience,” said Dato’ Sri Syed Zainal Abidin, MD/CEO of PDB.

ROVR provides scheduled deliveries of PETRONAS Dynamic Diesel to B2B customers, providing a hassle-free experience in the logistical management of the fleet. This also allows for the refuelling process to take place at the customers’ convenience on their premises.

“I am pleased with this new offering from PDB. It’s not easy for our large trucks to navigate on roads, and some stations set a limitation on large commercial vehicles. With ROVR, we just schedule for fuel deliveries, and ROVR trucks and Rangers will show up for our drivers to refuel without the need to leave the yard or take a detour. This definitely eases logistical planning, reduces costs and improves our time management,” said Mr. Sua Hee Yuan, Chief Financial Officer of Landbridge Haulage (M) Sdn Bhd.

ROVR fuel trucks are guaranteed safe and certified for fuel delivery and dispensing, according to the stringent health, safety, security, and environmental (HSSE) requirements stipulated by national authorities and regulatory bodies. All ROVR trucks are equipped with sensors to monitor vital information and maintain operational safety throughout the duration of service, at all times.

ROVR’s current fleet includes a 4,000-liter capacity and three 11,000-liter capacity trucks for commercial customers. ROVR’s 3,000-liter capacity truck for end-consumers is at its pilot stage. By the end of this year, PDB will expand ROVR services nationwide and set up more refuelling sites.

For more information, visit www.rovr2u.com.

Honda PCX Hybrid Test & Review, “Economical Doesn’t Mean Boring”

The Honda PCX Hybrid combines a petrol internal combustion engine and electric motor.
It is the first working consumer hybrid motorcycle.
The motor assists the engine during acceleration.

While electric motorcycles are being fast-tracked for the impending datelines in various countries, Malaysia is still slow in implementing what could be remotely classified as “initiatives.” But fear not, there is another solution such as the Honda PCX Hybrid, which is sold alongside its petrol-powered brethren.

What is a “hybrid”?

The word “hybrid” describes something which is a combination. Hence, in a hybrid vehicle, the powertrain combines the traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor which is powered by a battery or batteries.

How does it work?

The acceleration phase is where an internal combustion engine uses the most fuel, as compared to when we cruise at a steady speed on the highway. Therefore, the electric motor assists the 150cc petrol engine during the acceleration phase.

An alternating current generator (ACG) kicks in when you twist the throttle. Since electric motors deliver highest torque at lower RPMs, it’s ideal in assisting the engine.
The ACG provides 36% extra torque and 15% more power compared to the petrol engine.
Its power output are 1.9 hp (1.4 kW) at 3,000 RPM and 4.3 Nm of torque at 3,000 RPM.
The ACG is powered by a 48V lithium-ion battery. It sits under the seat, so it takes up some of the storage space.

Slowing down and braking charges the battery.
A power drive unit (PDU) is essentially the ECU which determines when the ACG is needed.
There are three “power modes.” “D” is for normal riding and optimum fuel savings. “S” sacrifices fuel economy for power. A third undescribed power mode disables Idle Stop and keeps the engine running at idle.
An indicator in the LCD screen shows if the motor is providing boost or charging.

Riding the 2019 Honda PCX Hybrid

The PCX Hybrid has the unmistakable PCX profile, that’s for sure, which in turn looks like a baby NSS300. It’s long and low-slung, so climbing on gives the immediate “welcome home to PCX” feel.

But I was surprised to find more than one car driver remarking about how good the bike looks. I kid you not. One Honda City Hybrid driver was drawn in by the bike’s good looks, only to discover that it’s a hybrid. We talk for nearly 30 minutes, with me doing the presentation like a salesperson.

I’ve also had more than one car driver winding down their windows and pointing to the HYBRID badge, “The bike is really a hybrid?”

The bike starts up just like any other twist-and-go scooter, meaning that you don’t have to go through 10 other steps to get it going.

At idle, the hybrid drive indicator shows one bar in the charging zone. The engine is quiet and has very little vibration.

Twist the throttle and WHOOAA! The bike actually took off instantly unlike any 125-150cc scooter! The hybrid indicator swung all the way into the ASSIST zone and doesn’t let up until you hit about 60 km/h. And that was in the “soft D” mode.

The ASSIST bar goes away completely when you cruise at any speed, but twist the throttle again and the bar returns, giving the bike a slight kick.

During testing, we came across a rider on a Yamaha Y15ZR who seemed keen to nail the green light. I switched the mode to “S”, held on to the grips and waited for the lights. We both gunned it as soon as it went green and the PCX Hybrid actually jumped half a bike length in front of the Y15ZR.

It caught him by surprise, and he started to slip back everytime he went for his clutch to shift gears. However, he went ahead in the end due to his petrol engine’s top-end power. Yet, I could still follow at one bike length behind, causing him to keep craning his head to look behind.

See what we’ve said time and again? DO NOT mess with electric bikes or a hybrid in this case.

But that’s crazy riding for the bike. The electric assist is for cutting down fuel consumption, instead of committing it to traffic light GP racing.

And safe fuel it definitely did, to much disbelief among us. Ridden calmly in “D” mode, we saw 1.9 litres/100km. That’s not a typo. Upping the pace with moderately strong take offs saw consumption increased to 2.2 litres/100km. Finally, riding in “S” mode like a screaming baboon hell-bent on scaring Y15ZR riders (full-throttle acceleration, hard braking, followed by more full-throttle acceleration) yielded 2.6 litres/100km. That’s beyond amazing.

At 1.9 litres/100km, you could theoretically cover 500km from the 11-litre tank. In the real riding condition, however, it means that you only need to top off the tank once if you ride it from Kuala Lumpur to Penang. Or not at all, if you could really maintain a steady pace and disciplined right wrist.

But it isn’t all about riding sedately. The PCX Hybrid is also a nice handling scooter. Most scooters tend to “wag” the front wheel in high-speed corners, but the PCX Hybrid didn’t do so at all. Bumps and potholes are any scooter’s nemesis, but this bike dealt with them much better. Besides that, the bottom of the fairing may look low but it never once scraped the road despite us trying our best.

Conclusion

The 2019 Honda PCX Hybrid should allay anyone’s fear of electric bikes, simply because it isn’t exactly one. You get high fuel economy combined with superb acceleration, while not needing to charge it.

Some may find it unsuited to Kuala Lumpur traffic, given the highways but that’s a small issue if you ride intelligently. The biggest benefit of the fuel economy would be for those who live in cities such as Penang, Melaka, or Johor Bahru where the roads are short and narrow. I think I’d only need to refuel once every three weeks or so if I were riding it in Penang. Even so, we refueled only once during our 11 days of testing it in Kuala Lumpur.

Besides that, I got us thinking and wishing that other bikes of different models will go hybrid, too.

Latsly, in case you don’t already know, we really liked the Honda PCX Hybrid.

TOC Bina Bakat Recognized as Assistance to B40 Segment

TOC Bina Bakat programme is officially recognized by the Ministry of Education Malaysia.
It seeks to assist the B40 segment students.
The programme was officially launched together with the ministry today.

The TOC Automotive College had launched the TOC Bina Bakat programme in 2018 to provide financial assistance to those in need of quality education at the college.

The programme provides up 100% education loan in addition to a work-based learning curriculum. The college targeted lower- and middle-income households as the beneficiaries for assistance, while providing them with the correct technical knowledge and skills for future jobs in the automotive industry and beyond.

As highlighted in the Education Ministry’s Education Blueprint (Higher Education), there will be demand for an additional 1.3 million Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) workers by 2020, in the 12 National Key Economic Areas, as part of the government’s Economic Transformation Programme.

YB Dr. Maszlee Malik’s representative at the launch

As such, human capital must be sought from everywhere including among the marginalized B40 income groups, thus the programme is their perfect springboard to high-quality education and opportunity in the work force.

As we’ve written before, the programme provides places for automotive education without upfront tuition fees. On top of that, the college will seek job placement for the graduates on completion of their courses. It also covers the new TOC Superbike Technician Course, by the way.

A total of 62 students have benefitted from the TOC Bina Bakat programme as of now. the programme is expected to grow exponentially due to nationwide recruitment in all states in Peninsular Malaysia.

“This infrastructure TOC built through their programmes and industry partnerships is critical in helping the Ministry of Education reach the students that we are trying to help the most. This includes those who find themselves with less interest in academics, as well as those who may have failed their SPM examinations, or even failed to obtain places in vocational, public and private colleges,” in a statement prepared by YB Dr. Maszlee Malik, Education Minister of Malaysia.

Please click here to find out more about the TOC Automotive College. Please click here if you are interested in the Superbike Technician Course. TOC has a programme called Bina Bakat to assist potential students in need of an education loan.

TOC Automotive College can be reached at (+603) 7960 8833

WATCH: Jason Momoa Builds a Vintage Harley in Father’s Day Short Film

Jason Momoa is the feature of a Father’s Day short film.
He rebuilt a broken Harley Knucklehead engine in it.
His journey in motorcycling is now complete as a legacy to his children.

Game of Thrones and Aquaman superstar (and hunk, let’s not forget that) Jason Momoa is featured in a short film to commemorate Father’s Day, in which he built a classic Harley-Davidson.

The film called Where The Wild Stomped In shows Momoa’s motorcycles passage from aged six to ultimately rebuild a broken Knucklehead engine with his children. He had found the vintage engine 30 years ago. He also remembered buying his first bike at aged 19, a 1957 Panhead, which he named “Mable” after his grandma.

But no, he didn’t rebuild the bike for a modern-day Dothraki horde. Instead, it was as a legacy for his children. He even taught one of them the ways of kickstarting a Panhead, while learned to ride a single-cylinder custom bike.

The bike has been restored to running condition. Reportedly, Mrs. Momoa (Lisa Bonet) wasn’t keen about having the children ride on the back seat of the bike, so Momoa installed a sidecar.

It all goes to show that Momoa isn’t just another pretty faced Hollywood star. Instead, he’s a cool motorcycle dude and above all, a great father to his children.

GTA’d – Man Loses Yamaha 125ZR in Attempt to Sell it

A man lost his Yamaha 125ZR to a thief during a sale yesterday.
The thief ran away with the bike while “testing” it.
The victim acquiesced to the thief’s request as the latter left his car key as a “guarantee.”

A man lost his Yamaha 125ZR to a thief during a test ride yesterday.

The victim, Muhamammad Zuhaili Ahmad Zarudin, had advertised his immaculate-looking Yamaha 125ZR on Facebook for RM 7,500. His post was answered, and the “buyer” called to meet at the Sungai Buloh Toll Plaza at 9pm.

The buyer arrived alone in a Perodua Myvi a few minutes later. He insisted that he wanted to test ride the bike before making a decision. He promised Zuhaili that he only wanted to ride the bike in the area around the toll plaza. But when Zuhaili balked at the request, the buyer handed over the key to the Myvi.

With that, Zuhaili handed the bike over.

Zuhaili said he could see the would-be thief riding in his vicinity before he took a slip road and disappeared from sight. He attempted to call the “buyer,” but his phone was switched off.

The victim then drove the Myvi to the nearest police station to report the theft. The police believed that the car was stolen, as well.

The case is being investigated under Section 379A of the Penal Code for vehicular theft. It’s better known as “grand theft auto (GTA)” in the United States.

Source and Photo: Harian Metro

Catalunya MotoGP: Marc Marquez Wins as Jorge Lorenzo Brings Down Competition

Marc Marquez rode to his fourth victory of the season at the Catalunya MotoGP.
His Repsol Honda teammate Jorge Lorenzo brought down three other riders who were challenging Marquez for the lead.
Fabio Quartararo secured his and Petronas Sepang Racing Team’s maiden podium finish.

Marc Marquez rode to his fourth victory of the season at the Catalunya MotoGP, after dodging the carnage behind him. His Repsol Honda teammate Jorge Lorenzo brought down three other riders who were challenging Marquez for the lead.

Mission Winnow Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso was leading the charge into the “bus stop” Turn 10, but Marquez outbraked him, causing him to take a wider line into the corner. Behind them, Lorenzo was slipstreamed the three riders in front of him and outbraked Maverick Vinalez who was behind Dovizioso. Going for the gap, Lorenzo suddenly found the Ducati man sweeping back towards the apex, so he hit his front brakes and went down, clipping Dovizioso’s rear wheel. Both the Ducati and Honda then slid into Vinalez’s Monster Energy Yamaha, sending clattering off the track.

Valentino Rossi who was following closely in fifth had nowhere to go and ran over Lorenzo’s Honda. He remounted his Yamaha and rode back to the pits and out of the race.

That bowling session allowed Marquez to escape the intentions of his closest pursuers and he held on to the lead all the way to the chequered flag. The win increased his championship lead over Dovizioso to 37 points, up from just 12.

Behind him, a fierce tussle developed among Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati), Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) and pole-sitter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Sepang Racing Team).

It was clearly apparent that the Petrucci’s Ducati was much slower in mid-corner compared to the Suzuki and Yamaha, as they closed right back in after Petrucci opened up a gap on the straights. At one point, a frustrated Rins lunged aggressively inside Petrucci, putting tyre marks on the latter’s suit’s right sleeve and shoulder.

Rins kept up the pressure but Petrucci would not yield, until the former ran into a turn too fast and almost outbraked himself into a highside. Rins fell back to 7^thand fought his way back up to 4^th, eventually.

With Petrucci’s tyres spent in defending from Rins, Quartararo pounced. Quartararo had secured his second pole of the season on Saturday but was again out-dragged into the first corner at the start. Aggressive riders then pushed him down to as far as 9^th. But he kept his patience and prevailed to score his and team’s maiden MotoGP podium, in their very first season.

Petrucci followed Quartararo in 3^rdfor his 3^rdpodium in three races. Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) fought up the field to finish 5^th, escaping Cal Crutchlow’s (LCR Honda) aggressive push (the Englishman crashed immediately after overtaking Miller).

In 6^thwas Rins’s teammate Joan Mir. It was his best finish of the season. Pol Espargaro once again did well to finish in a high position for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 7^th. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) was the top independent Honda rider again in 8^th. A resurgent Tito Rabat (Reale Avintia Ducati) came home in 9^th. Johann Zarco finally finished in the Top 10 on the other Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bike.

There were only three other finishers, Andrea Iannone (Factory Aprilia Gresini), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Ecstar).

11 riders did not take the checkered flag.