Motor Trader e-magazine, October 2020

OCT

2020 MERCEDES BENZ VISION AVTR 2020

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF MTA QUEENSLAND? CLICK HERE

HIGH CONCEPT Part 2 GREAT CONCEPT CARS OF THE ‘CURRENT’ AGE MTA Q&A: DARREN UNGER | AUTOWORKS

2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR | AWARD FINALISTS

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MOTOR TRADES ASSOCIATION OF QUEENSLAND

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From the Editor Official Publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland HEAD OFFICE Building 8, 2728 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 P.O. Box 4530, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 Tel: 07 3237 8777 Fax: 07 3844 4488 Toll Free: 1800 177 951 Email: publications@mtaq.com.au Website: www.mtaq.com.au EDITOR Jonathan Nash ART DIRECTOR Marco Ilinic INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Evangeline Kannis Ian Naylor POLICY Kellie Dewar, General Manager MTA Queensland ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Marc Wilson // Gypsy media & marketing services

M: 0419 107 143 Email: advertising@mtaq.com.au

JONATHAN NASH EDITOR

H

ELLO AND WELCOME to the October 2020 edition of Motor Trader.

One of the highlights of the year for MTA Queensland is the announcement of the winner of the Apprentice of the Year award. In a normal year, this announcement, and the presentation of the award itself, would be done at the Association's Industry Dinner, our annual celebratory gathering of members, students, corporate partners, colleagues, and associates from across the automotive industry.

However, this has been far from a normal year and we have all had to make adjustments to living with the threat of COVID-19. For MTA Queensland, one of those adjustments was to forgo the Industry Dinner celebration.

However, surrendering the opportunity to recognise the hard work of the apprentices trained by the MTA Institute by cancelling the Apprentice of

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EDITORIAL Editorial submissions are welcomed but cannot be guaranteed placement. For more information email the Editor at publications@mtaq.com.au SUBSCRIPTION RATES Subscribing to the Motor Trader e-magazine is free.

Click here to subscribe MOTOR TRADER PUBLISHING POLICY

Motor Trader is the official publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland. The role of Motor Trader is to inform members of current issues and legislation affecting the industry. As such it can be regarded as the business magazine for the Queensland motor industry. The role of Motor Trader is not to be in competition with the technical magazines already on the market. It will advise of new vehicles being released and of the latest technology incorporated into them; it will advise of latest technology affecting members in each of the MTA Queensland Divisions; it will keep members abreast of the latest in motor industry training and industrial affairs; and it will keep members informed of the latest technical aids available through MTA Queensland Member Services, which will assist members in staying ahead of the technological revolution presently being encountered within the motor industry. The publisher reserves the right to omit or alter any advertisement and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher for all damages or liabilities arising from the published material.

MTA QUEENSLAND ABN: 74 028 933 848

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the Year award was not up for debate, and that announcement will go ahead - albeit at a COVIDsafe and much smaller event - on October 16.

With that in mind, in this edition of Motor Trader we introduce the finalists for the MTA Queensland Apprentice of the Year award. They are 10 outstanding young people, one of whom will be presented with the prestigious award, and you can find out more about them, and how you can join the announcement event online, by going to page 82.

For our cover story in this edition we return to the idea of concept cars and follow up our 'ICE age' concepts list from a couple of months ago with a look at 10 fantastic concepts from the electric - or 'current' - automotive age. There are some amazing vehicles on the list, and it gives an interesting insight into the direction manufacturers think we are headed when it comes to electric-powered mobility. Check out the list from page 18.

As always, we also have our Q&A and classic car features, as well as plenty of auto and innovation news from across the world.

I hope you enjoy this edition.

Cheers Jonathan Nash, Editor jonathann@mtaq.com.au

A quick note on imagery in the magazine. We do use older, pre-COVID outbreak images to illustrate some of our articles, as well as stock and supplied pictures. We take the safety of our members, students, staff and the community very seriously and would not want the community to think we have intentionally breached any social distancing safety rules.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 1

Contents

18 04 08 12 18

FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO POLICY/VIEWPOINT MTA |Q&A HIGH CONCEPT: PART 2

GREAT CONCEPT CARS OF

THE ‘CURRENT’ AGE 40 AN EYE ON INNOVATION 42 AUTO INNOVATION NEWS 56 MEMBER'S CLASSIC 64 AUTO NEWS 72 INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS 75 TRAINING GM'S PROFESSIONAL CIRCLE PERSPECTIVE 79 PROFESSIONAL CIRCLE TRAINING 82 2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALISTS 98 PLUGGED IN 104 CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 106 MARKET WRAP 2 | Motor Trader October 2020

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Search for MTA Queensland

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82 October 2020 Motor Trader | 3

From the Desk of the CEO

BRETT DALE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MTA QUEENSLAND

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IMILAR TO OTHER State industrial organisations in the preelection period, MTA Queensland has been proactive in advocating its policy priorities to the major parties in anticipation that these may form part of their manifestos. It is a good time to do so. The Government and the Opposition parties are willing to listen and openly discuss the dominant issues for feedback.

PRE-ELECTION MEETINGS A priority issue for MTA Queensland is the automotive skilling needs to meet the future workforce demands of the industry and to support the Queensland economy.

For this purpose, we met with the Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Shannon Fentiman. Throughout the year we have worked closely with the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training providing advice on the automotive skilling needs and the funding of qualifications to appropriately meet the demands of industry. We sought to gain an understanding of the State approach to the Australian Government’s JobTrainer program aimed at school leavers and those looking for work. It provides $500 million for vocational education and training 4 | Motor Trader October 2020

“A PRIORITY ISSUE FOR MTA QUEENSLAND IS THE AUTOMOTIVE SKILLING NEEDS TO MEET THE FUTURE WORKFORCE DEMANDS OF THE INDUSTRY AND TO SUPPORT THE QUEENSLAND ECONOMY.” courses – conditional on matching funding from state and territory governments.

Since that conversation with Minister Fentiman, the Federal and State Government have approved a significant investment in the provision of increased access to free or low-fee skills training for school leavers and job seekers through the JobTrainer Agreement. Under the Queensland Agreement, $201 million (Australian and Queensland Governments each contributing $100.5m) will be invested in the State’s vocational education and training (VET) sector. This outcome is welcomed and provides certainty. We still have residual concerns about the funding supply chain which substantially favours the public sector. It is our position that a better funding model should apply, recognising the role of registered training organisations in the development and provision of skills. For example, our MTA Institute, a registered training organisation, is responsible for training and skilling almost one-third of the total automotive apprentices in Queensland.

I met with the Opposition and Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington to advocate our training, transport, mobility industry, and business policy positions. A priority issue canvassed was her party’s plan to transition from the emergency fiscal measures amid the pandemic

shock towards the goal of a COVID-Safe economy capable of providing the State’s services, business programs and the debt obligations. Details of that plan will be enunciated during the election process, but it was clear from the Opposition Leader’s comments that the priority was job creation and economic security for Queenslanders. Her comments suggested there is understanding that the business sector is seeking a plan that enables certainty and confidence to invest and employ. I raised automotive skilling needs and workforce demands and our concerns with the VET funding model for registered training organisations. As was expected, support was given to the Australian/ Queensland JobTrainer Agreement.

As is the practice applying to all general elections, the automotive industry’s policy priorities will be forwarded to the leaders of the major political parties and to their administrative wings.

BIOFUELS POLICY We met with the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy to discuss the biofuels mandate. Our Service Station and Convenience Stores Association Division, when the biobased petrol mandate was introduced on 1 January 2017, were

reluctant supporters. It was recognised, however, that the biofuels policy formed part of the government’s 2015 election manifesto. The mandate set a minimum of three per cent of the total volume of regular unleaded petrol sales and ethanol blended petrol sales (such as E10) by liable fuel retailers be sustainable bio-based petrol. Previous published data suggested that the ethanol volume sales were close to being accomplished. From 1 July 2018, the biobased petrol mandate increased to 4 per cent and the understanding is that on average the ethanol mandate has not been achieved and that total volume is less than 3 per cent.

We raised with the Department concerns that there had been no published responses or recommendations from the July 2019 review of the biofuels mandate to which we had made a submission and detailed several reservations. These included the costs of upgrading tanks, pipework, and dispensers to be ethanol blended fuel compatible or the installation of new tanks etc., to comply with the legislation. In addition, we referenced the compliance and reporting costs each quarter for all fuel retailers (non-major and major). Fuel reporting is required as it is this data that determines eligibility and overall volumes for assessing the percentage of biofuels sold. It was suggested there was an option to report annually. Overall, it is disappointing that one year on from the review of the mandate, there has been no published report to inform of its status or any recommendations.

FAIR TRADING MEETING Our licenced motor dealers, on a regular basis, raise the issue of operators selling used cars from backyards, or on Facebook October 2020 Motor Trader | 5

From the Desk of the CEO or Gumtree without a licence. There is also the matter of those posing as private dealers who may be licensed motor dealers selling cars to avoid compliance obligations such as the Goods and Services Tax and other fees. In both instances, the operators fail to disclose to a potential buyer or seller of a vehicle if they are a licensed motor dealer or registered sales person.

In a recent meeting with Fair Trading officers, we drew attention to these two practices which caused consumer angst when they discovered there was no cooling-off period, statutory warranty or that the vehicle was free of any financial encumbrances. The practices were harming the standing of licensed motor dealers with consumers.

We acknowledged that Fair Trading Inspectors were active in the field, checking licences to operate as a dealer or a registered salesperson but were of the view that consideration should be given to cap the number of vehicles sold by a private dealer. At present the number is unlimited. The circumstance was given of a licensed dealer buying cars at an auction then selling them privately to avoid compliance obligations and oncosts. The Association’s Automotive Remarketing Division is of view that the number of sales by a private dealer should be limited to four car sales per year. There will be follow up discussions on this proposal with Fair Trading officers.

AND THE LAST THING Youngcare is MTA Queensland’s charity partner. It has been so since 2017 and total donations over the years are in the vicinity of $36,000. These derive from various events including funds from the auction at our Industry Awards Gala. This year, that signature occasion was cancelled due to 6 | Motor Trader October 2020

“WITH ITS VOLUNTEER SUPPORTERS, YOUNGCARE INSTIGATED THEIR FIRST EVER ‘GIVING DAY’ . . . FIVE OF OUR MTA QUEENSLAND STAFF VOLUNTEERED AS DONATION CANVASSERS FOR A 24-HOUR TELETHON.” the COVID-related uncertainties. Similarly, Youngcare’s fundraising endeavors were withdrawn, causing funding concerns for their work. With its volunteer supporters, Youngcare instigated their first ever ‘Giving Day’. It was held on 24 September. Five of our MTA Queensland staff volunteered as donation canvassers for a 24-hour telethon.

Boosting the telethon was the generous undertaking of Youngcare’s Corporate Partners that every dollar donated would be matched.

The target set for the 24-hour telethon was $300,000. The response from the public was overwhelmingly positive. A heartwarming total of $424,307 was raised over the 24 hours for Youngcare’s work in providing for young people with high care needs. Members can continue to donate at www.charidy.com/youngcare.

Until next month, as Henry Ford, the industrialist and the founder of the Ford motor company said, ‘execute ideas with enthusiasm . . . as it is the bottom of all progress’.

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Everyday banking solutions including business accounts and eftpos terminals.

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Things you should know: As this information has been prepared without considering your objectives, Þnancial situation or needs, you should, before acting on this information, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. Eligibility criteria and other conditions applies. Applications are subject to credit approval. Full terms and conditions will be included in our loan offer. Fees and charges may be payable.

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Policy/Viewpoint

KELLIE DEWAR DEPUTY GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER MEMBER SERVICES

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LECTIONS ARE THE cornerstones on which democracy rests. And it is so with the MTA Queensland as an industrial organisation of employers.

The Rules establish the process for the running of elections and these are strictly adhered to. Under normal circumstances the election process would be nearing completion, but this year the process has been disrupted by the Covid-19 incursion.

Members will have received notification of a General Meeting (via Zoom) to be held on Tuesday 13th October to consider a Rule change that will allow all elections to be held over for a 12-month period.

The Board of Directors approved the Rule change application to insert a Covid-19 provision in the Rules relating to this year’s elections. It can be approved only by a special resolution at a General Meeting.

Your support and approval for the Rule change is necessary.

In a previous Viewpoint, I intimated that in March this year the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) paused, for three months, elections for industrial organisations registered under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009.

It was concerned that due to the Covid-19 restrictions, relevant stakeholders may

8 | Motor Trader October 2020

“MTA QUEENSLAND RULES SET THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE ELECTION PROCESS WHICH ARE STRICTLY OBSERVED. THIS MEANS THE RULES MUST BE CHANGED AND MEMBERS SUPPORT AND APPROVAL IS NECESSARY TO PERMIT ALL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD OVER FOR A 12-MONTH PERIOD.” not have a full opportunity to participate in the elections, either as candidates, nominators, voters or scrutineers. The timeline was extended to 30 September.

The AEC has now provided additional advice on the conduct of elections. It is this: ‘elections essential to ensure the continuing governance of the organisation’, should proceed. The AEC would work with it and the Registered Organisations Commission to ensure the ‘critical positions proceed to election’. MTA Queensland assessed each of the current elected positions and determined that an election of any positions would not be considered ‘critical’ to ensure continuing governance of the Association as all positions are filled and functioning. That, however, is not the end of the matter.

MEMBERS SUPPORT AND APPROVAL MTA Queensland Rules set the framework for the election process which are strictly observed. This means the Rules must be changed and members support and approval is necessary to permit all elections to be held over for a 12-month period. This decision was reached following careful assessment of all current elected positions.

The Rule change means, if agreed by members, the biennial elections for Divisions, Districts and the Executive will be delayed by 12 months. The current twoyear terms of office will be extended by one year. The Rule change only applies to the 2018-2020 and 2019-2021 terms of office.

It does not extend to any future terms of office. It applies to both terms of office as elections for the Divisions and Districts are on a rotation basis where approximately half are elected each year.

The Rule alteration is consistent with the Registered Organisations Commission’s and the AECs recognition that ‘the priority of the Australian community at this time including officers and members of organisations, is protecting the health and wellbeing of the community’ and the temporary postponement of industrial elections may be necessary.

I have been involved, one way or another with the MTA Queensland’s election processes for more than 16 years. I have the responsibility for compliance with the Association’s electoral Rules. Due to the Covid-19 turmoil, uncertainty has prevailed for our election processes.

Now the AEC has clarified the pathway ahead. In the light of its advices, and the Association’s assessment of its functions as an industrial organisation of employers, the Board of Directors seeks the approval of members for a rule change application that will allow all elections to be held over for a 12-month period.

I urge members to consider the proposed Rule change set out in the Notice of the 13th October (via Zoom) General Meeting, to participate and vote. Unlike some other Rule changes, the requirement of 75 per cent support is not required. This Rule change, in terms of our electoral processes, has consequences in the medium term for our governance and your support and approval is urged to ensure the continuation of the Association’s high standard of governance.

CYBER SECURITY The Covid-19 pandemic has entrenched digital computer technologies for commercial, work, health care, education, entertainment and shopping transactions.

At the same time, security risk has increased from malicious cyber activity.

The Federal Government’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy sets the framework to build new cybersecurity and law enforcement capabilities, protect the essential services upon which the nation depends, assist businesses to protect themselves and raise the community’s understanding of how to be secure online.

MTA Queensland is conscious of the need for online security for members.

A free digital workshop/webinar for automotive small business has dealt with October 2020 Motor Trader | 9

Policy/Viewpoint the critical issues of online security, data privacy, working in the cloud, customer relationship management and software.

This was done under its role as one of the 15 small business associations to deliver the Australian Government’s Small Business Digital Champion project.

Members should act on the warnings of malicious cyber-attacks and take steps to enhance the resilience of their networks.

On a daily basis there are innocent looking emails filtering into the system, or latent attacks aimed at accessing your data or to lock your business down in return for a ransom. Two important protection steps have been advised: The first is patch internet-facing devices promptly – ensuring web or email services are fully updated with the latest software; and the second is ensure the use of multi-factor authentication to secure the internet-accessible infrastructure and cloud-based platforms.

LATE PAYMENTS Our corporate partner, Illion, has forwarded to me their ‘Late Payment’ report for the June quarter. By way of background, Illion is a leading independent provider of data and analytics products and services in Australasia. Unsurprisingly, late payments through the June 2020 quarter have incurred the sharpest increase in 10 years, averaging 10.8 days, up 8.4 per cent from March quarter, and an increase of 7.7 per cent compared with the June quarter last year. The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on Australian businesses is becoming increasingly apparent, with month-onmonth increases in late payment days since April. In particular, during June, late payment days jumped 9 per cent in a single month.

10 | Motor Trader October 2020

“THE EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY APPARENT, WITH MONTH-ON-MONTH INCREASES IN LATE PAYMENT DAYS SINCE APRIL. IN PARTICULAR, DURING JUNE, LATE PAYMENT DAYS JUMPED 9 PER CENT IN A SINGLE MONTH.” In some good news, if there is good news relating to late payments, Queensland, in the June quarter, recorded the lowest level of late payments averaging 10.1 days, up by 2.3 percent. Substantial percentage increases were recorded in the other States.

FINALLY I came across a story that epitomised the good characteristics of the automotive value chain that I feel compelled to share.

In this instance, a Townsville automotive business, Attention to Detail, undertook to ‘fix on behalf of the city of Townsville’ two vehicles that were the subject of ‘youth crime’. Two exotic supercars from the Gold Coast based Super Car Rides, a Mclaren 570s and a Ferrari California were targeted by vandals. Attention to Detail’s principal approached the owners and offered to fix the vehicles for free and offered safe overnight storage. It was their first day in Townsville and the vandalism had left a ‘bad taste in the mouth’, but the generous offer was ‘awesome’. ‘It was a horrible experience but it’s good to see that there some good in people.’ This is only one of the many good deeds by the automotive value chain, the rest are unsung.

Until next month take care and stay safe.

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Darren Unger

MTA|Q&A A Japanese philosophical approach to business forms a solid foundation for MTAQ member Darren Ungerer. Its strength and relevance is proven not only by the global company he adopted it from, but also in the success of his own business, AutoWorks.

WORDS & PHOTOS: LINDSAY SAUNDERS 12 | Motor Trader October 2020

When was AutoWorks established?

DU: We bought an existing business here in

Salisbury in 2014. We had another business and were looking to buy a building and start green, but this building came up and there were hoists and other equipment here already. Things were very small at that time – there was only two staff – but it all fell into place from there and now we have four staff plus me and we’ve put in additional hoists and other equipment.

We’re definitely expanding – you’re either growing or you’re dying. We sold off the other business we had. It was a franchise business and we found there was too much ‘do it our way’ with that. We have more freedom

“THINGS WERE VERY SMALL AT THAT TIME - THERE WAS ONLY TWO STAFF – BUT IT ALL FELL INTO PLACE FROM THERE AND NOW WE HAVE FOUR STAFF PLUS ME AND WE’VE PUT IN ADDITIONAL HOISTS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT.” this way and there’s more enjoyment to be had doing it this way too, making our own decisions. Everything we do is our own spin or flavour – such as the advertising we do that reflects what we’re about.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 13

You say ‘we’ – do you have a partner in the business?

DU: I say ‘we’ because it’s always a team

effort. I talk to my team about anything that’s going to impact the business because it’s going to impact them. I wear the same shirt as the boys and if a car needs to get fixed, I’ll get my hands dirty.

At the end of the day it’s all about getting the cars fixed so the customer is happy.

More happy customers, more cars.

What’s your background in the industry?

DU: Originally I was an apprentice under

a group scheme, which was MIGAS back in the day – we’re talking about the late 1980s. I worked at a number of places around Brisbane during that time – everything from dealers to private business – which was great experience.

I finished my time at a local Toyota dealership and spent another nine or so years working there. Then I married, had kids, ended up chasing more money and went to a well-known business doing shift work for them for about 12 years. It was a good experience - that kind of breakdown

14 | Motor Trader October 2020

“I TALK TO MY TEAM ABOUT ANYTHING THAT’S GOING TO IMPACT THE BUSINESS BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO IMPACT THEM. I WEAR THE SAME SHIRT AS THE BOYS AND IF A CAR NEEDS TO GET FIXED, I’LL GET MY HANDS DIRTY.”

‘why wasn’t that mentioned at the time?’. I started thinking I could do better and stop these breakdowns, stop these inconveniences.

So I bought the franchise business and it went very well. At one time we were number two in the country, but a change of ownership changed the way the franchise did business - things I wasn’t comfortable with - so we started looking to do our own thing.

Once we got here, I could see how much better it was outside the franchise, so it was time to leave that and do it my way. maintenance was so diverse and I learnt so much, including learning to rely on myself.

Why did you move on from that?

DU: Aside from the shift work, doing that

breakdown work by the side of the road meant I was seeing what repairers were getting wrong. You’d have customers saying ‘the car was only serviced a month ago’ and I’d be looking at the radiator hose that looked like a balloon and thinking

And what is your way?

DU: It has always been the principle

of Kaizen, which I learnt at Toyota and which means continuous, never-ending improvement. Learning from your mistakes. Making sure you don’t make that mistake again. Toyota taught me so much about this, about how to continually improve things and avoid errors. The big thing I took from my time at Toyota was the Japanese philosophy of looking at the problem and asking, ‘What do we need to

October 2020 Motor Trader | 15

do to make sure it doesn’t happen again, ever?’ Toyota’s reputation is based on it and so is its success.

So, it’s not my original idea but it’s one I’ve embraced and I foster it in my team. If they find a better way to do something or find, for example, that there’s a tool we need to achieve that, then that’s what we do.

While you do general work, customisation and high-performance work are specialties for the business.

DU: Yes, definitely. I was that kid glued to

the Bathurst 1000 or whatever it was called at the time - the kid in the back of the class reading car magazines because chemistry was boring. I’ve always been interested in what people are doing to cars to make them more suitable to their way of driving, whatever it is – drag racing, cruising, drifting, anything. And the technology now in some of the aftermarket products is on par with what the manufacturers are doing.

And you get to connect more with the customers when they’re all about changing their car - the things they don’t like. It’s so

16 | Motor Trader October 2020

much more than the run of the mill stuff.

It’s more satisfying to help someone build their dream car. It sounds a bit corny, but it’s their dream and we’re here to assist them to realise it. What the car is doesn’t matter, we embrace all makes and models.

Is there a particular area or demographic your customers come from?

DU: I get phone calls and inquiries from

all over – even as far away as Cairns. I have an Advanced Diploma of Mechanical Engineering, so I am an approved person for Queensland mod plates and I think that’s why we get calls from such a wide base of the state.

We can do the whole job, do it legally and you can drive it on the road. And we do most everything in-house. Myself and my head mechanic are also qualified auto electricians, which is vital with the amount of technology we work with on vehicles today. We don’t do full engine rebuilds or gearboxes and autos, but I have trusted guys I’ve been using for years who we work with. They’re people who have a similar attitude to me regarding the work

and level of professionalism.

It’s all about the end result. The ‘she’ll be right’ attitude isn’t our attitude. Kaizen doesn’t look at it that way. It is either right or its wrong. That’s how I look at it too.

How long have you been an MTA Queensland member and why did you join?

DU: About six months. I’d known about

MTA Queensland forever and one of their guys came around and we had a chat.

There were benefits there, the fees are reasonable, the regular newsletter is great and the information I’m getting is good.

Also, the government grants that are around for business expansion – although

“I GET PHONE CALLS AND INQUIRIES FROM ALL OVER – EVEN AS FAR AWAY AS CAIRNS . . . I CAN DO QUEENSLANDAPPROVED MOD PLATES AND I THINK THAT’S WHY WE GET CALLS FROM SUCH A WIDE BASE OF THE STATE.”

Covid has paused that – weren’t something I was aware of until MTA Queensland talked to me about what was available.

We’re still working on that business expansion plan, which I can’t go into too much. There are not many new ideas out there, and this is something a little bit different and aimed at a specific market.

We were going to do it anyway, but the grant would allow us to set it up faster.

How has the pandemic affected your business?

DU: Initially we saw a big impact. People just

weren’t driving. We could look out at the road here and there’d be a car every minute or so – usually it’s like four times that.

We do basically three things here – the custom modification work, specialised inspections and the ‘mum and dad’ stuff – and the specialist inspections dropped dramatically because these cars weren’t on the road. They went from 3-4 a week to 3-4 month. We’ve seen some of the companies’ divisions we did this work for shut down, never to return.

The mum and dad stuff slowed right down too because they were either not working or were working from home.

But there was an increase in the modified work - big jobs spanning anywhere from three weeks to six months.

From a cashflow perspective, it has been very up and down. We saw a definite uptick but then Covid round 2 came along and you could see the sales creep up but then down. We’re in an unknown area. There’s been so much government stimulus so it’s a bit of an unreal situation.

But unless people are working and using CLICK TO VISIT THE their cars, they’re AUTOWORKS WEBSITE not spending money on them. It’s still an unknown but we are cautiously optimistic.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 17

HIGH CO GREAT CONCEPT CARS

A

COUPLE OF EDITIONS back, Motor Trader had a look at some of the best (in our opinion) concept cars of the internal combustion engine era.

There were some brilliant cars on that list, and all were in some way technologically and stylistically adventurous and innovative. However, there is no denying that in the automotive world right now, the future looks electric.

Whether it be hybrid power, battery power or hydrogen fuel cell power, the era of automotive electrification is here.

That reality has been reflected in the past few years by an astounding number of electric concept cars. Everyone has got in on the fun – from a bewildering number of start-up companies to the giant legacy 18 | Motor Trader October 2020

car manufacturers – and designers and engineers have let their imaginations run wild with the possibilities that electric power can offer. From incredibly powerful hypercars to the most luxurious of stately vehicles, from seemingly humble urban runabouts and personal mobility scooters to massive transportation trucks, no sector of the industry is being left out of the electrification boom.

Actually, it is not just the source of the power that has been the boon to this creativity. Other technologies – or at least the potential of emerging technologies – have appeared that have dovetailed with the development of electric power and it is now common to see concept cars stuffed full of gadgetry that allows cars to ‘talk’ to each other and infrastructure; that allows cars to

MERCEDES BENZ VISION AVTR 2020

ONCEPT Part 2 OF THE ‘CURRENT’ AGE ‘sense’ obstacles and traffic disruptions; that allows for permanent connectivity to the worldwide web; that enables a car’s software to be updated over the air; and that allows for a level of autonomy that is remarkable and growing ever more sophisticated.

Looking back at the history of the electrified vehicle, it is remarkable how things have turned out. 120 years ago, battery-powered vehicles were common in every nation that was beginning to produce motorised vehicles. That period of popularity was short as the potential of the internal combustion engine was realised and it wasn’t until the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s – and thanks to issues such as oil crises as well as environmental concerns – that clever people across the

planet began to entertain the potential of electric power once more and hybrids such as the Prius, and all-electric vehicles such as the Tesla Roadster began to appear.

Leap forward 15 years and the current (excuse the pun) automotive world is a different place indeed.

Given the huge number of electric concepts that have appeared over the past decade, it is, once again, a difficult task to choose 10 such vehicles to be on our list. As we have said before, such a list is subjective.

However, here at Motor Trader we’ve given it a go once again and picked out some of the concepts that we think are important either for their technology or their design, or that just resonate with us.

We hope you enjoy the list.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 19

ROLLS-ROYCE 130EX // 2016 THE EXTERIOR STYLING IS, DEPENDING ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW, COMPLETELY MAD OR VERY VERY SLICK . . .

ROLLS-ROYCE, THE home of stately luxury, blew everyone’s minds back in 2016 when it revealed this, the 130EX concept.

It is an extraordinary looking machine and Rolls clearly felt when designing it that the future will be all-electric and driveless, and that the closer they could get to designing something that looked like it was in a sci-fi movie, the better.

Extraordinary looks aside, on the inside there is no steering wheel - autonomous 20 | Motor Trader October 2020

driving technology is assumed - and where one might expect to see a dashboard full of guages there is instead a massive entertainment display. This is for the benefit of the passengers who occupy a ‘sofa’ where back seats might usually be found.

Also on hand is a AI-powered virtual personal assistant designed to learn the owner’s habits and even make suggestions on destinations – probably a swanky hotel or high-end restaurant right?

The exterior styling is, depending on your point of view, completely mad or very very slick, and includes enclosed 29-inch tall but narrow wheels, hand-built from 65 individual pieces of aluminium.

When the 103EX was revealed, Rolls said it was aiming for a return to its coachbuilding past with the car.

“Advanced manufacturing technologies will enable customers to involve themselves even more in the design of

the shape, size and silhouette of their personal Rolls-Royce vision,” the company said. “The future customer will commission his or her own concept. and Rolls Royce will design and manufacture this personal vision of each customer and make every RollsRoyce a unique bespoke masterpiece.”

It would take some doing to come up with something as novel and bonkers as this.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 21

MERCEDES BENZ VISION AVTR // 2020

ANOTHER EXTREME DESIGN, this one from Mercedes, and if ever there was a concept that looked like the result of imagination run wild, then the AVTR is it. It is an extraordinary thing.

And it is a little more extraordinary than that, inspired as it was by the Hollywood sci-fi movie Avatar and that film’s look, feel and concept of humans and machines being able to interact with each other at a high level.

There is, apparently, a biometric connection feature in the AVTR that 22 | Motor Trader October 2020

means ‘instead of a conventional steering wheel, the multifunctional control element in the centre console allows human and machine to merge. By placing the hand on the control unit, the interior comes to life and the vehicle recognises the driver by his or her heartbeat and breathing.’

This is wild stuff that is mirrored on the exterior where there are ‘bionic flaps’ or scales that affect aerodynamics. There are also spherical wheels that allow the car to move sideways by approximately 30 degrees.

BY PLACING THE HAND ON THE CONTROL UNIT, THE INTERIOR COMES TO LIFE AND THE VEHICLE RECOGNISES THE DRIVER BY HIS OR HER HEARTBEAT AND BREATHING

VIDEO: MERCEDES-BENZ VISION AVTR

Mercedes says the AVTR uses a graphene-based organic cell chemistry battery technology that is completely free of rare earths and metals, and the materials of the battery are, apparently, compostable and recyclable. With a capacity of around 110 kWh, the VISION AVTR has a range of more than 700km, and its four high-performance electric motors – one at each wheel - sees power come in at a juicy 350 kW. We may not see the AVTR in a showroom any time soon, but it’s nice to dream.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 23

TESLA CYBERTRUCK // 2019

TESLA HAS BEEN an automotive industry game-changer, and it’s not an exaggeration to suggest that the company is the main reason for the acceptance of EVs as a potentially profitable avenue for other manufacturers. Tesla saw there was a market there, judged that the public was interested, and went for it. Its success has seen every other manufacturer follow its lead, or try to.

Tesla takes risks - risks that tend to pay off. When, in 2019, the company’s enigmatic boss, Elon Musk, revealed 24 | Motor Trader October 2020

the Cybertruck - a concept destined for production - it made headlines worldwide.

Following its reveal, the world was awash with commentary on the truck's remarkable styling, but whether you think it is a piece of futuristic automotive art or the ugliest thing on four wheels, it is, at least, different.

And in an age when new vehicles are often indistinguishable from each other, that has got to be a good thing.

The Cybertruck is due to go into production in 2021 and there will be three variants to choose from – a single-motor rear-wheel drive, a dual-motor all-wheel

TESLA TAKES RISKS - RISKS THAT TEND TO PAY OFF. WHEN, IN 2019, THE COMPANY’S ENIGMATIC BOSS, ELON MUSK, REVEALED THE CYBERTRUCK - A CONCEPT DESTINED FOR PRODUCTION IT MADE HEADLINES WORLDWIDE.

VIDEO: CYBERTRUCK

drive, and a tri-motor all-wheel drive.

It will be constructed with a unibody/ exoskeleton made from ‘ultra-hard 30x

cold-rolled stainless steel’ that should, the company says, help ‘eliminate dents, damage and long-term corrosion’. Oh, and there’s armoured glass as well.

The top-spec tri-motor model has some astounding performance figures.

Range is a claimed 800km, towing capacity is 6350kg, and payload capacity is 1590kg in a bed that is covered by a metal ‘canopy’ that retracts into the roofline, and the 0-100km/h time is, get this, 2.9 seconds . . . for a truck!

Love or hate the design, this could be another game-changer from Tesla.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 25

RENAULT TREZOR // 2016

FRENCH MANUFACTURER RENAULT has fully embraced the idea of electric vehicles. Its small car, the ZOE, is one of the world’s best-selling EVs and back in 2016, the company showed off its EV chops with the Trezor, surely one of the most beautiful concepts of recent years.

The Trezor has some performance pedigree. Renault says the car’s highoutput powertrain is derived from the company’s Formula E sports car, meaning the technology is proven and potent. The Trezor’s Rechargeable 26 | Motor Trader October 2020

Energy Storage System (RESS) comes from Formula E too and the powertrain produces 350hp (251kW) and 380Nm, giving the concept a 0-100km/h time of under four seconds. With a drag coefficient of 0.22, the Trezor can reportedly crack 250km/h.

Power comes via two battery packs, each with its own cooling system that includes the very futuristic honeycomb air intakes on the bonnet.

There are three driving modes – neutral, sport and autonomous – and

THE TREZOR HAS SOME PERFORMANCE PEDIGREE. RENAULT SAYS THE CAR'S HIGHOUTPUT POWERTRAIN IS DERIVED FROM THE COMPANY'S FORMULA E SPORTS CAR.

VIDEO: RENAULT TREZOR

getting in and out of the Trezor involves lifting the one-piece roof – a cool feature that Australians will remember being a feature of the splendid Holden Hurricane concept of the 1960s.

Inside, the dashboard design uses ultra-high-definition screens that can be personalised and which display the dashboard controls and the multimedia system.

This is one EV we’d like to see belting up and down the highway.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 27

HYUNDAI ELEVATE ULTIMATE MOBILITY VEH

CONCEPT VEHICLES ARE crafted to show the direction a manufacturer may take in the design of its production vehicles, highlight their technical and engineering skills, and display the types of technologies we can expect to see, in some form, in future production cars.

The results are often spectacular.

Sometimes, however, there is a leap of imagination even beyond that, and such is the case with Hyundai’s Elevate concept, a working model of which was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2019.

28 | Motor Trader October 2020

The Elevate was conceived as a vehicle to aid first responders following a natural disaster and enable search-and-rescue teams to negotiate treacherous terrain.

Thinking somewhat outside the box, Hyundai and its design partner Sundberg-Ferar, came up with the idea of creating a vehicle that combined tech found in EVs and robotics and that can both drive and walk.

The Elevate is based on a modular EV platform with a 66kWh battery pack, and its robotic leg architecture has

HICLE // 2019

HYUNDAI SAYS THE ELEVATE CAN CLIMB A 1.5M WALL, STEP OVER A 1.5M GAP, WALK ACROSS ALL MANNER OF TERRAIN, AND ACHIEVE A 4.5M TRACK WIDTH.

VIDEO: HYUNDAI ELEVATE WALKING CONCEPT

five degrees of freedom plus wheel-hub propulsion motors. This design allows for both mammalian and reptilian

walking gaits, enabling it to move in any direction. The legs can fold up and be stowed for drive mode.

Hyundai says the Elevate can climb a 1.5m wall, step over a 1.5m gap, walk across all manner of terrain, and achieve a 4.5m track width, all while keeping its passengers steady and level.

A full-sized version of the Elevate may not exist as yet, but the fact that such a vehicle is being proposed does show where technology can take us and what possibilities there are for future mobility vehicles.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 29

CITROEN AMI ONE // 2019 CITROEN HAVE TAKEN THE IDEA OF THE URBAN RUNABOUT ONE STEP FURTHER WITH THE AMI ONE . . .

CARS WITH BIG enough batteries and potent enough electric motors are capable of extraordinary acceleration and exceptional speeds, and there are plenty of those vehicles on this list to prove that fact.

The other side of EVs, however, is their ability to be efficient, urban runabouts. In a busy city environment, so the argument goes, there simply is no need for vehicles that can go extremely fast and travel huge distances – what would be the point when you only go a few kilometres 30 | Motor Trader October 2020

each day to the office and back and maybe to the shop to buy some essentials?

Citroen have taken the idea of the urban runabout one step further with the Ami One, pitching the quick-charging, ultra-compact two-seater – which has a range of 100km and a top speed of 45km/h - as an alternative to public transport, scooters and bikes. Citroen says it would make the Ami One available for use options including car-sharing and rental, as well as for purchase.

There’s some interesting stuff going on

VIDEO: AMI ONE CONCEPT

in the Ami One. For example, the door locks and unlocks via a QR code, and functionality comes via an app with the screen display projected into the driver’s field of vision like a head-up display.

Another interesting feature is that the bumpers, wings, panels and even the doors – which are hinged at the front on the passenger side and at the rear on the driver’s side – are identical.

The Ami One is pretty clever stuff and, perhaps, represents at least one avenue for the future of city transportation.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 31

LAGONDA VISION CONCEPT // 2018

BACK IN 2018, Aston Martin revealed the Lagonda Vision Concept – the first concept for the company’s electric-only Lagonda luxury brand.

And ‘luxury’ is the word.

Not only does the sedan look like a billionaire’s ride from the outside, the inside space – which is huge thanks to there being no requirement to find room for an engine, gearbox and transmission – is stuffed with top-quality materials and technology. Carbon fibre and ceramics share space with old-world favourites such as cashmere, silk and hand-woven wool and, for good 32 | Motor Trader October 2020

measure, Savile Row tailors were recruited for their expert knowledge in forming such luxury materials.

Clever features include rear-hinged back doors with roof sections that open upwards as the doors open. This allows for occupants to stand up and walk out of the car or step into it. The front seats are mounted on cantilevered arms extending from the floor outside the seat frame providing an uncluttered floor area, and can be swiveled so all passengers can face each other.

Designed with Level 4 autonomy in mind, the Vision Concept was designed with a steering wheel that can retract entirely. When

DESIGNED WITH LEVEL 4 AUTONOMY IN MIND, THE VISION CONCEPT WAS DESIGNED WITH A STEERING WHEEL THAT CAN RETRACT ENTIRELY.

VIDEO: LAGONDA VISION CONCEPT

not in autonomous mode, it can be moved from left to right hand drive as needed. Being fully ‘connected’ means passengers will have access to all manner of services, including

bespoke concierge services.

The Lagonda Vision Concept was designed to use solid state batteries, be compatible with wireless conductive charging technology, have intelligent allwheel drive, and be capable of delivering up to 100 per cent of available torque to any given wheel according to demand.

Back in 2018, Aston Martin swiftly followed up the Vision Concept with the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept, an allelectric SUV based on the same design language, and while the company has had its troubles of late, plans remain to launch a Lagonda EV range.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 33

AUDI AI:TRAIL QUATTRO // 2019

THIS IS AUDI’S entrant into the EV Off-Road concept segment – the AI:Trail Quattro. And it is a beauty, with some very tasty and unusual features wrapped up in that cool-looking package.

There’s Level 4 autonomous capability and, as the name implies, all-wheel drive thanks to four electric motors planted at each wheel. Maximum system output is 320kW and maximum torque comes in at a juicy 1000Nm. The AI:Trail’s lithiumion battery is good for 400-500km of range on roads or easy-going terrain 34 | Motor Trader October 2020

while on rough ground, range is still good at 250km. The vehicle is designed to reach a top speed of 130km/h on the road.

While EVs are, thanks to the battery packs, pretty hefty, the AI:Trail comes in relatively trim at 1750kg thanks to a construction mixture of steel, aluminium, and carbon fibre.

Befitting the expectations for rugged adventure, the interior is minimalist.

There’s a yoke for a steering wheel, a few buttons, and if you attach a smartphone to the steering column, it can connect to the

. . . THE REALLY JAW-DROPPING FEATURE OF THE AI:TRAIL IS THAT INSTEAD OF CONVENTIONAL LIGHTS, IT IS EQUIPPED WITH FIVE DRONES WITH INTEGRATED LEDS.

VIDEO: THE AUDI AI:TRAIL QUATTRO

vehicle and become a display and control centre for a whole bunch of functions.

So far, so good.

However, the really jaw-dropping feature of the AI:Trail is that instead of conventional lights, it is equipped with five drones with integrated LEDs. Yes. Drones.

Known as ‘Pathfinders’, these drones dock into charging elements on the roof and are designed to fly and illuminate the path ahead of the AI:Trail. On-board cameras generate a video image that is transmitted back to the driver’s display.

Crazy stuff !

October 2020 Motor Trader | 35

VISION MERCEDES-MAYBACH 6 // 2016

MERCEDES-BENZ HAVE made some beautiful concept cars over the years but, just as with the AVTR that appears earlier in this list, every now and again they can reveal a concept that is a real showstopper.

Such is the case with the Maybach 6, perhaps one of the most graceful-looking concepts ever created and a creation from Mercedes uber-luxury Maybach brand.

At six metres long, the 2+2-seater Maybach is a big machine and with its 36 | Motor Trader October 2020

long front end, gullwing doors and ‘boat tail’ rear, has a nice mix of modern and retro styling. Designed as an all-electric car with a drive system that generates 560kW, the Maybach 6 has a range of more than 500km. The battery has a usable capacity of approximately 80kWh and the system allows for a charging capacity of 350kW. The car can receive 100km of charge in five minutes.

Power delivery comes from four electric motors at each wheel and the system delivers performance figures of 0-100km/h

POWER DELIVERY COMES FROM FOUR ELECTRIC MOTORS AT EACH WHEEL AND THE SYSTEM DELIVERS PERFORMANCE FIGURES OF 0-100KM/H IN UNDER FOUR SECONDS AND A TOP SPEED OF 250KM/H.

VIDEO: MAYBACH 6

in under four seconds and a top speed of 250km/h.

Inside, the Maybach 6 has a truly futuristic feel and is, as you’d expect, loaded with cutting-edge digital features – the front windscreen, for example, serves as a transparent display with driving-related data and other information shown across its full width.

The Maybach 6 is a work of art and while it might be a bugger to park, you’d look mighty good doing it.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 37

GM IMPACT // 1990 THE GM IMPACT IS, PERHAPS, THE VEHICLE WE CAN LOOK AT AS THE ORIGIN OF TODAY'S EV REVOLUTION.

THE GM IMPACT concept is, perhaps, the vehicle we can look back at as the origin of today’s EV revolution.

Revealed in 1990 at the LA Motor Show, the Impact was quick – it could top 190km/h and cover 0-100km/h in 8 seconds – and was fitted with innovative technology including regenerative braking. It was heavy, thanks in large part to the 32 lead-acid rechargeable batteries, but that was 38 | Motor Trader October 2020

counteracted by the use of components such as low-rolling resistance tyres and an aerodynamic body that had a drag coefficient of just 0.19. Power was delivered by two electric motors – one at each front wheel – and the cruising range was a blockbuster 160km (this was 1990 remember).

When the Impact was unveiled, it was an experimental concept only, but GM said it was looking at making a production

VIDEO: 1990 GM IMPACT ELECTRIC

version. Six years later, it emerged as the EV1, the first purpose-designed electric car from a major manufacturer that was – or could be – mass produced.

Some 1100 EV1 units were made but its story is somewhat controversial.

Production ended in 1999, and in 2002 GM announced that the leases for the EV1s would not be renewed. Sadly, the company took back the cars and almost all were destroyed.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 39

An Eye on Innovation

KATHY WINKCUP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER GENERAL MANAGER INNOVATION

S

EPTEMBER WAS ANOTHER big month for electric vehicles and the electric vehicle industry.

Towards the end of the month, Tesla held its Battery Day and announced a raft of innovations that will, the company claims, lead to the production and sale of a $US25,000 car.

Tesla aims to do this through a new battery cell design, through the materials used in future battery cells, and through efficiencies in the production and construction processes. This includes the idea of using the battery pack as a structural feature of the car. Clever stuff.

These innovations together will, the company says, deliver an impressive 56 per cent reduction in the per-kilowatt-hour cost and up to a 54 per cent increase in range for the vehicles. Naturally, all of this will also bring down the cost of any vehicle.

The $25,000 car may take a little while to materialise but the company’s enigmatic boss, Elon Musk, seems confident that Tesla will deliver, saying that the company will start seeing the benefits of the moves in 18 months to three years.

Some people may scoff at that – ambitious targets are familiar talking points when discussing Tesla – but there’s no denying that the company does sell cars

40 | Motor Trader October 2020

“TESLA AND THE ENTIRE EV INDUSTRY ALSO GOT A BOOST IN SEPTEMBER WHEN THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, GAVIN NEWSOM, ANNOUNCED THAT THE STATE WOULD PHASE OUT PETROL-POWERED CARS BY 2035, BY WHICH TIME ALL NEW CARS MUST BE ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES.” that are almost universally hailed as the best EVs on the market and they appear to be leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. It is probably not wise to say they won’t be able to deliver on this.

Anyway, it is, I think, a little unfair to talk about Tesla in the way we might talk about other, established, car manufacturers. Tesla is, in many ways, a technology company, pushing boundaries across all manner of areas – from computing to software, from connectivity to Artificial Intelligence – as well as batteries, engineering, manufacturing and logistics. While I don’t wish to appear as a Tesla ‘fangirl’, it is very difficult not to be impressed with the company’s set-up, ambition, and drive. With reportedly more than one million vehicles sold; the Model 3 being the world’s bestselling EV with more than 500,000 sales; and with announcements such as those made at Battery Day showing the massive effort being put in to always evolve and improve, it’s difficult to see the company’s lead in the EV space being eroded any time soon.

Tesla and the entire EV industry also got a boost in September when the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, announced that the state would phase out petrolpowered cars by 2035 by which time all

new cars being sold there must be zeroemission vehicles.

With a population of nearly 40 million, California is the most populous state in the U.S., and its $3 trillion economy is so enormous that if it were an independent nation it would have the 5th biggest economy in the world. To put it mildly, California has a lot of power and Governor Newsom’s decision will surely spur manufacturers to get a shift-on in developing EVs. Add to this the reports that the UK plans to bring forward its ban on the sale of new fossil fuel vehicles from 2040 to 2030, and the pressure is certainly being dialled up.

Away from EVs and heading into the workshop environment and we find some exciting new technology being rolled out

by Mercedes-Benz in the US. Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) announced in September that its collaboration with Microsoft has led to the first mixed reality automotive maintenance system, called MercedesBenz Virtual Remote Support. Powered

by HoloLens 2 and Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, the system allows onsite dealership technicians to work with off-site Mercedes-Benz specialists while sharing real-time visuals and audio. The remote specialists can provide guidance to the technician on the repair or maintenance

and never have to leave the office.

The system offers an immersive experience where both technician and specialist can view 3D images and holograms, see where changes need to be made, add documents, insert arrows, circles and more, all to highlight areas on which to focus. MBUSA says the Virtual Remote Support was recently rolled out to all 383 dealerships across the U.S. and has been received well.

This is the sort of innovation that awaits the wider automotive industry: taking established technologies – augmented reality, 3D imagery, fast connectivity and communication - as well as new ones, and creating a service and experience that can improve productivity, efficiency and customer service. One can imagine that at some point in the near future, such technology may be used by independent workshops to get in touch with independent specialists in much the same way.

Why not? Surely these are the types of innovations that any business owner, large or small, should be looking at as the automotive industry continues to evolve.

They might not use them, the tech might not be suitable, but if they don’t even look, then massive opportunities may be missed.

As American author H. Jackson Brown Jr. wrote: ‘Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.’

October 2020 Motor Trader | 41

Auto innovation news

GM REVEALS ULTIUM DRIVE AND WIRELESS BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR EVS

G

ENERAL MOTORS HAS announced two new EV-related technologies that it plans to use for its next-generation electric vehicle line-up.

Firstly, the company revealed the ‘Ultium Drive’ – the name for a family of five interchangeable drive units and three motors.

The company says that Ultium Drive will help it transition its current portfolio to a fully electric lineup, providing significant advantages over GM’s previous EVs in performance, scale, speed to market and manufacturing efficiencies.

Ultium Drive combines electric motors and single-speed transmissions to apply power – generated by the company’s Ultium battery cells – to the wheels. GM will lead the design and development of Ultium Drive’s modular architecture.

The company says the motors within Ultium Drive are expected to offer industryleading torque and power density across a wide spectrum of different vehicle types.

“GM has built transmissions for many notable automakers,” said Ken Morris, GM vice president, Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Programs. “Making motors, transmissions, driveline components and systems are among GM’s best-known competencies, and our manufacturing expertise is proving not only transferable but advantageous as we make the transition to EVs.”

42 | Motor Trader October 2020

VIDEO: ULTIUM DRIVE TO HELP POWER GMS ALL ELECTRIC FUTURE

GM says its experience has helped to deliver lighter and more efficient designs and by integrating the power electronics into the drive units’ assemblies, the mass of the power electronics has been reduced by nearly 50 per cent from GM’s previous EV generation, saving cost and space while increasing capability by 25 per cent.

The power and versatility of these drive units, GM claims, will help the company migrate high-output segments like pickup ULTIUM DRIVE FAMILY

ULTIUM DRIVE MOTORS

trucks and performance vehicles to allelectric propulsion.

The GM Ultium Drive family covers frontwheel drive, rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive propulsion combinations, including high-performance and off-road capabilities.

All five drive units are expected to be powered by one or more of three motors including a primary front-wheel drive motor, which can be configured for frontor rear-wheel drive, and an all-wheel drive assist motor.

GM says it will save on vehicle design and production costs by developing Ultium Drive alongside its next generation of EVs. “As with other propulsion systems that are complex, capital intensive and contain a great deal of intellectual property, we’re always better off making them ourselves,” said Adam Kwiatkowski, GM executive chief engineer, Global Electrical Propulsion. “GM’s full lineup of EVs should benefit from the simultaneous engineering of Ultium Drive. Our commitment to increased vertical integration is expected to bring additional cost efficiency to the performance equation.”

All GM EVs built on the Ultium platform will be powered by Ultium Drive.

GM has also announced that it will use an almost completely wireless battery management system, or wBMS, for production electric vehicles. The company said that this wireless system, developed

with Analog Devices, Inc., will be a primary driver of its ability to ultimately power many different types of electric vehicles from a common set of battery components.

The wBMS is expected to drive GM’s Ultium-powered EVs to market faster, as time won’t be needed to develop specific communications systems or redesign complex wiring schemes for each new vehicle. Instead, the wBMS will help to ensure the scalability of Ultium batteries across GM’s future line-up.

The company says that, much like the pack design of its Ultium batteries - which are flexible enough to incorporate new chemistry over time as technology changes - the wBMS’ basic structure can easily receive new features as software becomes available. With expanded overthe-air updates, the system could even be upgraded over time with new softwarebased features via smartphone-like updates.

The wBMS can conduct real-time battery pack health checks and refocus the network of modules and sensors as needed – helping to safeguard battery health over the vehicle’s lifespan.

By reducing wires within the batteries by up to 90 percent, the wireless system can also help extend charging range by creating lighter vehicles overall and opening extra room for more batteries.

This wireless system also provides a repurposing capability for battery reuse.

When the wireless packs are capacityreduced to the point where they are no longer ideal for vehicle performance, but still functional as consistent power supplies, GM says they can be combined with other wireless battery packs to form clean power generators. This can be done without a redesign or overhaul of the battery management system.

The wireless battery monitoring system will be standard on all planned GM vehicles powered by Ultium batteries.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 43

Auto innovation news

UBER AIMS TO BE A ZERO-EMISSION PLATFORM BY 2040

U

BER HAS ANNOUNCED it will commit to becoming a zeroemission platform by 2040 and will invest hundreds of millions of dollars in its drive to hit that goal. The ride-hailing company said its aim was to see ‘100 per cent of rides taking place in zero-emission vehicles, on public transit, or with micromobility’. To reach its goal, Uber said it will help drivers transition to EVs. The company says its efforts will involve four key actions. The first is to expand its Uber Green service – already available in some European cities - to 15 US and Canadian cities. For an extra dollar, customers can request a ride in an EV or hybrid vehicle and riders using Uber Green will receive 3x Uber Rewards points for every trip taken. By the end of the year, Uber says the Uber Green service will be available in more than 65 cities globally.

Lutsenko Oleksandr / Shutterstock.com

Uber plans to be a zero-emissions platform by 2040

INCENTIVES FOR DRIVERS TO DRIVE GREENER AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES INCLUDE EARNING MORE MONEY FROM EACH TRIP. The second initiative is to help drivers transition to EVs. Uber says it will do this by committing more than $800 million in resources to help hundreds of thousands of drivers in the US, Canada, and Europe make the move by 2025.

Incentives for drivers to drive greener and electric vehicles include earning more from each trip. In the US and Canada, hybrid and EV drivers will receive an extra $0.50 directly from the rider on every Uber Green trip completed. Drivers using a zero-emission vehicle (a battery EV) will receive an additional $1 for every trip they complete.

In London and France, Uber already has a ‘Clean Air Plan’ in motion. This includes a Clean Air Fee on every trip taken through the app and which is set aside to support drivers in moving into an EV. Other initiatives include teaming

up with vehicle manufacturers, charging network providers, and EV rental and fleet companies to provide millions of dollars in savings to EV drivers. The company says it is working with GM in the US and Canada, Renault-Nissan in the UK, France, Netherlands, and Portugal – and recently announced a tie-up with VW in Berlin – and will also expand EV access through Avis in the US to make it easier for drivers to rent a zero-emission vehicle.

Discounted EV charging will also be available around the world in locations ‘where drivers most need it’ and Uber is also working with battery-swapping start-up Ample in the US, as well as electric fleet operator Lithium Urban Technologies in India.

All of these initiatives are designed to give drivers the opportunity to more easily transition to a zero-emission vehicle.

The third initiative is investment in a network to provide sustainable alternatives to the personal car - including offering bikes and scooters in the Uber app wherever possible - and introducing a new feature that will allow users in Chicago and Sydney to plan their entire journey, combining UberX with walking directions and city bus, subway, or train connections.

The feature – Uber and Transit – will be powered through real-time transit information and Uber’s on-demand mobility network.

Lastly, Uber has released a Climate Assessment and Performance Report.

The report analyses real-world data from the nearly 4 billion rides facilitated by Uber’s platform in the US and Canada from 2017 through 2019. Findings indicate that trips taken with Uber are less carbonintensive than traditional on-demand mobility services like taxis but that carbon intensity for rides taken with Uber is still higher than that of average-occupancy personal cars.

HYUNDAI ENVISIONS FUTURE OF MOBILITY EXPERIENCE WITH IONIQ CONCEPT CABIN HYUNDAI HAS UNVEILED the IONIQ Concept Cabin, its vision of future EV in-car customer experience.

The concept shows how the company plans to leverage the interior space and power supply capacity of EVs to integrate home electronics and appliances in its future IONIQ EV models.

The Cabin, made in partnership with LG Electronics, provides a hint of what’s possible. For example, there is, apparently, a ‘Clothing Care’ and ‘Shoes Butler’ feature that will allow customers to handle mundane tasks on the go, while enjoying some entertainment on the ceilingmounted 77-inch flexible OLED screen. The screen is large enough for two people to enjoy different content simultaneously. The sound is pumped through the speakers in the headrests which creates a personal sound zone.

In addition, a floor cleaning robot along with the overhead UV LED lights ensures the cabin is kept clean and disinfected. Interesting stuff.

Hyundai plans to offer such valueadded experiences starting with IONIQ 5, a dedicated EV slated for launch early next year.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 45

Auto innovation news

KUMHO WINS AWARD FOR NEW AIRLESS AND HYBRID TYRES

K

UMHO’S NEXT GENERATION e-NIMF and e-TOPS tyres have won 2020 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA).

The e-NIMF (eco-friendly, no-inflation, and maintenance-free) is an airless concept tyre designed not to suffer from periodic deflation or the need to be discarded when worn as it can almost indefinitely be rejuvenated with replacement treads. Kumho says that the shape, material and manufacturing methods of the tyre’s spokes, e-NIMF’s levels of durability, noise, vibrations and rolling resistance are remarkably similar to that of today’s pneumatic offerings.

The e-TOPS is a pneumatic/airless hybrid product.

Its airless upper structure of spokes and tread protect the tyre from foreign matter, while the lower, less vulnerable section contains a degree of air. Kumho says this composition results in an equivalent performance to

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conventional products while avoiding the typical air loss issues associated with them.

The IDEA Awards scheme is one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions, which selects winners in accordance with the five criteria of innovative design, user experience, user benefits, corporate social responsibility and aesthetic values.

“For the past few years, we have been developing products such as airless tyres in active response to the future car market, and our success in the IDEA Awards scheme reflects Kumho’s futureoriented design and technological prowess,” said Jung Il-Taik, senior vice-president of research and development. “We have focused our research on airless tyres and hybrid products and will continue reinforcing our design and technological capabilities in order to deliver both safety and convenience, the two qualities most sought after by our customers.”

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October 2020 Motor Trader | 47 20200890

Auto innovation news

HYUNDAI TO EXPORT FUEL CELL SYSTEMS TO EUROPE

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USING HYUNDAI’S FUEL CELL SYSTEM, THE COMPANY PLANS TO PRODUCE A STATIONARY POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM TO BE USED FOR BUILDING ELECTRICITY AT PEAK TIMES. THE FUEL CELL SYSTEM IS BASED ON THE ONE USED IN THE HYUNDAI NEXO.

YUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY has begun shipping its proprietary fuel cell system to Europe for use by non-automotive companies, including a Swiss hydrogen solution firm, GRZ Technologies Ltd. Hyundai says that it and GRZ Technologies have been pushing for cooperation in hydrogen storage technology since late last year and that GRZ has the technology to store about five to ten times more hydrogen than playing a pivotal role. previously, with a pressure lower than In automotive terms, the company 30 bar - significantly lower than the introduced its first fuel cell electric vehicle storage pressure of a normal hydrogen in 2000, the Santa Fe FCEV, followed by storage tank of 200 to 500 bar. It is the world’s first mass-produced expected that this technology FCEV, the ix35, in 2013, and will be used in various ways the second-generation through cooperation fuel cell SUV, the NEXO, between the two in 2018. Recently, the companies in the future. company successfully Using Hyundai’s fuel shipped the first 10 units cell system, the company of the XCIENT Fuel Cell, plans to produce a the world’s first massstationary power supply produced fuel cell heavysystem to be used for duty truck, to Switzerland. building electricity at peak In December 2018, Hyundai times. The fuel cell system Motor Group announced is based on the one used its long-term roadmap, in the Hyundai NEXO. ‘Fuel Cell Vision 2030’ Hyundai says that and as part of this plan, export of its fuel cell the company aims to system demonstrates the secure a 700,000-unitcompany’s high technology a-year production and production capacity in capacity of fuel cell systems support of eco-friendly energy for vehicles as well as for businesses and advances its strategy non-automotive sectors such as to become a Smart Mobility Solution Hyundai Motor's vessels, rail cars, drones and power Provider with fuel cell technology Fuel Cell System generators by 2030.

48 | Motor Trader October 2020

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Auto innovation news

MERCEDES-BENZ LAUNCHES VIRTUAL REMOTE SUPPORT SYSTEM TO DEALERSHIP WORKSHOPS IN U.S.

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ERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) has announced that is has rolled out a new Virtual Remote Support system to its 383 dealerships in the U.S. The system, developed with Microsoft, is a ‘mixed reality automotive maintenance’ system that uses Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 smartglasses and the software company’s program to enable dealership technicians to work with off-site Mercedes-Benz specialists while sharing real-time visuals and audio.

The remote specialists can see exactly what the technician is seeing at the dealership and provide guidance to the technician on the repair or maintenance

50 | Motor Trader October 2020

VIDEO: HOW MERCEDES-BENZ TRANSFORMS TECHNICIAN SUPPORT WITH DYNAMICS 365 REMOTE ASSIST AND HOLOLENS 2

without having to leave their office.

The system offers a mixed reality environment, and is an immersive experience where both technician and specialist can view 3D images and

The system offers a mixed reality environment, and is an immersive experience where both technician and remote specialist can work on the car

THE REMOTE SPECIALISTS CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE TECHNICIAN IS SEEING . . . AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE TECHNICIAN ON THE REPAIR OR MAINTENANCE WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE THEIR OFFICE. holograms, see where changes need to be made, annotate the visual information, add documents, insert arrows, circles and more all to highlight areas on which to focus.

The aim of the system is to enhance customers’ experience by providing faster service turnaround; decrease the time it takes to resolve maintenance questions and increase the productivity and efficiency of dealer technicians; and

reduce the environmental impact of service-related travel. The system also creates a safe work environment - useful in these COVID-affected times - without eliminating the collaboration between remote and onsite technical experts.

“This is a massive shift in the way we do business – helping us to serve our customers more quickly – and is especially timely with the new realities of COVID-19 and our desire to keep employees safe,” said Christian Treiber, Vice President of Customer Services at MBUSA. “Today’s vehicles feature more than 100 million lines of software code.

Through our partnership with Microsoft, we have a new paradigm for technology support and communication that helps our dealers and technicians master the complexity of these vehicles while eliminating travel time and onsite visits.

It’s like having an expert on your shoulder.”

October 2020 Motor Trader | 51

Auto innovation news

TESLA HAS CHEAPER EV IN ITS SIGHTS AS CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCES PHASE OUT OF PETROL POWER

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ESLA AND ITS enigmatic leader Elon Musk held a ‘battery day’ on September 22 and the event revealed new technological advancements that will, the company says, deliver a new battery cell providing a significant increase in range as well as reduction in the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Together with some manufacturing and vehicle construction

52 | Motor Trader October 2020

TOGETHER WITH SOME MANUFACTURING AND VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION INNOVATIONS, TESLA SAYS THEY ARE LOOKING AT PRODUCING A $US25,000 VEHICLE.

innovations, Tesla says they are looking at producing a $US25,000 ($AU35,000) vehicle.

The bigger cylindrical batteries - called the 4680 after its dimensions of 46mm by 80mm and which are placed together to form the battery packs - will, Tesla says, have a ‘tabless’ design making it easy to manufacture and improve its power-toweight ratio. It will deliver five times the energy and six times the power over the previous cells and enable a 16 per cent increase in range as well as 14 per cent reduction in the per-kWh cost.

The company also revealed that the battery packs in future Tesla models would double as a structural feature, allowing for further weight savings, and that the company has plans to manufacture batteries in-house while also continuing to use the services of its current battery suppliers Panasonic, LG Chem and CATL. Other innovations the company is working on include those regarding the materials

used in battery cathodes and anodes, eliminating intermediate steps in production of those batteries and components, and developing new manufacturing processes for the vehicles (including the structural battery feature) that will lead to simplifcation of the vehicle build.

Together, these innovations will, the company says, deliver a 56 per cent reduction in the per-kWh cost and up to a 54 per cent increase in range.

Seeing the benefits of all these innovations will take a bit of time as they are perfected and implemented – maybe up to three years.

“To be clear, it will take us probably a year to 18 months to start realising these advantages and, to fully realise the advantages, probably about three years of thereabouts,” said Musk at the Battery Day event. “ . . . We are confident that, long term, we can design and manufacture a compelling $25,000 electric vehicle.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 53

Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com

Auto innovation news

Tesla Super Charging station, Bakersfield, CA.

CALIFORNIA TO PHASE OUT PETROL POWER BY 2035 The EV industry received a boost at the end of September when the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, issued an executive order requiring sales of all new passenger vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035.

According to a media release from the Governor's Office, The California Air Resources Board will develop regulations to mandate that 100 per cent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks are zero-emission by 2035 – a target the state government says would achieve more than a 35 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an 80 per cent improvement in oxides of nitrogen emissions from cars statewide.

In addition, the Air Resources Board will develop regulations to mandate that all operations of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles will be 100 percent zero emission by 2045 where feasible. To ensure needed infrastructure to support zero-emission vehicles, the order requires state agencies, in partnership with the private sector, to accelerate deployment of affordable fueling and charging options.

It also requires support of new and used zero-emission vehicle markets to provide broad accessibility to zero-emission 54 | Motor Trader October 2020

“THIS IS THE MOST IMPACTFUL STEP OUR STATE CAN TAKE TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE” vehicles for all Californians. The executive order will not prevent Californians from owning petrol-powered cars or selling them on the used car market.

“This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change,” said Governor Newsom. “For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe.

Californians shouldn’t have to worry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn’t make wildfires worse and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines.”

California will be joining a number of countries that have committed to phasing out petrol-powered cars - including the UK which recently announced that it would bring forward its deadline for banning sales of fossil fuel vehicles from 2040 to 2030 – and the market and purchasing clout of the state will, no doubt, drive forward innovation in the EV sector.

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THE SWEET 56 | Motor Trader October 2020

WORDS & PHOTO

T SMELL OF

OS: LARA WILDE

October 2020 Motor Trader | 57

T

O BUILD A car is not the same for everyone. For some, it is as basic as to handpick the perfect colour and paint it themselves. For Ron Kloprogge, Managing Director of Matchport Materials Handling in Cairns, to build a car is to handpick a blueprint for a chassis and then build every element himself.

Over the past 15 years, Ron has built,

researched, developed and fine-tuned every part of his front-engine dragster that he calls the ‘Sweet Smell of Cyanide’. Today he has a six-cylinder, eight-second car that he can be proud of.

With a thick accent and a cheeky grin, Ron is someone you can instantly warm to. Born in Dutch Indonesia, Ron grew up in the Netherlands and Belgium Congo

THE SWEET SMELL OF

58 | Motor Trader October 2020

Ron Kloprogge

" THIS CAR WAS BUILT BY US FROM THE GROUND UP. . . I BELIEVE THE ‘SWEET SMELL OF CYANIDE’ IS ONE OF TWO SLINGSHOTS IN THE WORLD WITH A ROOTS SUPERCHARGER."

and as a young man, he completed his trade as an electrician and truck mechanic in Europe. Upon arriving in Australia, he converted his qualifications to become a qualified Diesel Fitter Class III. Generous with his time and his experience, Ron is the first to help a fellow racer in the pits.

“I am always amazed by the generosity

October 2020 Motor Trader | 59

of other drag racers,” he says. “They will quickly give you a part that you need to keep racing and not ask for money in return. So I make it a point to always take spares that I can give away when someone needs them.”

Ron lives and breathes racing.

“As far back as I can remember I have raced anything I could that ran on fossil fuels, made noise and polluted the air!”

His passion for racing and building cars has taken him all over the world - while he didn’t take a race car to the mecca of speed known as Bonneville Salt Flats, he did test the limits of his hire car and had a great time doing it.

Unlike the common everyday hire car

60 | Motor Trader October 2020

"IT HAS A 6,000 STALL CONVERTER AND THE TRANSMISSION IS A 2 SPEED POWER GLIDE. THE NINE-INCH BACK AXLE WAS BUILT BY ULTRA9 IN BRISBANE." Ron took to the salt flats, Ron’s race car is anything but common. He isn’t sure why he chose to build a front engine dragster, but he does not have a history of building common cars.

“This car was built by us from the ground up,” he says. “I believe the ‘Sweet Smell of Cyanide’ is one of two slingshots in the world with a roots supercharger. I like to

CLICK TO VISIT THE MATCHPORT MATERIALS WEBSITE

believe that this set-up is quite unique.”

Ron purchased the plans for the frontengine dragster from a guy in California in 2005, and the plans were fully approved by the SFI Foundation for a dragster top fuel car. Ron went shopping, buying up plenty of chrome moly, and made a jig for himself and started putting the chassis together.

Before long, the pile of tubing was starting to look like a race car and it was time to find a motor for her.

Drawing on his experience working on engines in Europe, Ron chose a V6 motor with an aluminium TA block and heads.

“At the time, we purchased the best we could afford,” he says. “The gear box is from Coan Transmissions in Indiana, who I have

a long-standing relationship with. It has a 6,000 stall converter and the transmission is a 2-speed Power Glide. The nine-inch back axle was built by Ultra9 in Brisbane.”

Once the car was built it was time to add some personal touches such as the 1927 Buick tail lights, welding rifle sights on the end of the exhaust stacks ( for the six banger) and the ducks.

The duck is not an animal that is known for its speed, but as the mascot for Ron’s race car, the ducks attached to the front wing and dash have seen some significant speeds.

Why did Ron choose ducks?

“Why not? I love cartoons, especially the Road Runner… hmmm that’s not a duck – oh well.”

October 2020 Motor Trader | 61

‘Why not’ appears to be the driving motivation behind much of Ron’s builds.

Since building the ‘Sweet Smell of Cyanide’, Ron has dragged it all over the country to compete.

The 6 Banger Nats in Warwick did not go well thanks to a busted head gasket, but 2019 was Ron's first year with a full racing season as the previous years were dedicated to tweaking and fine-tuning the car.

“Our problem is when you ask for advice and you mention that it is a V6, everybody seems to break out in a rash,” says Ron. “There was a fair bit of trial and error.”

More than 10 years of that trial and error has resulted in an 8.33-second pass at 159.6mph (256.8km/h), and Ron believes that with a larger supercharger and some more fine-tuning, the ‘Sweet Smell of Cyanide’ can pull a high seven-second pass close to 170mph (273.6km/h).

You might think that building a car from the ground up and then driving it to an 8-second pass would be a racing career highlight for Ron. But you would be wrong.

“My favourite racing moment was being pit crew for my son while he raced a Holden VY ute with a blown V6 that I had built. He beat V8s all day and walked away 62 | Motor Trader October 2020

with a silver Christmas Tree. That was a great moment.”

So apart from pushing the ‘Sweet Smell of Cyanide’ to the limit and170mph, what else does Ron have planned for the future?

“My son and I are getting the VY ute ready to race again – with a V6 of course,” he says. “I am also playing with a Holden VC Commodore Sedan. It has an OEM engine from the late 1980s that was originally used in the Indy and Indy-lights race cars. The VC is turbocharged and should rev up to 9,200 RPM. Our goal is to finish it within a year and make it street legal.”

In the meantime, Ron and the ‘Sweet Smell of Cyanide’ are regulars at drag strips as they iron out the bugs in the search for an elusive seven-second pass. If you see the duck in the pits, be sure to stop and say hello. Ron would love to talk about cars and racing with you.

DO YOU HAVE A PRIDE AND JOY IN THE GARAGE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE IN THE PAGES OF MOTOR TRADER?

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Contact Jonathan Nash at jonathann@mtaq.com.au and let’s see if we can share your classic with other members.

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Auto news

HYUNDAI LAUNCHES NEW TUCSON SUV

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YUNDAI HAS LAUNCHED the new, fourth-generation Tucson SUV with the model to be built in a longwheelbase variant and a short-wheelbase variant.

The Tucson offers both Smartstream 2.5-litre, direct-injected, four-cylinder, petrol powertrain and 1.6-litre, turbo, direct-injected, hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

The 2.5-litre engine has an estimated output of 141kW and an estimated torque rating of 246Nm. This engine is coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The 1.6-litre hybrid powertrain produces an estimated 134kW, with a combined output of 171kW. It also produces 264Nm of torque from the petrol engine and 348Nm of torque from the combined hybrid powertrain. The new powertrain uses Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology.

The Tucson has E-Handling technology for HEV and PHEV models to help improve steering response and directional stability when cornering or in adverse

Hyundai Tucson SUV

64 | Motor Trader October 2020

driving conditions and drivers get further assistance from Hyundai’s HTRAC allwheel-drive system.

Safety features are comprehensive.

The Hyundai SmartSense safety feature suite includes: • Highway Driving Assist (HDA) • Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with pedestrian detection • Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) • Lane Following Assist (LFA) • Blind-Spot View Monitor • Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) • Surround View Monitor • Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (RPCA) • Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) • High Beam Assist (HBA) • Driver Attention Warning (DAW).

Also available are Blind-Spot CollisionAvoidance Assist (BCA) with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), and Advanced Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop and Go, and Safe Exit Warning (SEW).

The interior offers new technologies too.

Hyundai says the Tucson offers best-inclass digital experiences.

There’s the Digital Key app that turns the customer’s smartphone into a smart key.

The 'key' uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to detect authorised users so they can operate their vehicle without a physical key present. Customers can lock and unlock their vehicle, activate the panic alert and start the engine and its climate control system from up to 27 metres away.

Other technologies include an 8-inch Ford Puma colour touchscreen coupled with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Customers can connect two FORD PUMA ACHIEVES phones simultaneously.

5-STAR ANCAP RATING A new Car-to-home feature allows THE FORD PUMA achieved a fivecustomers to control smart home star ANCAP safety rating ahead of its appliances from the car. Furthermore, arrival in showrooms last month with Tucson’s new Multi-Command function local models scoring well across each allows customers to “warm-up the car” of ANCAP Safety’s four key areas of including heating system, heated steering assessment. wheel and seat warmers - with a voice Driver Assistance Technology, command. convenience and safety tech standard The ventilation is also pretty across the Puma line-up includes: sophisticated. The climate system • Autonomous Emergency Braking monitors air quality and indicates realwith Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection time air-pollution levels on the Dual • Lane Departure Warning Lane Keep Automatic Temperature Control display Assist window using the fine dust detection • Traffic Sign Recognition sensor.

• Cruise Control Tucson also features technology that • Driver Impairment Monitor reduces moisture from the evaporator and keeps the air-conditioning system • Rear Parking Sensors clean and free of odor. The Car-to-home • Tyre Pressure Monitor and air purification features are available • Emergency Assistance in select markets.

• Airbags – driver, front passenger, In the top-trim models, the 10.25-inch front seat side and side curtain full-touch navigation screen system offers In addition, a Park Package is split-screen functionality that enables available as an option across the Puma multi-tasking capabilities, coupled with line-up, and includes: enhanced voice recognition.

• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Centring The all-new Tucson went on sale in Korea in September. It will go on sale in Australia from the • Active Park Assist with front, side and first half of 2021. Hyundai says that only the long rear ultrasonic sensors wheelbase version will be available here, with the • Front parking sensors HEV and PHEV engines still under consideration for • Blind Spot Detection (BLIS) the local market.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 65

Auto news

Toyota GR Yaris

ORDERS SURGE FOR TOYOTA'S SCORCHING GR YARIS HOT HATCH

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OYOTA'S NEW GR Yaris performance car has already delivered a pretty impressive sales success for the company ahead of its November launch.

Toyota started taking orders for the hot hatch in September with an introductory driveaway price of $39,950 limited to the first 1000 vehicles sold. The recommended retail price is $49,500. Not surprisingly, demand has been strong and those first 1000 cars were snapped up inside a week.

Toyota responded by releasing a further 100 examples at a new driveaway price of $44,950.

So, apart from the tantalising price, what is all the fuss about?

Well, the GR Yaris is as hot as a hot hatch can get and one potent machine.

Power comes from a new compact and lightweight 200kW, 370Nm, 1.6-litre threecylinder turbocharged engine. 0-100km/h

66 | Motor Trader October 2020

POWER COMES FROM A NEW COMPACT AND LIGHTWEIGHT 200KW, 370NM, 1.6-LITRE THREE-CYLINDER TURBOCHARGED ENGINE. comes in 5.2 seconds. Top speed is limited to 230km/h.

Motorsport tech includes largediameter exhaust valves and a partmachined intake port. The DOHC 12-valve engine is mated to an intelligent six-speed manual gearbox, engineered to accommodate high torque levels.

Performance brakes are 356mm x 28mm ventilated front discs with four-pot callipers and 297mm x 18mm ventilated rear discs with two-pot

callipers. The company says the system has been engineered to cope with rigorous demands of high-speed track driving.

A three-door body - available in white, red or black exterior paint - is made from lightweight materials including carbonfibre polymer for the roof and aluminium for the bonnet, doors and tailgate.

The GR Yaris is built on a new, dedicated platform combining the front end of Toyota's GA-B platform - which debuted in this year's all-new Yaris - with the rear of the GA-C platform.

This allows for a new multi-link rear suspension system, a wider track and accommodation of the GR-Four all-wheel drive system.

Standard equipment includes a

comprehensive Toyota Safety Sense package, auto air-conditioning, keyless smart entry and start, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 8-speaker JBL sound system. There is also a rear spoiler, sports seats with suede and leather accents, aluminium pedals and dual exhaust tips. Sounds like a winner to us.

Toyota says an even more potent version of the GR is headed to Australia, with approximately 250 examples of the GR Yaris Rallye to be available next year.

Performance upgrades on the Rallye model include circuit-tuned suspension, Torsen limited-slip differentials on the front and rear axles, 18-inch BBS forged alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and red brake callipers.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 67

Auto news

ALL-NEW BMW M3 SEDAN AND M4 COUPÉ TO ARRIVE IN EARLY 2021

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HE ALL-NEW BMW M3 and M4 will arrive in Australia for local deliveries in the first quarter of 2021.

Both the M3 and M4 are powered by a six-cylinder, in-line engine with BMW M TwinPower Turbo in two states of tune depending on the transmission offering.

Both models will continue to be offered with a six-speed manual transmission.

Power numbers come in at 353kW and 550Nm with 0-100km/h achieved in 4.2 seconds.

The M3 and M4 Competition models take power and torque levels to 375kW and 650Nm and feature an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission. The standard sprint time for these models is 3.9 seconds.

BMW M3

68 | Motor Trader October 2020

BMW M4

BOTH THE M3 AND M4 ARE POWERED BY A SIX-CYLINDER, IN-LINE ENGINE WITH BMW M TWINPOWER TURBO IN TWO STATES OF TUNE DEPENDING ON THE TRANSMISSION OFFERING. All variants will be offered in rearwheel-drive initially before the M3 and M4 Competition debut later next year with the BMW M xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

There are an array of new additions to the standard and optional equipment lists.

There’s Driving Assistant Professional including Steering and Lane Control

ŠKODA INTRODUCES PLASMACOATED CYLINDER BLOCKS

Assistant, Active Cruise Control, Cross Traffic Warning for front and rear, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Change Warning. Also standard is Parking Assistant Plus, Surround View and Reversing Assistant, the BMW Head-Up Display with M-specific content, and the Speed Limit Info road sign detection system.

Further standard equipment includes Comfort Access System for keyless entry, three-zone automatic climate control, LED interior lighting including ambient lighting, and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system.

BMW Live Cockpit Professional – with its fully digital display, cloud-based navigation system BMW Maps, and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant – is also fitted as standard on the new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupé.

Additionally, updated wireless smartphone integration enables the use of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Optional equipment includes the M Carbon exterior package, Active seat ventilation for the front seats and Remote Engine Start.

A steel roof with integral glass tilt/ sliding sunroof is available as a no-cost option for both models as an alternative to the standard carbon-fibre version.

ŠKODA HAS PUT a new processing line for plasma coating into operation.

The process allows conventional cylinder liners to be replaced with a powder coating that measures 150 μm (0.15 mm). This will now be used when producing the company’s EVO three-cylinder engines from the EA211 series. The process will reduce internal friction and, as a result, the company says the 1.0 TSI EVO petrol engines will be even more efficient and boast even lower emissions.

During production, the cylinders are first bored on the machining line.

A 1,500-watt laser then abrades the cylinder bores to ensure the plasma layer will adhere to the surface.

A mixture of hydrogen and argon is then used to create plasma gas which is mixed with various types of steel that have been ground into fine powder.

This powder is made up of iron, carbon, silicon and manganese as well as other elements. When sprayed onto the cylinder walls, the molten powder forms a layer measuring approximately 250 μm which is then honed out to measure 150 μm.

Optical measuring instruments first record the surface abraded by the laser, before a second measurement is taken once the plasma has been applied.

Finally, the structure of the plasma layer is tested using turbulent flow.

October 2020 Motor Trader | 69

Auto news

NISSAN REVEALS THE Z PROTO

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HIS IS THE Z Proto from Nissan – a development study vehicle that signals the company’s intent to launch a new generation of the legendary Z sports car.

Revealed in September, the prototype features a nifty new design inside and out with plenty of cues that hark back to the original Z cars. And while there is not a massive amount of information available yet the performance and platform upon which the new Z might be built, the fact it is out there and will almost certainly be headed to production is a win.

What has been revealed is that the Nissan Z Proto

70 | Motor Trader October 2020

WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED IS THAT THE CAR WILL HAVE AN ENHANCED V6 TWINTURBOCHARGED ENGINE MATED TO A SIX-SPEED MANUAL GEARBOX. car will have an enhanced V-6 twinturbocharged engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

The Z Proto boasts a bright yellow pearlescent paint – a tribute to a popular paint scheme on both the first-generation Z (S30) and the 300ZX (Z32) – and a black roof.

Modern touches include lightweight carbon fibre treatments on the side skirts, front lower lip and rear valance.

Inside, all vital information is found in the 12.3inch digital display.

The new steering wheel offers the driver quick-access controls.

Nice yellow accents are found throughout the cabin, including

stitching on the instrument panel.

“The Z, as a pure sports car, represents the spirit of Nissan,” said Makoto Uchida Nissan CEO. “It’s a key model in our Nissan NEXT transformation plan, and it’s proof of our ability to do what others don’t dare to do, from A to Z. As a Z fan myself, I’m excited to announce that the next Z is coming.

“With the launch this summer of the groundbreaking Ariya EV, we’ve started a new era of electrification and autonomous driving technology. With the Z, we’re bringing drivers the excitement of a pure sports car. For more than 50 years we have been creating the legend of Z together. I’m glad you’re with us for the next exciting chapter. The new Z is on its way.”

October 2020 Motor Trader | 71

Industrial relations

IAN NAYLOR SENIOR WORKPLACE RELATIONS ADVISOR

THE WORKPLACE RELATIONS Advisors at MTA Queensland assist and represent members during workplace investigations; correctly wording warning and termination of employment letters; managing unsatisfactory performance and represent our members at the Fair Work Commission and at other Commissions.

We also assist our members with award interpretation and wages enquiries. The advisors can assist with any workplace relations issue or concern.

What Fair Work says about Redundancy?

Redundancy occurs when an employer either decides that they no longer need an employee’s job to be done by anyone, or the employer becomes insolvent or bankrupt and terminates their employment.

The job itself becomes redundant.

Redundancy can happen when the business: • Introduces new technology (e.g. the job can be done by a machine); • Slowdowns due to lower sales or production; • Close downs; • Relocates interstate or overseas; or • Restructures or reorganises because of a merger or a take-over happens.

(Note: This list is not exhaustive) What redundancy pay is payable?

What employees receive is based on their continuous period of service with 72 | Motor Trader October 2020

their employer. This amount is paid at the employee’s base rate of pay/ordinary hours worked.

An employee’s base rate is the pay rate they received for working the ordinary hours, but does not include the following: • Incentive based payments and bonuses; • Loadings; • monetary allowances; • overtime penalty rates; and • any other separately identifiable amounts.

The following employees do not receive redundancy pay: • Employees whose period of continuous service with the employer is less than 12 months; • employees employed for a stated period of time and identified task project or a particular season; • employees fired because of serious misconduct; • casual employees; • trainees engaged only for the length of the training agreement; • apprentices; and • employees of a small business.

What is a small business?

A small business employer, for the purpose of determining redundancy pay, is an employer that employs fewer than 15 employees at the time notice is given.

(Source: Fair Work Ombudsman – Notice of termination and redundancy pay and the National Employer Standards – www.fairwork.gov.au)

REHIRING AFTER A REDUNDANCY – IS THERE A TIME LIMIT? A Recent Fair Work matter dealing with the question of redundancy.

In a recent unfair dismissal case dealing with whether there is a time limit when rehiring after a redundancy, the Fair Work Commission was satisfied that the Applicant's dismissal was a case of

genuine redundancy, despite the company advertising the same role in less than one month. The Commission accepted that this could be explained by the fact that the market in which the company operates had fluctuated appreciably in the wake of COVID-19 requiring it to quickly adapt and refocus its operations.

The facts By mid-April, the company, United Fuels, was experiencing a high downturn in sales in fuel and other retail operations as a consequence of the pandemic, which lead to the decision of restructuring its retail management, which included making the an employees’ position redundant on 18 April 2020.

An employee who was made redundant filed an unfair dismissal application with the Fair Work Commission, complaining of a deficient redundancy process, a failure to discuss and consider redeployment, and alleging discriminatory and racist behaviour.

The Applicant became sceptical about the basis of his redundancy when, on 16 May 2020, the company posted a job on LinkedIn with the same position description as the Applicant's old job.

As part of the conciliation process, the company offered to rehire the Applicant in a newly created role. However, the Applicant claimed that the position description for this new role included all of his former obligations and performance requirements, together with some additional obligations.

The Outcome The Fair Work Commissioner was satisfied that the company had made the decision to make the positions of the Applicant (and five other retail store specialists) redundant because of changes in its operational requirements. The company gave evidence regarding the drop in petrol sales during April 2020, that there was a great deal of pressure on the business to reduce rents and that a large number of employees were either stood down completely or partially because there was not enough work.

In determining whether this was a case of genuine redundancy, the Fair Work Commissioner considered whether it would have been reasonable in all the circumstances to redeploy the Applicant within the employer at the time of his dismissal on 17 April 2020.

On the evidence that once the COVID-19 restrictions were initially relaxed after the Applicant's termination, the company's sales performance improved "dramatically" which required the company to rehire employees. The Fair Work Commissioner accepted that at the time of the Applicant's dismissal there were no available positions within the employer to re-deploy the Applicant and, therefore, that the dismissal was a case of genuine redundancy.

Takeaways • There is no statutory or recommended time limit when rehiring after a redundancy. However, there are some matters that employers will need to consider before deciding to re-engage an employee whose employment was terminated due to redundancy or advertise the same position. • Practically speaking, the longer the period between the redundancy and the employer re-advertising the job, the lower the risk that the original decision will be challenged. However, the real test will be determining whether the original redundancy was genuine, and this will depend on the particular circumstances at the time the employee was made redundant.

Refer: Kunwar Lakhan v United Petroleum Pty Ltd T/A United Petroleum (U2020/6188) 15 September 2020 https://www.fwc.gov.au/ documents/decisionssigned/ CLICK TO VISIT THE MTAQ html/pdf/2020fwc4970.pdf KNOWLEDGE BASE This story is provided as general information only and should not be taken as advice.

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OUR VISION IS TO BE QUEENSLAND’S MOST TRUSTED, INFLUENTIAL & ENGAGED INDUSTRY BODY The Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTA Queensland) is the peak organisation in the state representing the specific interests of businesses in the retail, repair & service sectors of the automotive industry.

Member benefits include: Advocacy MTA Queensland will represent you to state & federal governments on BIG issues affecting your business & the industry.

Service Receive FREE expert advice on going digital & Industrial Relations matters.

Training Receive 20% discount on MTA Institute’s non-government funded short courses for MTA Queensland members.

Support • Our corporate partners offer substantial savings on EFTPOS fees, electricity & gas bills & business & residential insurance • Library of online business resources & templates • Weekly industry bulletin • FREE Jobs Board • Discounts on stationery & workshop products • Monthly subscription to the Motor Trader e-magazine • Regular specials & discounts

Innovation Stay ahead of the automotive digital revolution with access to MTAiQ, Australia’s first automotive innovation hub.

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PAUL KULPA GENERAL MANAGER MTA INSTITUTE

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“WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN APPRENTICE COMMENCEMENTS, WHICH IS VERY PLEASING TO SEE GIVEN THE SLOW DOWN (ALMOST A HALT) AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC AROUND APRIL/MAY.” details to trainingadmin@mtait.edu.au for work placement opportunities for our eager learners to ply their new-found skills.

MEMBERS' ESSENTIALS Contents 79 Professional Circle Training 82 2020 Apprentice of the Year Award Finalists 98 Plugged In

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HE FIRST QUARTER of the 2020/21 financial year is in the books and it has been an interesting few months.

We have seen an increase in apprentice commencements, which is very pleasing to see given the slow down (almost a halt) at the beginning of the pandemic around April/May. I believe the bounce back has been due to the government support in apprentice wage subsides for employers; work activity continuing in the automotive service and repair industry through the middle of the pandemic; and the realisation of the importance of local workers and growing our own skills base in industry following the reduction of skilled migration (which is obviously going to put on hold for some time). These have all had an effect on the industry workforce.

To support local industry, we are in the middle of our finial automotive prevocational course for the year. If you are looking to hire new apprentices, you can have a look at what we have to offer. For further info, please email through your

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Training GM's Professional Circle perspective

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Training GM's Professional Circle perspective The work landscape has changed, and we are having to live with the virus and work through these times together. It has been a challenge and there are a few items that can help you through. For example, we have seen an increase in mental health and wellbeing support for businesses. There is support here on resources and contacts to help you during this time and it’s worth checking out if you need it. Also, October is National Safe Work Month. The theme is Work Health and Safety (WHS) through COVID-19 and each week will focus on a WHS topics that acknowledge the impacts of COVID-19 and encourages best practice WHS. Further details can be found here.

On a positive note, our 2020 Apprentice of the Year will be announced at a special event from 6pm-8pm on Friday 16th October 2020.

You can choose to attend the event in person at the MTA Institute, Eight Mile Plains – the event will include drinks and nibbles – or, alternatively, you can join online and we will send you a link to view the event on your device. I would encourage you to support the event whether you have an apprentice in the running or not. Tickets are available here.

Just as an insight into the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector, this is the latest Glossary of VET, which is a

“ . . . OUR 2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A SPECIAL EVENT FROM 6PM-8PM ON FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER 2020 . . .

I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE EVENT WHETHER YOU HAVE AN APPRENTICE IN THE RUNNING OR NOT.” compilation of Australian VET terms and acronyms. It includes both current and historical terms, concepts, acronyms and other abbreviations found in Australian VET research, policy and data. If you have a look and are not overwhelmed, this might be an opportunity for you - we’ve opened up a new MTA Queensland VET Trainer Scholarship.

The Trainer Scholarship offers the opportunity for automotive professionals to further their careers by undertaking the TAE40116 – Certificate IV in Training and Assessment course valued at over $2,500.

This scholarship is ideal for individuals interested in delivering training in the VET sector. To nominate, please go here.

All the best.

NOMINATE FOR THE MTA INSTITUTE APPRENTICE OF THE MONTH AWARD • Are you employing an apprentice who is excelling in the workplace?

• Do you have a high-achieving apprentice colleague?

• Are they training with MTA Institute?

If the answer is 'yes', then nominate them for the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month award.

CLICK FOR MORE INFO 76 | Motor Trader October 2020

MTA INSTITUTE COURSES AIR CONDITIONING COURSE

SKILL SET GAP TRAINING (3 DAY) 7 - 9 October 2020 Click for more information.

SALES/DEALERS/WRECKERS LICENCING COURSES AVAILABLE ONLINE - ENROL NOW Click for more information.

RTO No: 31529

BATTERY ELECTRIC AND HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES COURSE SKILL SET TRAINING (4 DAY)

27 - 30 October 2020 Click for more information.

VOCATIONAL PREPARATION COURSE 28 September - 30 October 2020 Click for more information.

Enquiries to: courses@mtai.edu.au Website www.mtai.edu.au

MTA QUEENSLAND COURSES MIG WELDING FUNDAMENTALS COURSE 24 November 2020, 8:30am - 12:30pm SOLD OUT Click for more information.

24 November 2020 Click for more information.

AUTO CAMP

9 - 11 December 2020 Click for more information.

Enquiries to: courses@mtai.edu.au Website www.mtaq.com.au

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VEHICLE MAINTENANCE COURSE

LOOKING FOR WORK? Check out MTA Queensland’s Job Board for all the latest opportunities in the automotive industry.

Visit www.mtaq.com.au today

78 | Motor Trader September 2020

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HE SEPTEMBER SCHOOL holidays saw another group of Auto Camp students embark on three days of automotive learning at MTA Queensland’s headquarters in Eight Mile Plains.

Across mechanical, paint, panel, and electronics, 20 young men rolled up their sleeves and discovered the many career pathways available in the automotive trades.

One such man was 15-year-old Coen Meyer Coen Meyer from Redlands.

“Mum came across it and yeah, I was down,” said Coen, who has grown up with family and friends who are into cars and who has had an interest in them himself for some time.

“To the team who presented the Auto Camp over the past three days, thank you!” wrote Coen’s mother Lisa who contacted MTA Queensland. “Coen has come home excited, enthusiastic and positive about a future career in the automotive industry. We are looking forward to more courses and opportunities to do more with MTAQ. with glowing testimonials from parents of Thanks!” students who have undertaken the course,” said Dr Brett Dale, MTA Queensland CEO. Coen may be one of the many Auto Camp “We have had students progress to our students whose interest in automotive pre-vocational program and then go on has been piqued due to their to commence an apprenticeship. Other participation in the threeCLICK TO FIND OUT students are happy to come away with day course and who have MORE ABOUT some valuable life-skills.” gone onto a school-based AUTO CAMP AND TO ENROL apprenticeship pathway.

Enrolments for the December Auto Camp course “We have been inundated are open now.

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AUTO CAMP SELLS OUT ANOTHER SCHOOL HOLIDAY COURSE

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Professional Circle Training

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Professional Circle Training

NEW SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCED FOR AUTOMOTIVE TRADIES

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HE MOTOR TRADES Association of Queensland and the MTA Institute (RTO 31529) have announced they will be awarding two full scholarships per year for trade-qualified Paul Kulpa, automotive employees.

General Manager, The MTA Queensland MTA Institute VET Scholarship will award the recipients a fully funded Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40116), which will allow them to progress their career into automotive training.

To be eligible, the recipient must be a Queensland resident, have completed a minimum of five years post-apprenticeship automotive industry experience and have completed a trade in the following automotive areas - Light Vehicle, Heavy Vehicle, Auto Electrical, Motorcycle, Mobile Plant, Agricultural, Parts

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“THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY IS SUFFERING A MASSIVE SHORTAGE IN SKILLED TRAINERS WHO ARE NEEDED TO EDUCATE OUR FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONALS.” Interpreting, Outdoor Power Equipment, Automotive Body Repair & Refinishing and Underbody.

The TAE40116 – Certificate IV in Training and Assessment course is designed to teach the skills and knowledge required to deliver training in the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

Through the course, participants will learn skills in designing, conducting, and assessing training for the vocational sector, while also receiving knowledge in how to facilitate

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learning in various conditions and evaluate the impacts of various learning programs.

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will meet the qualification requirements necessary to perform training in the VET sector.

MTA Institute General Manager Paul Kulpa has launched the scholarships due to an identified skills shortage in automotive, which has led to an increase in demand for experienced automotive trainers.

“The automotive industry is suffering

a massive shortage in skilled trainers, who are needed to educate our future automotive professionals," said Mr Kulpa.

“The MTA Institute supports career advancement for automotive employees and the launch of this scholarship shows our commitment to progressing the careers of those within the CLICK automotive industry, while HERE TO FIND also addressing the larger OUT MORE ABOUT THE skills shortage issue,” SCHOLARSHIP The scholarship is open now and applications close 1 March 2021.

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Professional Circle training

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

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N OCTOBER 16, MTA Queensland and the MTA Institute will be announcing the winner of the Apprentice of the Year award for 2020.

Under normal circumstances, this important announcement would be made at the Association’s annual Industry Dinner. However, this year, and due to the circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic, things will be different with the announcement event to be held at the MTAiQ Innovation Hub at the MTA

IN 2020, WE HAVE 10 OUTSTANDING FINALISTS, EACH OF WHOM HAS EXCELLED DURING THEIR TRAINING AND ALL OF WHOM HAVE BEEN NAMED AS APPRENTICE OF THE MONTH WINNERS AT SOME POINT DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS . . .

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2019 MTA Queensland Apprentice of the Year Kimberley Wallace (Morgan Motors) with Leeanne Turner, MTAA Super CEO, and Paul Kulpa, General Manager MTA Institute

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CLICK HERE

Queensland head office in These young people, who TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT you can read more about over Brisbane.

THE MTA the next few pages, represent The event will, of course, follow INSTITUTE the future of an automotive a COVID-safe plan, but for those industry that is evolving fast, for whom travelling to Brisbane is with new technologies and just too far, or for those who would innovations appearing and moving it like to attend but cannot make it for one in new and challenging directions. reason or another, then the entire event It is exciting, and an honour, to train will be available to view online. them and watch them take the first Regardless of the somewhat unique steps of their career. circumstances in which we find ourselves We congratulate all the finalists in 2020, recognising the hard work and if you would like to watch and commitment of our industry’s CLICK HERE TO the Apprentice of the Year 2020 future leaders is as important FIND OUT HOW TO as ever – perhaps even more so WATCH THE AWARD announcement online, then ANNOUNCEMENT click on the blue button link on during this time of pressure and ONLINE the left and follow the prompts. challenge – and the Apprentice of The event will take place from the Year award announcement is 6pm-8pm on Friday, October 16. one of the highlights of the year.

For 2020, we have 10 outstanding finalists, each of whom has excelled T H E E V E N T I S P R O U D LY S U P P O R T E D B Y O U R C O R P O R AT E during their training and all of whom have PA R T N E R M TA A S U P E R been named as Apprentice of the Month winners at some point during the past 12 months – already quite a feat considering the MTA Institute trains more than 2000 apprentices across Queensland.

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2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

DANIEL O’DEA QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology EMPLOYER: Rolin Mechanical, Rocklea, Brisbane

DANIEL O’DEA WAS the Apprentice of the Month for November 2019.

The 26-year-old completed his training in May 2020 and is now a qualified light vehicle mechanic working at Rolin Mechanical in Brisbane.

Reaching this point has been a long road for Daniel. He first started his apprenticeship with MTA Institute when he was 19 but, after completing three years of the course, he was unable to complete his training at that time. After three years away from the industry, he made his return in January 2019, finding a position with Rolin Mechanical, a business run by husband and wife team Robert and Linda Clacher.

During his apprenticeship, he impressed both employer and trainer with his passion for the work.

“Daniel has become a great apprentice, both with the work he is doing in the workshop and in completing the required workload with MTA Institute. He does both to an incredibly high standard,” said Daniel’s MTAI Institute trainer Steve Hudspith when it was announced he had received the Apprentice of the Month award. “His work ethic is second to none.”

As the son of a mechanic who became the owner of a dealership, Daniel was brought up around cars and has been tinkering and working on them since he was a child. So it is no surprise that a career in the industry would beckon.

“I've been around cars my whole life,”

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

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“I COME TO WORK AND REALLY ENJOY IT AND I NEVER THINK OF IT AS A JOB REALY.” he said. “Working on them is what I love doing and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I come to work and really enjoy it and I never think of it as a job really.”

As a fan of performance cars – he is currently upgrading a Mark III Supra – a move into that sector at some point down the track looks like a good bet for Daniel.

“Working in the performance side of the industry is definitely something I'd like to pursue,” he said. “I have always been interested in that area and maybe I can do that and run my own business someday.”

Since winning the Apprentice of the Month award last year, Daniel has had plenty of time to think about the upcoming Apprentice of the Year award announcement. He is, he said, proud to be in the running.

“It feels good to be a finalist,” he said. “I was humbled to CLICK receive the Apprentice TO VISIT of the Month award, THE ROLIN so if I were to win the MECHANICAL WEBSITE Apprentice of the Year award, it would be awesome. It would be the icing on the cake.”

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GABRIELLE CLIFT QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

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2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

EMPLOYER: Highfields Mechanical, Highfields

“IT’S TRUE THAT LIGHT VEHICLE WAS NOT MY FIRST PICK BUT, HONESTLY, IT HAS BEEN THE BEST CHANGE.” mechanical skills are in demand.

“It all started with my dad,” she said. “He’s a contractor and a truck driver for his own business and does a lot of mechanical work himself. From a very young age I would go to work with him, and I found it all very interesting. And as a young kid I didn’t mind getting covered in oil and grease!

“After I finished school, I had a gap year and worked on various properties driving a lot of heavy machinery. It was interesting to know how it all operated, and that’s when I decided to go for an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic.”

However, after 12 months of work of work and training, things weren’t working out and she moved to Highfields, switching to a light vehicle apprenticeship and to training with the MTA Institute.

“It’s true that light vehicle was not my first pick but, honestly, it has been the best change,” she CLICK TO said. “For me, there is VISIT THE just more variety and HIGHFIELDS we do a bit everything MECHANICAL WEBSITE at Highfields. From tuning to mechanical servicing to wheel alignments to four-

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IT HAS BEEN a big year for Gabrielle Clift.

The 21-year-old, third-year light vehicle apprentice at Highfields Mechanical in Highfields near Toowoomba was named the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month for December 2019, is a finalist for the MTAQ Apprentice of the Year award, and was named Capricorn’s Rising Star Apprentice of the Year in July.

“I was shocked to win the Capricorn award. I was stoked,” said Gabrielle. “I give my work 110 per cent and to be recognised for it made me feel very lucky because I am sure there are many apprentices out there who are doing the same thing. I felt very humbled.”

While Gabrielle is modest regarding her achievements, these awards and nominations are well-earned as she has proven to be an outstanding apprentice and employee.

“Gabrielle is an excellent student who achieves very good results in exams and practical assessments,” said Colin Crawford, her MTA Institute trainer. “She is very dedicated to her training and workplace and is an excellent example to other apprentices and tradespeople.”

While Gabrielle is fully committed to her light vehicle training, it wasn’t her original apprenticeship. In fact, she began her training as a heavy commercial vehicle apprentice at a diesel mechanical workshop in the major agricultural centre of Moree in northern NSW. It’s an area where diesel, heavy vehicle and agricultural

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GABRIELLE CLIFT

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wheel-drives to suspension kits, even the occasional truck – we do it all, and I get to work on everything.”

In fact, that breadth of work opportunity has grown even more in recent weeks with Highfields’ owner, Craig Baills, recently launching a new workshop called Hi Mech Auto Solutions that will offer - in addition to general servicing - specialist testing, calibration and repair of the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) systems that are now commonplace on newer vehicles.

As a young woman making her way in an industry in which women have been under-represented, Gabrielle said that for her, gender wasn’t an issue.

“I don’t think of it as a male/female thing,” she said. “Obviously it is a maledominated industry, but I don’t have a problem with that. I know where I am and who I am as a person. It’s your personality that drives you, not whether you are male or female. At the end of the day, we are here to do a job and we all have something in common – we love working on cars.

“It can be daunting for a girl, but all the guys I work with are respectful and kind, more than happy to help and more than

happy to ask me for help. We treat each other as equals who are getting the job done.”

While only 21, Gabrielle is certain about her future in automotive and can see that the evolving nature of the industry is one to which she will have to adapt.

“I’d like to stay here at Highfields for a long time and gain experience in every field,” she said. “And I’d definitely look at auto-electrical training. The mechanical field has gone so far into the electrical area that a firm understanding of autoelectrical, and learning how different manufacturers’ systems work, is important.”

As the announcement of the MTAQ Apprentice of the Year nears, Gabrielle said she was nervous but excited about her prospects.

“I would love to get it, but all the finalists are just as deserving,” she said.

“I’ll be happy whatever happens because we are all working really hard.

At the end of the day it is great to see that there CLICK TO VISIT THE are really passionate HI MECH AUTO mechanics out there SOLUTIONS willing to teach, and WEBSITE passionate apprentices out there who want to learn.”

2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

ANTHONY CROUCH QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology EMPLOYER: Lockyer Valley Ford & Mitsubishi, Gatton

ANTHONY CROUCH WAS the Apprentice of the Month for January 2020.

The now 18-year-old light vehicle apprentice at Lockyer Valley Ford and

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

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Mitsubishi in Gatton is in his third year of training and is proving to be an incredibly quick learner and enthusiastic student with a passion for cars that has, his trainer

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"I have an XR6 ute and a 2010 FG, but I am working on restoring a 1961 Falcon. Every day when I get home I start working on that!"

Anthony said that the MTA Institute delivery of on-site training worked really well for him, but when he does finish his apprenticeship, the training won't stop. As with all major manufacturers, Ford offers the chance for its technicians to get advanced training on its products.

"Training and learning is important and I'll look to work towards becoming a Ford Master Technician," said Anthony. "I'm a Ford boy at heart."

With the Apprentice of the Month award already safely tucked away, Anthony said he was looking forward to the announcement of the Apprentice of the Year Award but was already very happy to be amongst the elite group CLICK TO VISIT THE of finalists.

LOCKYER VALLEY “It is a big deal and FORD & MITSUBISHI WEBSITE I would be stoked to win but I am pretty proud at being a finalist,” he said.

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“I WORK ON ANYTHING FROM SERVICING TO REPLACEMENT ENGINES . . . A BIT OF EVERYTHING. AND I REALLY ENJOY IT, IT IS AWESOME. WHATEVER IS HAPPENING AND NEEDS DOING IS FINE WITH ME - IT'S ALL ABOUT LEARNING.”

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Colin Crawford said, made him an excellent apprentice. ” Anthony is an outstanding student both academically and technically. Out of all of my students, he would be the most passionate about his trade," said Colin when Anthony won the Apprentice of the Month award. "Even his spare time is consumed with working on cars and equipment. He epitomises what a tradesman should be."

Having started his school-based apprenticeship in Year 10, Anthony is cracking along and will likely be a tradesman by the age of 19. While many young people in Year 10 are wondering what they want to do with their lives, for Anthony there was never a question that a career in automotive was where he was headed.

"I have always been interested in cars," he said. "My step-dad owned this business when it was called Carpenter Ford and working in automotive was 100 per cent where I wanted to go.

"I started here when I was in year 10 and did two days a week through years 10, 11 and 12 before coming on full time when school finished."

There is plenty of work to be done at the Ford and Mistubishi dealership and Anthony likes to get stuck into whatever comes through the doors.

"I work on anything from servicing to replacement engines . . . a bit of everything. And I really enjoy it, it is awesome. Whatever is happening and needs doing is fine with me - it's all about learning."

This passion for working on cars doesn't stop at the dealership shop doors.

Waiting at home there is more 'work' to be done on a tidy collection of Fords.

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2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

E V E LY N H AY E S QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology EMPLOYER: Scenic Motors, Beaudesert

EVELYN HAYES WAS the Apprentice of the Month award winner for February.

The 19-year-old, second-year light vehicle apprentice has been working at Scenic Motors – a Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Ford dealership - since starting her training at the beginning of 2019, and both her employer and trainer have been impressed with her dedication to learning her craft.

“Evelyn deserves this recognition for showing such enthusiasm for her training and for the fact she is progressing so well,” said her MTA Institute trainer Andrew Bellars when Evelyn picked up the Apprentice of the Month award.

“Her productivity in the workshop is exceptional and she is showing all the signs of being a very promising mechanic.”

Always interested in automotivethanks to her mum being a fleet allocator and her dad a truck driver who she would help work on his own cars at home, Evelyn was keen to get involved in the industry and at the start of 2019, she started her search for a light vehicle apprenticeship.

“I was just looking around and asking people if they needed anyone and Scenic took me on,” she said. “And the work here is a lot of fun. I work across all of Scenic’s brands and I’m always learning new things. I started by doing mostly servicing jobs but now I’m doing more complex work such as tyres and suspensions and so on and I am really enjoying it. And I enjoy the training too - the on-site training really works for me.”

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As a young woman working in what is still a male-dominated industry, Evelyn said that apart from some physical challenges with the work, everything had been positive and she was unquestionably part of a great team.

“It can be a bit hard sometimes, when they ask to move a gearbox or engine around or something like that, but I find a way to work around those things - I find a smarter way,” she said. “It’s going really well, and I definitely fit in here.”

With a couple of years to go with her training, Evelyn said the important thing for her now was to keep studying, keep working hard, and put in the effort to complete her apprenticeship. Being an Apprentice of the Month winner and a finalist for the Apprentice of the Year award - one of just 10 apprentices from the more than 2000 students the MTA Institute trains – is well-earned confirmation that her efforts are being recognised.

“I haven’t really thought about where my career might go, and at the moment I am concentrating on my apprenticeship, enjoying the work and the training and learning CLICK everything I can,” TO VISIT she said. “And to THE SCENIC be a finalist for the MOTORS WEBSITE Apprentice of the Year award is a very big deal. I am very proud to be a finalist.”

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JOSHUA SHEARMAN QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

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2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

EMPLOYER: Complete Mechanical Support, Moranbah

a year into his training, Joshua had to go looking for another job when that business closed, and eventually found a new home at Complete Mechanical Support. After a period settling in and proving himself, Joshua was offered the chance to restart his training with MTA Institute.

“I came in to speak to Warren and he put me on as a TA and then put me on to complete my apprenticeship,” said Joshua.

“And the training was really good. I think the one-on-one training that MTA Institute uses is much better than learning in a classroom with other students. I didn’t really do that well in school, so the one-onone training really helped me.”

Working at Complete Mechanical Support means Joshua trained and works on a wide variety of vehicles but, he said, light trucks were particularly plentiful.

“We do work on any vehicle here but, in the main, and seeing as this is a mining area, we do work on a lot of Landcruisers and HiLuxes,” he said. "You get to learn them inside and out, and I have a HiLux myself !”

Though he is now a qualified tradesman, like CLICK TO many young people VISIT THE entering the profession, COMPLETE Joshua recognises MECHANICAL SUPPORT that the fast-changing FACEBOOK PAGE nature of the auto manufacturers’ products means that constant

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JOSHUA SHEARMAN WAS the Apprentice of the Month award winner for March 2020. The 20-year-old completed his training at the beginning of the year and works as part of a team of seven tradespeople and apprentices at the workshop of Warren Allen’s Complete Mechanical Support in Moranbah, a mining town located a couple of hours southwest of Mackay.

Having finished his training in about three years, Joshua proved himself to be an excellent apprentice – one his employer said ahd grown and developed to the point that he was taking younger employees under his wing and explaining to them the 'how' and 'why' of a job.

Developing into a top-class apprentice and tradesperson was always likely for Joshua - with his father being both a light vehicle mechanic as well as a diesel fitter, he was immersed in the car world from the earliest age.

“I grew up around cars,” he said. “I was always mucking around the shed working on motorbikes and cars with my dad. I didn’t really know anything else and just knew I wanted to be a mechanic. I liked doing the work and I was doing it at home, so it seemed a natural thing to do.”

After leaving school early, Joshua found work as a technician’s assistant (TA) at a local workshop that, after about a year, offered him the chance to start an apprenticeship. Unfortunately, and about

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training and updating skills is something that must be considered.

“I love what I do now, but I do think that I will look at doing more training,” he said.

“The way cars are changing it would be a good idea to gain more skills and perhaps do something like auto-electrical training.

Every year the cars that are appearing are

different and there’s always more to learn.”

Considering the number of apprentices that MTA Institute trains, Joshua said it was a real achievement to be an Apprentice of the Month winner and he was proud to be an Apprentice of the Year finalist.

“It’s a big deal,” he said. “I am stoked to be a finalist and to win would definitely mean a lot. It would be something I would really be proud of.”

2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

AW N G DA N DA I P H A QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology EMPLOYER: Springwood Mechanical, Brisbane

AWNGDAN DAIPHA, KNOWN as Dan, has travelled a long road to be where he is now – on the verge of gaining his Light Vehicle trade qualification.

The 35-year-old fourth-year apprentice works at Springwood Mechanical in Brisbane was the Apprentice of the Month award winner for May 2020. The story of how he got here is a an inspirational one.

Born and brought up in Myanmar ( formerly Burma), and having learnt English from from St. Columban's Catholic Priests and De La Salle Brothers, Dan moved to Australia in 2010, taking a job at Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Melbourne.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the first significant changes to the nation’s vehicle manufacturing capability were being announced and following on the heels of Ford and Holden, Toyota revealed in early 2014 that it was to close its factory.

For Dan, the closing of the plant was a blow, but started him on a new direction

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in his career journey - a direction that would see him offered a job, then an apprenticeship, in Queensland and, after a couple of false starts, an apprenticeship with Springwood Mechanical.

“When I lost my job at the Toyota Camry factory, I really wanted to stay in the industry and get an apprenticeship, but I think employers were looking for someone a bit younger than me. I tried for about 18 months to find someone to take me on but was always rejected,” said Dan. “Then, a friend of a friend who ran a workshop in Brisbane offered me a job, so I moved up here in 2015. I worked there on a trial basis for a few months and was signed up for an apprenticeship, but just a few months later the business was sold and I was unemployed again.

“I managed to get another job, but in the second year of my apprenticeship that business was downsized, and I had to look elsewhere again,” added Dan. “I had a lot

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2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

ETHAN REID QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Automotive Body Repair Technology EMPLOYER: Totally Classic Restoration

ETHAN REID WAS the apprentice of the month for May 2020.

The 23-year-old, second-year panel beating apprentice has been working at Totally Classic Restoration in Warana on

the state’s Sunshine Coast for the past couple of years and for a young bloke with a passion for cars, it is a plum job.

That is because Totally Classic Restoration works on some pretty special

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I might start my own business one day,” he said. “But I will pursue further qualifications too. The industry is changing and I want to be equipped with as much knowledge as I can. It is a very interesting time.”

To be a finalist for the MTA Queensland’s Apprentice of the Year award was, said Dan, a real surprise, but something he hopes will inspire others.

“I was already very proud to have been named Apprentice of the Month. That was a big achievement and when I was starting, I never thought I would receive such an award,” he said. “To be a finalist is inspirational to myself and maybe to other people too because of my age. Some people might think they are too old to get involved. That was what I thought when I started and when I was thinking about working with people who were 16 or 18. But it was CLICK TO VISIT THE what I wanted to do.

SPRINGWOOD “It has been a pretty MECHANICAL bumpy road to get FACEBOOK PAGE here but it is worth it, and I am very happy and proud.”

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going on at the time – I had just got married and bought a house – so it was great when Springwood Mechanical took me on.

“I come from a farming background in northern Myanmar. There were not many cars there and when I was growing up my country was locked down and separated from other countries by a dictatorship, so the cars that were around were old.

That meant the mechanical industry was not popular and there was not much opportunity.

“However, I really wanted to do that work, so I was very glad to get into the industry here.”

The sort of passion Dan has shown to pursue his automotive dream is enviable and he is proving to be an outstanding apprentice.

“He has overcome significant obstacles to achieve his lifelong goal, and he is an exceptionally good student with his onthe-job performance and his theoretical work,” said Andrew Bellars, Dan’s MTA Institute trainer.

And the training is unlikely to stop once Dan does achieve that goal of becoming an automotive tradesman.

“I really enjoy what I am doing, and

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vehicles and learning your trade while helping to build unique custom cars while also restoring some great motors from the past is a real gift.

“We specialise in restorations, but we do quite a lot of custom and high-end, one-off builds as well. It is a pretty good to be here!” said Ethan, when Motor Trader caught up with him for chat back in April.

“We have quite a few cars on the go at the moment. We’ve got an HK sedan drag car we are doing a bit of work on, we’re nearing the end of a ground-up restoration of a VK Commodore, we have a couple of Jags in, and a Chrysler by Chrysler sedan that is one of less than 500 ever made. We do some interesting stuff.”

Getting to work on cars was something Ethan has always wanted to do, but for a few years he grafted as a roofer. Then, one day, he decided that it was time to pursue the career he really wanted, and he approached Totally Classic owner Gerry Coppleman for a job.

“I have been passionate about old cars pretty much my whole life. While I was a fully qualified metal roofer, I really wanted to follow my dream and work on cars . . . and it was getting too hot on the roof !” said Ethan.

“I went and knocked on the Totally Classic door when I had a day off from roofing, but Gerry said he didn’t have any work for me at the time. I waited a while, came back and asked again, and then he called me back a couple of weeks after that and I started the following day. He gave me a shot and I worked for a bit over six months before starting my apprenticeship.”

While Ethan works primarily as a panel beating apprentice, he also gets to try his

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hand at some paint work – something he enjoys and has plans to take on as part of his career moving forward – and that has led to some pretty unique jobs.

“It is great to be able to do some painting, and I recently worked on a 1913 locomotive!" he said. "It was used in Buderim, then went to Townsville for a while before coming back down here.

We had the opportunity to do some restoration on it and I was working for about 8 hours on the gun! Hopefully, soon it will be put on display in Buderim.”

The Totally Classic team is a small, dedicated unit working in a sector of the industry that demands those in it be dedicated to their work. And that is just what his colleagues are, said Ethan.

“There’s Gerry, a fully qualified panel beater, a fully qualified painter and me in the shop,” he said. “It’s a small team but we’re really passionate about what we do.

“There’s plenty of responsibility working on these vehicles, but we know what we are doing and what needs to be done and get on with it. It’s a great workshop, a great bunch of people and pretty special.”

Ethan has proven to be an outstanding apprentice and a worthy recipient of the Apprentice of the Month award and his spot as a finalist for the Apprentice of the Year award. He was, he said, proud to be in the running for the accolade.

“It really is an honour when you consider the CLICK number of people the TO VISIT THE TOTALLY CLASSIC MTA Institute trains,” RESTORATION he said. “To be a finalist WEBSITE is a very nice feeling and I am definitely humbled to be there.”

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JOHN BANCROFT-ARNOTT QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Motorcycle Mechanical Technology

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2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

EMPLOYER: Nippon Performance, Brisbane

“I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN BIKES AND EVERYONE I HAD MET WHO RIDES WAS PRETTY COOL, SO I KNEW I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN THE INDUSTRY.” “I was friends with a guy at Ellaspeed – a motorcycle shop in the West End of Brisbane - and when I was searching for bike-related jobs, I saw one advertised at a West End motorcycle shop. I knew Ellaspeed was the only shop down there and it was a dream job, so I went down and had a chat with them.”

That chat was with Phil Thieme, now the owner of Nippon Performance, and a handful of months into his apprenticeship, John found himself moving across Brisbane to the suburb of Woolloongabba to help Phil establish the new business – one that quickly gained a reputation for the quality of its work on bikes new and old.

“I have learnt so much here, from how to set points on an old two-stroke enduro bike, to CLICK TO how to machine parts, VISIT THE to rebuild engines, NIPPON to doing dynotune PERFORMANCE WEBSITE work on fuel-injection bikes - heaps of stuff.

I work on all these jobs and while, for me, it almost

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JOHN BANCROFT-ARNOTT was the Apprentice of the Month for June 2020.

The 29-year-old, fourth-year motorcycle mechanic apprentice works with Nippon Performance in Brisbane and has been with the business since it was established in 2017.

Nippon offers a wide range of services – from general maintenance to performance tuning to restorations – on bikes of all ages, and it is, said John, a special place to learn your trade.

“We specialise in Japanese motorcycles and we do performance work, dyno tuning, engine rebuilds – a lot of stuff. But not only do we work on the performance side of things, which is very cool, we are one of the few shops willing to work on old and vintage motorcycles. And the fact that I can go into the shop and work on a 50-year-old Ducati is special - it’s not often you get the chance to work on bikes like that.”

At 29, John is something of a latecomer to the industry, but motorcycles have long been a part of his life and he always wanted to learn more about them. The opportunity to turn that interest into a career came when he moved to Brisbane from NSW. “I was always interested in bikes and everyone I had met who rides was pretty cool, so I knew I wanted to do something in the industry,” he said. “I was tinkering with the old bike I had - had serviced it and so on - but I’d never had the guts to tear right into it and do a full engine rebuild or anything like that. I wanted to learn more.

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feels a bit normal, everyone I talk to who is still doing their apprenticeship says, ‘Wow, that’s pretty special.’ I am thankful to be here, that's for sure.”

The passion John has for the industry has been proven in his work and in his training – the one-on-one aspect of which he finds works well for him and which has, for the most part, been delivered by experienced MTA Institute trainer Ken Rahley.

“John is a very conscientious apprentice,” said Ken at the time that John received the Apprentice of the Month award. “He is always looking to expand his knowledge and is evolving into a highly skilled motorcycle mechanic. He is willing to invest in the equipment needed to be a well-rounded technician, has completed all of the tasks I have asked him to do, and is achieving a very high standard.”

With his apprenticeship almost completed, John is focused on a future which will allow him to get as much out of his time with Nippon as possible.

“Phil is my mentor I guess, and I am really happy doing what I am doing,” he said. “There is a lot I can learn at Nippon and I want to utilise my time here as best I can. I definitely want to stay here doing what I am doing and learning as much as I can while I can.”

As for the imminent announcement of the Apprentice of the Year, John said he was honoured to be a finalist and grateful for the help he has received over the years.

“I am proud to be a finalist - proud to have been chosen and nominated,” he said.

“And I’m thankful that people were willing to think of me and give me the chance to give it a crack – Phil and everyone at work, Ken my trainer, and everyone who has helped me get here.”

2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology EMPLOYER: CB Automotive, Yatala

FOLLOWING IN YOUR father’s footsteps is something to which many of us can relate, and for 21-year-old Stephanie Williams, following her auto-electrician dad into the automotive industry was all but guaranteed after spending many happy hours of her childhood working with him on the cars and hot rods that were their shared passion.

“I have always had that passion for cars,” said Stephanie. “For many years, my dad

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owned his own business in Browns Plains and we were always tinkering on the cars he had at the house and on the hot rods that we built together.”

That early exposure to the mechanical and auto electrical world would lead to a first step into the automotive industry as a receptionist/service advisor at a large dealership operation before a move into the workshop as a light vehicle apprentice came at the beginning of 2018.

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handful of women in the industry and in a workshop did not put her off her dream.

“A few people told me I wasn’t going to be able to do it, but my attitude was that I would prove everybody wrong,” she said.

“And I couldn’t ask for a more supportive boss or a better team.

“I would recommend the industry to any woman,” she added. “You do have to be strong, but if you don’t take things too seriously, you’ll be good. There are a lot of supportive people in the industry.”

In another 18 months or so, Stephanie will have completed her apprenticeship and more training may be on the cards.

“I have looked at doing the heavy vehicle qualification as well as auto electrical,” she said. “And I’d like to branch into the performance side of things as well.

“Ultimately, I would like to start and run a successful business with my dad. That has always been the dream.”

Already achieving great things, Stephanie said that to be in the running for the Apprentice of the Year award was something of which she was very proud.

“It would mean the CLICK TO world to me but, if I VISIT THE CB AUTOMOTIVE don’t get it, I am happy WEBSITE to have got this far,” she said. “I am honoured to be a finalist and it is great to be recognised.”

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“I DON’T MIND DOING THE BIGGER JOBS AND I DO ENJOY THE AUTO-ELECTRICAL SIDE OF THINGS TOO. IN FACT, MY PLAN IS TO EARN THE AUTO-ELECTRICAL QUALIFICATION AS WELL.”

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After a couple of years, Stephanie moved to car and truck service provider CB Automotive in January 2020 as she looked to continue her education at a smaller business with a more tight-knit team and more varied work. That move included a shift to training with the MTA Institute - a step that Stephanie said worked well for her.

“I had heard a lot of great things about the MTA Institute and do prefer their way,” she said. “With one-on-one training, if there’s something you’re not sure about, no matter how small, it will be covered, and it’s easier to ask questions and for things to be demonstrated. I definitely recommend it.”

According to Andrew Bellars, Stephanie’s MTA Institute trainer, her determination has made her a standout apprentice.

“Stephanie is a new student of mine but in the training sessions we have had she has really impressed with her commitment,” he said. “She has a genuine passion for the industry and has her own project car. She speaks about that car with a lot of pride and, as her trainer, that is wonderful to hear.”

That car is a 1979 Holden Gemini and, after five years of ownership, it has been as much a training tool as it has been a way to get from A to B. While the Gemini is a satisfying, solo project, the day-to-day work at CB Automotive is fun too.

“I’m enjoying everything. Absolutely love it,” she said. “I don’t mind doing the bigger jobs and I do enjoy the auto-electrical side of things too. In fact, my plan is to earn the auto-electrical qualification as well. There are more electric cars coming, so having that qualification would definitely be a benefit.”

Stephanie said she had been determined from the start to be the best mechanic she could be and that being one of only a

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2020 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST

QUINTIN SMITH QUALIFICATION: Certificate III Automotive Elect rical Technology EMPLOYER: SMW Group, Rockhampton

QUINTIN SMITH WAS the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month for August 2020.

The 23-year-old, fourth-year, autoelectrical apprentice works for the SMW Group in Rockhampton and has impressed with the top-notch quality of his work as he pushes towards completing what will, in fact, be his second apprenticeship – he completed his diesel fitter trade qualification with SMW a few years ago.

Working towards being dual-qualified gives an idea of Quintin’s passion for the industry but also the wide variety of work done at SMW Group. The company offers a wide range of services including mechanical servicing, engineering, fabrication and the manufacture of heavy equipment components for the mining industry.

“We do a wide range of work, but mostly mining equipment such as haulage trucks, dozers, graders, and ancillary machinery,” said Quintin. “We do go out to mining sites every now and again to do support work, but I do enjoy being in town because when equipment comes to the workshop it usually needs pretty major diagnostic work, which I enjoy.

“In the whole facility there are about 6080 people at any one time on site – boiler makers, painters, fitters – and in our shop there’d be about 20 fitters, auto-electricians and machinists. We are a pretty big business and there is quite a bit going on.

“It is good working for a big company because you do get diversity in your

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“IT IS GOOD WORKING FOR A BIG COMPANY BECAUSE YOU DO GET DIVERSITY IN YOUR WORK. YOU’RE NOT WORKING ON JUST ONE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT ALL THE TIME BUT DOING ALL MANNER OF JOBS SUCH AS DIAGNOSTIC WORK, INSTALLS AND FITOUTS AND SO ON.” work. You’re not working on just one type of equipment all the time but doing all manner of jobs such as diagnostic work, installs and fitouts and so on.”

With his dad being a diesel fitter, it’s no wonder Quintin first became interested in that work. However, like many of the younger generation who enter the industry, there is recognition that the emergence of electric vehicles and new digital technologies means that having auto-electrical skills will very useful.

“I started that first apprenticeship when I was about 16 and left school to take the opportunity,” said Quintin. “My dad has been a diesel fitter for many years and I liked the nature of the bigger equipment - it is different to what you see driving around town and you have to go out of your way to work on that type of equipment.

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APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

W E C O N G R AT U L AT E A L L T H E F I N A L I S T S A N D I F YO U W O U L D L I K E T O WAT C H THE APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR 2020 A N N O U N C E M E N T, T H E N YO U C A N CLICK HERE AND REGISTER FOR THE ONLINE E V E N T. T H E E V E N T W I L L TA K E P L A C E F R O M 6 P M - 8 P M O N F R I D AY, O C T O B E R 1 6 .

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With just a handful of modules left of his auto-electrical apprenticeship to complete, Quintin will soon be dual-qualified and looking to make the most of the skills he has worked hard to acquire.

“I enjoy working for SWB and I like the idea of working up through the ranks from apprentice to tradesman to senior tradesman and so on. And there are opportunities here, which is great.”

Winning the Apprentice of the Month award means Quintin is now a finalist for the MTA Queensland’s Apprentice of the Year award. He is, he said, a little nervous but proud CLICK to be a finalist.

TO VISIT “I’m pretty excited THE SMW GROUP about it,” he said. “I’ve WEBSITE never had anything happen to me like this before and it is great to be recognised.”

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“Back then, I didn’t think about autoelectrical or knew much about it, but after doing the diesel trade I thought, ‘I like the electrical side a bit more’. I find auto electrical to be more involved and it's a trade to build on. Electric vehicles are appearing and there are autonomous systems in mining and haulage, and all that is tied into auto-electrical.”

Quintin completed his first apprenticeship with another provider but has been working with the MTA Institute for all his current training. And the one-onone training method used by the Institute has, he said, been particularly useful for him.

“That method is good because, with the trainer coming to where you work, you can discuss the jobs you are doing at that time.

That is useful because there are differences between auto-electrical in a light vehicle workshop and the mining industry.”

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Plugged In: Explaining Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Tech “MOST EVS HAVE AN ON-BOARD CHARGER THAT RECTIFIES AC FROM THE MAINS GRID AND THEN PROVIDES DC EV CHARGING STANDARDS TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES.” AND INFRASTRUCTURE KEITH MINCHIN TECHNICAL ELECTRICAL TRAINER MTA INSTITUTE

ALL ELECTRIC AND Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles require a source of AC (Alternating Current) or DC (Direct Current) power to recharge their batteries.

The power is usually supplied from the power grid, and in Australia residential charging is usually sourced from a 230V/240V single-phase 10-amp socket.

Although there are variants such as 15A outlets and other specialised industrial applications, most vehicles will be connected to a 10amp socket in the home environment. In this case the power available to charge the vehicle is limited to 240V x 10A = 2400 Watts.

Electric vehicles are usually supplied with a charger that has a wall socket on one end and a vehicle plug on the other end. In addition, the vehicle will most likely be supplied with another charging lead to allow connection to a fast charger.

Ok, so nothing you didn’t already know here. But maybe we should take a deeper dive into charging connections and how they work?

HIGH POWER CHARGING A hardwired single-phase charger can provide much higher levels of power than connecting to a standard 10A domestic socket. The exact amount of power available will depend upon the individual premises and grid connection. However, increases in power availability up to 98 | Motor Trader October 2020

around 7.2kW can be achieved with a single-phase connection.

To supply the higher levels of power required for even faster charging, a threephase connection is required. It’s worth noting at this point that a three-phase connection could be wasted when charging some PHEV’s (plug-in hybrids) and EVs since they are not capable of taking a higher rate of charge, so a hardwired single-phase charger may be sufficient.

Three-phase is commonly used in industrial applications and can provide higher levels of power due to the fact that there are three active phases 120° apart at a frequency of 50Hz supplied at around 400/415V. Three-phase chargers are not commonly used in residential applications.

DC FAST CHARGING Due to the complexity of the equipment and the amount of power needed, DC fast chargers are rarely found in residential premises. Most EVs have an on-board charger that rectifies AC from the mains grid and then provides DC to charge the batteries. Cost and thermal constraints will limit how much power the on-board rectifier can handle. For charge rates exceeding around 240V/30A, it is better to have an external charge station provide a vehicle with DC. Power limitation when charging from a DC fast charger is more likely to be

CHARGING CONNECTORS

TYPE 1. ALTERNATE NAMES: J1772 OR SAE J1772 FIGURE 1 The Type 1 plug is a five-pin design used by Mitsubishi and some pre-2018 EV’s. It is the plug standard in North America and Japan.

Two pins are used to communicate between the vehicle and the charging station to determine the maximum current to the vehicle and to prevent the vehicle from moving while connected to the charger.

The three remaining pins are used as AC lines for charging and a line to ground.

Safety The J1772 standard includes several levels of shock protection which is FIGURE 1

Figure 1 shows the charging connection of a Mitsubishi Outlander with J1772 and CHAdeMO connectors.

SIGNALLING • The charger signals the presence of AC power.

• The vehicle detects the plug by a proximity circuit which prevents the vehicle being driven away while connected.

• Detects when the latch is pressed in anticipation of plug removal to prevent arcing.

CONTROL PILOT • The charger detects the vehicle.

• The charger indicates when ready to supply charge.

• Electric vehicle ventilation requirements (a code requirement for charging infrastructure/battery types) • Charging equipment current capacity provided to EV. • The EV commands the power/current flow.

• EV and supply equipment both monitor continuity of safety ground.

Type 1. Alternate names: J1772 or SAE J1772 AC pins L1 & L2/N

Proximity Detection

Ground Control Pilot

CHAdeMO Connector

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There are a number of options available to manufacturers when designing a vehicle.

Some cater for single-phase, three-phase and/or DC fast charging. The type of connector used will depend on the EV manufacturer, country of origin etc. I will describe the operation of the Type 1 or SAE J1772 connection in some detail. Other connectors will employ similar protocols to satisfy safety and operation requirements.

essential since vehicles will be recharged in a range of conditions including wet weather. When not connected, there is no power at the pins. Power is not present at the pins until commanded by the vehicle.

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constrained by what the vehicle can accept rather than the supply side.

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Plugged In: Explaining Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Tech • Charge continues and charge rate determined by the Electric vehicle.

• Charge can be interrupted by removing the plug.

FIGURE 2

BASE STATUS Status A Status B Status C Status D Status E Status F

CHARGING STATUS RESISTANCE CP-EV RESISTANCE R2 VOLTAGE CP-EV Standby Open circuit 12 V Vehicle detected 2740 Ω (2.74KΩ) 9V Ready (charging) 882 Ω 1300Ω (1.3KΩ) 6V With ventilation 246 Ω 270Ω 3V No power (shut 0V off) Error ¬-12V

CONTROL PILOT OPERATION Control Pilot Mode The charging station generates a 12V 1KHz square wave which is fed to the vehicle. A resistor and diode in series connects to the protected earth on the vehicle. When a charging cable is connected to the vehicle, a voltage drop occurs due to a voltage divider set up between the charging station and the vehicle. The 12V 1KHz square wave drops to a 9V square wave. Charging is activated by adding a parallel 1.3KΩ resistor which drops the voltage further to 6V. FIGURE 2 Control Pilot (Current Limit) The charging station can use the square wave to indicate the maximum current that is available from the charging station by using PWM (pulse width modulation).

A 16% PWM is a 10 Amp maximum, 25% is 16 Amp maximum, and so on.

PWM duty cycle indicating charge current capacity PWM 10% 16% 25% 30% 40% 50%

SAE CONTINUOUS SAE SHORT TERM 6A 9.6A 15A 20A peak 18A 22A peak 24A 30A peak 30A 36A peak

The following schematic shows a typical charger to EV connection J1772. FIGURE 3 100 | Motor Trader October 2020

PROXIMITY PILOT The proximity pin also uses a voltage division loop set up between the charging station and the vehicle. In the charger to EV schematic below it can be seen that the loop consists of a switch, 150Ω and 330Ω resistances on the charging station side and 5v supply, 330Ω and 2.7kΩ on the vehicle side.

When opening the release actuator, a 330Ω resistance is added which gives a FIGURE 3

Charging station side

AC supply relay. ON

6V detecton 1

Charge indictator

2 12V detecton (OK) 1 2

Square wave generator

12V square wave in open circuit / disconnected

Out

In

9V detectio

• This plug standard is currently used by other EV manufacturers and is now the standard for Australian EVs. This standard also uses proximity pilot and control pilot.

The Type 2 plug is a seven-pin design.

The extra two pins mean 3-phase charging can be supported. The Type 2 plug is the standard for Europe.

CHADEMO. AN ABBREVIATION FOR “CHARGE DE MOVE”, FRENCH FOR “MOVE USING CHARGE”.

The CHAdeMO Association was formed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru. Toyota later joined,

CCS COMBO. SHORT FOR COMBINED CHARGING SYSTEM.

E S S E N T I A L S

TYPE 2. ALTERNATE NAMES: IEC 62196, MENNEKES (A MANUFACTURER OF INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS).

followed by Hitachi, Honda and Panasonic.

CHAdeMO research and development started in 2005. The aim is to develop a public infrastructure of EV fast charge chargers which will enable people to drive EVs without the worry of battery range.

M E M B E R S

voltage shift on the line to allow the EV to initiate a controlled shut-off prior to disconnection of the charge power pins.

IEC 62196 mandates the Proximity pin is also used to indicate the cable capacity.

CCS has two variants using Type 1 and Type 2 AC plugs. This standard is used by Volkswagen, BMW, Ford and Hyundai.

TESLA SUPERCHARGER Tesla Superchargers use the same design as Type 2 AC plugs. They can deliver much more power by using two of the pins for DC current. Although the plug design is shared, Tesla Superchargers will only charge Tesla vehicles.

Despite different physical differences, all charge connector standards share the same following basic features:

SW AC in SW AC earth

Line 1

Line 2 Ground Pilot Proximity

J12772 connector vehicle side

AC in

J12772 connector charger side

Vehicle side EV charge ciruit + 12V

EV charge ciruit

Edge detector In

D 2.74K

1.3K

Out

+ 5V 150 330 1K

330 2.7K

Plug latch switch

1kΩ series resistance in charging station

2.74KΩ in series with 1kΩ drops square wave voltage to 9V (vehicle detected)

1.3kΩ resi stor drops square wave voltage to 6V (ready/charging)

on (connected)

October 2020 Motor Trader | 101

E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S

Plugged In: Explaining Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Tech • large gauge power delivery wire, a infotainment system to allow charging protective earth connection, some sort to take place at specific times which of bi-directional signalling system, and allows a driver to take advantage of a latch to secure the connector in the off-peak electricity rates. charging port.

As mentioned earlier Tesla uses • Both the SAE and IEC standard proprietary protocols which prevents connectors use a pair of wires known others from using their public chargers as Charge Pilot and Proximity Pilot for although this could change sometime in communication and signalling. the future as it would be relatively easy • CHAdeMO standard uses a more for Tesla to make an adapter allowing complex set of signals as well as a CAN other protocols to connect. bus for communication between the Charging is fastest between 20 per supply equipment and the vehicle. cent and 80 per cent. Ideally you would • Communication between the power proceed along a route, charge when you source and the vehicles on-board reach 20 per cent and be on your way charger / battery management system is once you have achieved 80 per cent. essential to ensure safety and longevity As supporting infrastructure in Australia of the battery. The vehicle must detect improves, it will be easier to achieve such when the plug is fully inserted to ensure a scenario as most EVs have the capability a safe connection between both sides in their infotainment system to provide and safe to touch. charging station locations, battery • The vehicle must detect when the range etc. latch is pressed on the connector so To maximise efficiency, it will be that the vehicle stops charging prior to important to keep vehicle databases up unplugging which prevents arcing. to date so that all charging locations are • The vehicle must communicate what included. In some countries, demand for voltages and currents it can accept EV chargers has outpaced infrastructure and whether ventilation is required to growth and a penalty fee is applied if an prevent overheating.

EV is left plugged in after charging. This • The supply equipment must continually encourages drivers to move their vehicle monitor for ground faults and the so that another vehicle can be connected vehicles chassis must remain isolated to the station. from the battery and charging station.

In conclusion, while there are • The vehicles on-board power unit will numerous charge connector types, handle all AC rectification, DC-DC similar safety considerations and conversion (voltage levels) as needed. vehicle compatibility protocols must e.g. charging a 600V system from 400V. be met to achieve satisfactory EV • It will work with the BMS (Battery charging outcomes. The challenge for EV Management System) to rectify and infrastructure design and support, is boost supply voltage, provide to ensure that we have adequate constant current or constant numbers of charging stations in CLICK TO VISIT THE voltage charging and stop a range of locations to support MTA INSITUTE charging should any critical the foreseen growth of the EV WEBSITE fault be detected. market.

Just about all modern EV’s Until next time work safe and offer scheduling via the take care.

102 | Motor Trader October 2020

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Motor Trader’s Christmas Gift Guide ❶ UPCYCLED TRUCK TYRE RUBBER TABLET SLEEVE Keep your iPad safe and secure with this hand-made tablet sleeve created from upcycled truck tyres.

Nicely designed from rubber saved from going to waste, the waterproof and durable tablet sleeve is eco-friendly and each one features the original tyre markings. With a soft felt lining, the sleeve also contains an inner pocket suitable for a notebook as well as a holder for pens. Fits Apple iPads and other tablets up to 10.5 inches. Dimensions: 20cm x 27cm x 2cm.

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❷ PERSONALISED F1 RACER MEMORY STICK Life is digital these days, and you can add some motoring style to your working day with the chrome plated-finish Personalised F1 Racer Memory Stick.

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❸ HEAVY BOY TRUCK MODEL KIT Everyone loves building model trucks and cars, right? Well, here’s a doozy. The Heavy Boy Truck model comes in wooden sheets, pre-cut for the parts.

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Ages: 14 or older. Contains sharp and small parts.

Trailer sold separately.

Price: $139.99 Available from www.yellowoctopus.com.au 104 | Motor Trader November 2019

❹ ❸

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❹ BUGATTI SPEEDO WALL CLOCK ❷

A bit of class here with a wall clock based on a classic Bugatti speedometer from the 1930s. The clock faces and background are printed individually using a fine art print process onto matt heavyweight archival paper. The clocks are then framed under glass, in a black stained wooden frame. The mechanism is a German quartz movement powered by an AA battery (not supplied). Dimensions: 24cm x 24cm. Guaranteed for 1 year. Other speedo designs are available.

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❻ LEATHER MOTORBIKE PASSPORT HOLDER OK, so there isn’t much international travel going on right now, but once the coronavirus has been dealt with, then you’ll likely be looking forward to that overseas trip, right? And if you’re a motorbike enthusiast, this ethically sourced, vegetable-tanned leather passport holder is a nice way to declare your passion for two-wheel transport while traveling.

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Investment matters

MARKET WRAP

D

OMESTICALLY, THE S&P/ ASX 200 Accumulation Index was down 3.66% during the period. Healthcare (+0.4%) was the best performing sector during the month as both Sonic Healthcare (SHL +3.7%) and Cochlear (COH +3.1%) outperformed.

Industrials (-0.7%) also fared better than the market, with Sydney Airport (SYD +8.1%) rallying ahead of peers. Energy (-11.6%) was the worst performing sector on the back of weaker oil prices with all oil and gas majors heavily down. Consumer Staples (-8.2%) also performed poorly, with Woolworths (WOW -8.6%) and Coles (COL -4.1%) both struggling after outperforming during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Internationally, equities were broadly lower in September. Concerns regarding the underlying strength of the global economy as well as pre-US election jitters undermined the long-standing market recovery. Increasing geopolitical tension between China and the United States has also been felt in the markets, with the four worst performers in September being the Hong Kong Hang Seng (-6.8%), NASDAQ (-5.2%), China CSI 300 (-4.8%) and S&P500 (-3.9%). The rest of the international markets were more sedated, with Emerging Markets (MSCI EM -1.8%), the UK (FTSE 100 -1.6%) and Europe (MSCI Europe -0.8%) all down. Japan (Nikkei 225 +0.2%) and Korea (KOSPI +0.7%) bucked the trend to produce small positive gains.

106 | Motor Trader October 2020

“INTERNATIONALLY, EQUITIES WERE BROADLY LOWER IN SEPTEMBER. CONCERNS REGARDING THE UNDERLYING STRENGTH OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AS WELL AS PRE-US ELECTION JITTERS UNDERMINED THE LONG-STANDING MARKET RECOVERY.” DISCLAIMER This document has been prepared by DNR Capital Pty Ltd, AFS Representative - 294844 of DNR AFSL Pty Ltd ABN 39 118 946 400, AFSL 301658. It is general information only and is not intended to be a recommendation to invest in any product or financial service mentioned above. Whilst DNR Capital has used its best endeavours to ensure the information within this document is accurate it cannot be relied upon in any way and recipients must make their own enquiries concerning the accuracy of the information within. The general information in this document has been prepared without reference to any recipient’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making any financial investment decisions we recommend recipients obtain legal and taxation advice appropriate to their particular needs. Investment in a DNR Capital managed account can only be made on completion of all the required documentation.

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MTAA Super is issued by Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238718), Trustee of the MTAA Superannuation Fund (ABN 74 559 365 913). Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited has ownership interests in Industry Super Holdings Pty Ltd and Members Equity Bank Limited. The information provided is of a general nature and does not take into account your specific needs or personal situation. You should assess your financial position and personal objectives before making any decision based on this information. We also recommend that you seek advice from a licensed financial adviser. You should consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for MTAA Super in deciding whether MTAA Super is appropriate for you. The PDS can be obtained by calling MTAA Super on 1300 362 415 or visiting mtaasuper.com.au/handbooks