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Sanral’s latest e­toll attack It is now up to MPs to choose sides with SA’s sneaky road agency, or Gauteng non­toll rebels ALWYN VILJOEN YOU probably missed the Gazette that proposed several changes Sanral wants to make to SA’s demerit licensing system that is supposed to start in April.

You would have missed it because Transport’s as­ sistant director of Legislation, Sello Mokubyane, published the amendments to the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act (Aarto) in Gazette # 39482, just as most South Africans went on the annual December holidays.

Mokubyane then gave the public only until Janu­ ary 6 to comment on his department’s proposal that the Aarto Act’s section 29 be amended so that failure “to comply with the directions conveyed by a road traffic sign by using a toll road without paying the toll charge” should henceforth cost the owner of a vehicle up to R500, but not — note — any demerit points.

Mokubyane also wants to amend Schedule 1 by adding form Aarto 03e, which allows multiple elec­ tronically captured infringements to be sent to the owner of a vehicle, but with space for only one photo.

We contacted Mokubyane by e­mail to query the number of responses the public has sent to his pro­ posed amendments to the Aarto Act, but he did not provide an answer by the time of going to print.

The SA Automobile Association said in a state­ ment the timing of the Gazetted amendments was done deliberately to reduce public participation.

“With Sanral as embattled as it is in the public space, we would have thought the roads agency and the Department of Transport would do everything possible to make this process inclusive to prevent further damage to its reputation,” said the AA’s PR manager Layton Beard.

“By its own admission, Sanral acknowledges only 10% of account holders are paying their e­toll ac­ counts. This means that 90% are not, showing the lack of compliance to the system. We would suggest that Sanral rather start issuing invoices and state­ ments to their existing customer base and follow standard debt collection processes and procedures to collect outstanding amounts, rather than effect­ ing new legislation to cover for their own system inefficiencies,” Beard added.

Impact on fleet operators If our parliamentarians ignore such advice and in­ stead grant Sanral’s wishes, KZN’s many fleet opera­ tors can expect to see their purported e­toll infringe­ ments on a single form, Aarto form 03e, and this bulk infringements notice can be sent up to 90 days after the date of the earliest infringement listed on the form.

The industry’s reaction to the Aarto’s form 03e, which allows space for only one photo of the vehicle, cannot, unfortunately, be printed in this family newspaper, but can be summarised as Transport be­ ing wilfully ignorant of traffic realities in South Afri­ ca, and especially Gauteng, where at least two in 10 vehicles drive around with a registration plate illegally cloned from another vehicle.

Fleet operators say by ignoring the fact of cloned plates, Transport now puts the onus on them to prove their vehicle could not have passed under the e­toll gantry on the specified date and time.

Where the vehicle with the cloned plate shares a route with the legitimate plate, this can become

impossible to prove. The only way past such an im­ passe will be for Sanral, the organisation driving the amendment, to give fleet operators the benefit of doubt, something Sanral has consistently failed to do to date.

One well­known owner driver and small fleet op­ erator in northern KwaZulu­Natal says not adding a photograph of each new alleged infringement ef­ fectively removes the state’s obligation to prove guilt. “This is against everything we fought for in the struggle,” said the fleet operator, who does not want to be named for fear of being targeted by San­ ral’s litigators. “We may as well go back to the apart­ heid days where any suspect could be locked up with no burden of proof.”

Another anonymous fleet administrator, who had been diligently paying e­tolls up to the first time she had to contest wrong billing and fines from various cloned plates with no response from Sanral, said: “They already totally fail to communicate with us on any disputes when we do have proof of our [fleets’] innocence on a charge. This new idea will make it very difficult to prove it is not one of our vehicles [in a cited infringement].”

Siphiwe Makhathini, a national champion truck driver who is now retired, said he knows of several fleet operators who get fines from cloned plates.

Makhathini suggests Sanral would do better to provide Metro officers all over Gauteng with a list of cloned registration plates to look for and take these off the roads, “instead of continuing to flog the dead horse of e­tolls”.

Madoda Plaatjie, a Hazchem driver trainer in Dur­ ban, is worried how combining e­tolls with Aarto will affect the much­needed demerit system in the long run.

“The Aarto system is something we desperately need to take off our roads all those drivers who pass on blind hills if we are to bring down the annual deaths toll [from road accidents]. But trying now to solve the e­toll revolt by marrying it to the demerit system is madness and will just ensure our traffic remains among the most unsafe in the world,” said Plaatjie.

Fleet operators, who already find the e­toll dis­ count system very cumbersome to administer and any disputes impossible to address, warns parlia­ mentarians the proposed amendment will associate the revolt against e­tolls with the new Aarto system, which will impact on the much­delayed roll­out of the demerit system as well as drivers’ willingness to accept the demerit system.

As things stand, fleet administrators predict bulk infringements will make the entire infringement no­ tification process all but impossible to defend or prosecute in court.

All this is academic, however, if Parliament also votes through a third change to the Aarto Act, which is to allow sending the bulk notifications of non­pay­ ment of e­tolls by non­registered mail, e­mail or SMS within 90 days by registered mail.

These changes were already gazetted in 2013 and mooted again in December’s Gazette 39482. If the MPs accept this amendment, it will leave the prose­ cutors with no proof that the notice was legally deliv­ ered; and the lawyers of fleet operators with a ready defence to sink the e­toll ship even deeper in the sea of revolt it currently faces.

The AA’s main concerns WITH many Sanral account holders currently unable to obtain invoices and statements on their e­toll accounts, the implementation of a fine system could mean that vehicle owners will receive a fine before their invoice.

In essence, account holders will be fined for de­ layed payments through no fault of their own.

Owners could incur huge fines that will be hard to query or defend while trying to resolve billing is­

sues with Sanral and will not be able to renew their vehicle licence until they have paid these fines.

The amount fined for an unpaid e­toll debt is dis­ proportionate to the outstanding amount.

Should a vehicle owner drive from Soweto to Pre­ toria and back, they will trigger 16 tolls and incur a debt of R45,90 (calculated using the Sanral online e­toll calculator). If the owner fails to pay these tolls, they are liable for a fine of R4 000.

The proposed Aarto 03e form that will list multiple failures to pay e­tolls but show only one photo of the vehicle involved in the infringements.

Fleet operators say this ignores the many cloned registration plates on SA’s roads, with an estimated 10% to 20% of the vehicles on Gauteng’s roads using false plates.

PHOTO: GAZETTE

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WitnessWheels MOTORING

BIKING

January 28, 2016

The Samsung Smart Bike.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Smart bikes are next … after the smartphone, smartwatch and many apps BEN COXWORTH WHAT do you call a bicycle that doesn’t have a motor, but is packed with electronic fea­ tures?

Well, the emerging term seems to be “smart bike”.

We’ve already seen one called the Valour, but now there’s a new one­off known as the Sam­ sung Smart Bike.

Above all else, it’s designed to make bicycle commuting saf­ er.

The Samsung Smart Bike was designed by Italian frame­ builder Giovanni Pelizzoli and student Alice Biotti.

It was created through the Samsung Maestros Academy, an online platform in which Italians who are masters in their field (such as Pelizzoli) teach their skills to promising up­and­comers (such as Biot­ ti).

The aluminum frame first of all features curved tubes de­ signed to soak up some of the vibrations caused by riding on rough city streets.

Located between the seat stays of that frame is a rearview

camera that streams a live vid­ eo feed to a handlebar­mount­ ed Samsung smartphone.

There are also four lasers built into the frame that project a bike lane onto the road on ei­ ther side of the bike as it’s mov­ ing.

Those lasers automatically come on as ambient light levels drop as detected by the smart­ phone.

Additionally, an app on the phone uses GPS to make a note of routes that are often trav­ elled by the cyclist.

It then offers the option of notifying city officials of those routes, with the suggestion that they add officially­desig­ nated bicycle lanes.

The frame also houses a bat­ tery, an Arduino module, along with WiFi and Bluetooth mod­ ules.

Perhaps a little surprisingly, though, the bike lacks a plain old headlight or tail light.

The Samsung Smart Bike made its public debut in April, at Milan Design Week. There’s no word on any plans for com­ mercialisation.

— Gizmag.

Africa Twin offers narrow­waisted riding pleasure Marc Marquez, two­time world Moto GP champion and off­road motorcycle enthusiast, likes the new Honda Africa Twin a lot, as indeed do all other riders who have been lucky enough to get a leg over the saddle. For those who have been living under a rock, the Africa Twin is Honda’s long awaited return to adventure biking.

In the words of the project leader of the Africa Twin, engineer Y. Hasegawa: “We wanted to create a full­ scale true adventure motorcycle that was equally enjoyable and capable in crossing vast continents as it was on the highway and in everyday use … our CRF1000L [Africa Twin] has off­road ability that makes dirt roads a joy to tackle, with the comfort of a tourer and agility of a commuter. In other words, a model truly worthy of inheriting the Africa Twin name.”

The Big Red’s outlet in Pietermaritzburg, Fury Honda and Suzuki on Boom Street, is already planning adventure outrides for aspiring Twin Africa buyers when the first demo unit arrives.

To enlist, call 033 345 6287 and ask for Gary Stokes.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

New Husky supermoto adds lightness to grunt SPIROS TSANTILAS HUSQVARNA has unveiled the new FS 450 supermoto.

The new Husky features a new frame, engine and gearbox, prac­ tically making for a new motorcy­ cle. The drivetrain is based on the motocross KTM 450 SX­F that’s undergone a strenuous redesign resulting in a 1,8 kg lighter and more compact engine unit.

It is mated to brand­new five­ speed gearbox, smaller and light­ er than its predecessor, which is equipped with the APC (Adler Power Torque Clutch) slipper clutch to eliminate rear end hop­ ping when braking and down­ shifting into a corner entrance.

The single­cylinder engine is controlled by the latest evolution of Keihin’s Engine Management System — the same electronic unit used by KTM. In the case of the 2016 FS 450,

Expect the new Husqvarna FS 450 by September.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED a new launch control function regulates torque output during the first two seconds after a standing start, helping to maxi­ mise traction.

The motorcycle is built around a new chromium molybdenum

tubular steel frame with a new aluminum swing­arm.

The plastic subframe intro­ duced in the 2014 FS 450 has now been replaced by a smaller and lighter carbon­composite part.

The 2016 FS 450 is endowed

with the typical gear that KTM uses, such as the fully adjustable WP suspension and Brembo brakes, plus a lightweight pair of black Alpina spoke wheels to complete the package.

After all the weight­saving and power­enhancing development work that went into the new FS 450, the output of 47 kW marks the most powerful engine ever used in a 450 cc Husqvarna su­ permoto. This much grunt in a motorcycle that weighs in at just 105 kg sounds like an explosive combination — exactly what it takes to compete in the S1 World Supermoto Championship.

For reference, the 2014 FS 450 produced 44,7 kW for a mass of 110 kg.

The 2016 FS 450 is expected to hit Husqvarna’s dealers by the end of September at an as yet un­ disclosed price.

— Gizmag.

3D printing robot to fill potholes and ice rinks NICK LAVARS FROM filling potholes to repair­ ing busted power lines, main­ taining a city’s infrastructure in­ volves some serious man hours.

This labour­intensive task has recently become the target of some roboticists and engineers, who have set their sights on au­ tomating at least part of the process.

Now startup Addibots is look­ ing to get in on the action, wheel­ ing out a roving 3D printing ro­ bot it imagines will scoot around town mending dodgy road surfa­ ces. Dreamt up by mechanical engineer and Harvard alumni Robert Flitsch, the Addibot is more than two years of research and development in the making.

Where conventional 3D print­

ing is generally limited to pro­ ducing items of a specific size, restrained by the device’s build area, the Addibot team are aim­ ing to break down these barriers to allow for infinite 3D printing possibilities.

In simple terms, the Addibot is a 3D printer mounted onto a moving robot.

The thinking is that with the ability to move to any desired lo­ cation, the Addibot can print larger objects, potentially on any scale.

So rather than 3D printing in the conventional sense, where an object is created within a work­ space and then removed for use, the Addibot approach is to re­ invent that workspace by allow­ ing the technology to operate in just about any environment

where there’s a flat surface.

They demonstrated the print­ er on an ice rink, expelling freez­ ing water onto cracks in the ice surface, freezing on contact in around 700 milliseconds.

Addibots is now developing a new distribution array that can accommodate asphalt materials, with a view to tending to cracks, larger potholes and even the complete resurfacing of roads.

The company says that its technology could also pave the way for more advanced roadways in the future.

The thinking is that to keep pace with advancements in transportation technologies, such as electric cars, we will need to rethink how the roads them­ selves are fabricated.

By bringing 3D printing into

the mix, Addibots claim it would be able to blend conductive ma­ terials into roadways for trans­ mission of electrical power, for example, or add sensors to allow communication between vehi­ cles.

They could also make for more robust roads by printing materi­ als for added strength, such as carbon fibre.

The company says its first products will be unmanned au­ tonomous units, but it eventual­ ly plans to offer a number of models in various sizes at differ­ ent price points.

These will range from small units you can rent from a home improvement store to pave a new driveway, to manned units for larger scale projects.

— Gizmag.

Harvard alumni Robert Flitsch (22) with his prototype Addibot, a 3D­printing robot that he aims to send out to fill potholes on roads made for electric cars.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

MOTORING WitnessWheels

January 28, 2016

3

Car insurance a must in SA BRIAN BASSETT inks the sound advice aired on his ‘Inqola’ show on Capital 104 FM radio VETERAN motoring insurance claims adjuster Keith Sampson warns congestion on roads and in parking lots means there is no escaping damage to your car anymore, and advises what to do after a crash. He was interviewed

by Brian Bassett on the community broadcaster in Msunduzi, Capital 104 FM. Brian Bassett: The car insurance market is very com­ petitive and advertising for insurance is everywhere.

What criteria would you use when selecting an insurer?

Keith Sampson: Car insurance is one of the most important forms of insurance you can buy and you should not venture out onto the roads without it.

An accident could easily cost you R100 000 plus and wipe you out financially if you are not properly covered.

I would advise those looking for car insurance to go to a prop­ erly registered short­term insur­ ance broker. The broker will se­ lect a company with experience in the field, as well as a good repu­ tation and track record.

He will also assist you with making sense of the extensive documentation which you will receive once committed to a poli­ cy, as well as leaving you with a real understanding of what is covered and what is not.

BB: Car insurance advertising seems to focus on low premi­ ums. Should car owners be concerned with that?

KS: Difficult as it is, you should not focus on premiums. Remem­ ber your intention in buying in­ surance is to obtain cover, which will protect you and your family in an accident.

Rather pay a little more on your broker’s advice, than buying a cheaper policy which may not cover all your needs.

It is sad that many people re­ sent paying motor insurance pre­ miums, because they believe that they will never have an accident, and that in a country which, after India and China, has one of the highest accident rates in the world.

BB: What is an excess?

KS: An excess is an amount of money you agree to pay your in­ surance company in respect of each and every claim you make.

These days it varies between about R3 500 to R5 000.

Your excess is often taken into account when your premium is calculated and it indicates to your insurer that you will only claim for major damage and fix smaller scratches and bumps yourself.

These days you can insure your excess for a small monthly pay­ ment and so you can pay nothing, whatever the size of your claim.

It is not always the taxi driver to blame. In this crash last year in Ruimsig, Gauteng, the driver of the BMW ran away after crashing head­on into the taxi at high speed, leaving one person dead and critically injuring two others.

PHOTO: ER24 BB: What is a no­claim bonus?

KS: It is a premium discount giv­ en on a motor policy by an insur­ ance company as a reward for not claiming.

These days, with increasing numbers of cars on the road and damage occurring regularly in places like shopping centre park­ ing lots, it is very difficult not to claim on your policy for several years.

Fortunately, as with your ex­ cess it is possible to insure your no­claim bonus for a small

monthly amount and so protect yourself from losing it should you claim.

BB: If someone collides with me, what information should I collect on site and what else should I do before contacting my insurance broker?

KS: Collect as much information as possible. Photograph the crash scene with you cellphone camera. Also photograph the other driver and anyone else in­ volved. If you can get a copy of

his or her driving licence — do so, as well as his or her ID docu­ ment. You also need his or her name, address, licence number and photo of his or her licence disk. Interview bystanders and take names and addresses of those who saw the accident.

It is worthwhile to carry a small plastic wallet in your cub­ byhole containing recording in­ struments like pen and paper and a piece of chalk so that you can mark the accident scene on the road and photograph it once the vehicles have been removed.

Then you need to report the acci­ dent to the nearest police station, if police officers are not on site already, and obtain a case num­ ber.

Once you have done these things, contact your broker, who will help you with your insurance claim or your insurer, if you do not have a broker.

BB: Tell us about write­offs.

KS: Your insurance company will value your car after an accident and if the cost of repair is higher than a certain percentage of the value of the car, they will write it off and offer you a proportion of the assessed value as a payout.

As happened with many vehi­ cle owners after the hailstorm in 2015, they bought their cars back from their insurers and may also have received a small percentage

of the value calculated as a pay­ out. These vehicles largely had cosmetic and not mechanical damage.

BB: Can you insure for re­ placement value?

KS: Most insurers will not do it because of the complexity of cal­ culating the exact value of a vehi­ cle at any one time and the cost of such insurance.

BB: What is balance of third party?

KS: It is a much cheaper form of motor insurance which covers only other vehicles involved in an accident and not your own.

It is better than nothing, par­ ticularly if you have a chance meeting with a R2 million Mer­ cedes, but if you can possibly af­ ford comprehensive cover you should go for it.

BB: Is there anything else you would like to say to motor­ ists?

KS: In Europe, England and some countries in the Middle and Far East driving without compre­ hensive insurance is an offence carrying a large fine.

In South Africa, only 30% of drivers are properly insured. We need to increase dramatically the number of drivers who are in­ sured and consider appropriate legislation to ensure this.

4

WitnessWheels ELECTRIC MOTORING

January 28, 2016

Lots of volts in a ‘tank’ A buffer battery can give quick power to any car ELECTRIC cars will only be truly competitive when it doesn’t take longer to charge them than it does to fill a fuel tank.

The storage capacity of bat­ teries is improving exponen­ tially, but the power grid is the weak link: how could it possibly charge myriad cars at the same time?

This is especially problemat­ ic in the case of ultra­fast charg­ ing, which requires more than 10 times more power. EPFL re­ searchers have found the solu­ tion: intermediate storage.

It only takes a minute­and­a­ half to put enough fuel into the tank of a diesel car to run for around 1 000 kilometres. After being charged for the same amount of time, the best elec­ tric cars will only go six kilome­ tres.

The only way to make the charging process faster is to in­ crease the power flow going in.

But such a quick charge would require 4,5 MW of power — equivalent to 4 500 washing machines. This would bring down the power grid.

Low or medium voltage “We came up with a system of intermediate storage,” said Al­ fred Rufer, a researcher in EPFL’s Industrial Electronics Lab. “With this buffer storage, charging stations can be dis­ connected from the grid while still providing a high charge lev­ el for cars.”

And this can be done using the low­voltage grid (used for residential electricity needs) or the medium­voltage grid (used for regional power distribu­ tion), which significantly redu­ ces the required investment.

Intermediate storage is achieved using a lithium ion battery the size of a shipping container, which is constantly charging at a low level of power from the grid.

When a car needs a quick charge, the buffer battery promptly transfers the stored electricity to the vehicle. The grid is not even used.

To prove the system works, the researchers at the EPFL En­ ergy Centre and Industrial Electronics Lab built a demon­ strator together with their part­ ners from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Sci­ ence and Technology (EMPA), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) and the Bern University of Ap­ plied Sciences.

The demonstrator is a trailer holding the intermediate stor­ age battery.

It draws power from the low­ voltage grid and, in the space of 15 minutes, provides the 20

V ALFRED RUFER EPFL researcher

Charging stations can disconnect from the grid while still providing a high charge level for cars. to 30 kWh needed to charge a standard electric car battery.

“Our aim was to get under the psychological threshold of a half hour. But there is room for improvement,” said Massi­ miliano Capezzali, deputy di­ rector of the Energy Centre, who co­ordinated the project.

Future charging needs What is also interesting about this concept is that it can be used to determine how much capacity future charging sta­ tions will need.

Fuel stations from the last century will gradually give way to electric charging stations.

And just as owners had to as­ sess how big their fuel tanks needed to be, future suppliers of electric energy will have to estimate the needed capacity for their buffer storage.

To help them in their task, the researchers developed an equation that factors in a num­ ber of parameters, including traffic statistics on a given stretch of road, the estimated number of electric cars, the charging capacity of the batter­ ies, users’ charging needs, and so on.

The simulations, which are based on actual figures from French­speaking Switzerland, show that the scenario is en­ tirely realistic.

A station able to quickly charge 200 cars per day would need intermediate storage ca­ pacity of 2,2 MWh. This is the same order of magnitude as the energy con­ sumed by one home in one year.

In volume terms, it corre­ sponds roughly to four ship­ ping containers.

“Electric cars will change our habits. It’s clear that, in the fu­ ture, several types of charging systems — such as slow charg­ ing at home and ultra­fast charging for long­distance travel will co­exist,” said Capez­ zali.

— Supplied.

Morgan is already taking orders for the electric three­wheeler it plans to built from 2017. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Morgan gets funds to build electric 3­wheeler ENGLAND’S nostalgic trike­car builder, Morgan, will start build­ ing hybrid and electric cars from 2019.

The company has received a total of £6 million (over R141 million) in funding from the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Cen­ tre, the UK­based Delta Motor­ sport and Potenza Technology, on the conditions that the funds be spent on expanding Morgan’s research and development de­

partment, the hiring of new workers, and boosting its annual production capacity.

Morgan MD Steve Morris said in a statement: “This is a very ex­ citing project for us. We have been involved in the research and development of new propulsion technology since the inception of the LifeCar project almost 10 years ago. We are now ready to develop the best hybrid and elec­ tric drive­train solutions for pro­

duction implementation before the end of the decade.

“We expect the project to de­ liver growth and employment benefits here at Morgan and in our partner companies, but equally it will broaden the appeal of the Morgan brand and attract new customers in our key mar­ kets.”

The first regular­production electric model in Morgan’s line­ up will be the production version

of the three­wheeler­based EV3 concept that was shown last summer at the Goodwood Festi­ val of Speed. Set to go on sale be­ fore the end of the year, the elec­ tric Morgan EV3 is powered by a 75 kW electric motor that’s mounted over the rear wheel, and it is able to drive for up to 240 km on a single charge. It hits 60 km;h in under 10 seconds and has top speed of over 129 km/h.

— Wheels Reporter.

Nissan electrics do over 4 mln km in London NISSAN announced this week it will build future generation elec­ tric vehicle (EV) batteries at the company’s manufacturing facili­ ty in Sunderland, UK. The facility is one of three Nis­ san battery production sites glo­ bally and provides battery mod­ ules for the all­electric Nissan Leaf and e­NV200 electric van, which is manufactured at Nis­ san’s facility in Barcelona, Spain.

Already the global leaders in electric vehicles with over 200 000 Nissan Leafs on the road worldwide covering a total of two billion electric miles, to­ day’s announcement is another stake in the ground as Nissan re­ affirms its commitment to a 100% electric future. In 2015 alone, Nissan sold 43 651 Leafs worldwide, 15 630 of which were in Europe.

In the UK, the Leaf and Nis­ san’s lesser­known electric vehi­ cle, the e­NV200 Combi, this month passed four million kilo­ metre mark, working as taxis across the island. London’s may­ or Boris Johnson is proposing to make all London taxis zero­emis­ sions capable by 2018.

Nissan stated there are cur­ rently more than 140 Nissan EV taxis in operation across Britain, with dozens more on order and many taxi companies and local authorities taking steps to re­ place diesel and petrol equiva­ lents with cleaner and cheaper EV alternatives.

Nissan stated if the same dis­ tance — equivalent to six jour­ neys to the moon and back or 120 times around the world — had been covered in the diesel vehi­ cles the Nissan EVs replaced, it would have cost more than R8,2 million in fuel and just un­ der a 1 000 tons of carbon would

The Nissan NV200 use the same battery technology that drives the Leaf.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED also have been generated.

But with zero tailpipe emis­ sions, the models emitted not one gram of carbon during oper­ ation, helping to improve air quality in the towns and cities where they operate.

Six of the largest and longest­ established Nissan taxi fleets the UK — Phoenix Taxis in Blyth, Northumberland, C&C Taxis in Cornwall, Premier Cabs in Black­ pool, 203020 Electric in Dundee, eConnect Cars in London and eCorporate Travel in Edinburgh — have surpassed three million miles (just under five million kilometres) between them. With many smaller fleets and inde­ pendent operators also operat­ ing across the country, the true figure is likely to be significantly higher. During their time in taxi and private hire service, both the Leaf and e­NV200 have proved their durability, reliability and cost­efficiency time and time

again. Highlights include: • 203020 Electric in Dundee sur­ passed one million pure EV taxi miles in less than one year with its fleet of 30 Nissan Leafs.

• At least four Leaf taxi have passed the 100 000 mile mark with more than 30 having cov­ ered over 30 000 miles.

• The first Leaf put into service

by C&C Taxis in Cornwall passed 100 000 miles without losing a single bar of battery life and on its first set of brake pads.

• The average Nissan EV taxi is rapid charged (a process taking as little as 30 minutes from zero to 80%) hundreds of times a year with minimal degradation.

• Many Nissan EV taxi drivers are taking home thousands of pounds extra per year as a result of fuel savings. At 203020 Elec­ tric, in Dundee, for example, driv­ ers are between £120 and £130 (R2 850 and R3 050) a week bet­ ter off. — Wheels Reporter.

140 electric Nissan vehicles operating in London save more than R8,2 million in fuel and just under a 1 000 tons of carbon.

All Aboard for the Night Market

By Pieter from Maritzburg One of the best things about living here in Pietermaritzburg is the way the community gathers from time to time just to celebrate life. There’s always something going on, if you know to look for it. Take, for example, Dunrobin Garden Centre (off Townbush Road). Home to the Shelvin Nursery, Dunrobin has long been the destination to get your garden kitted out, but did you know that they host a night market on the last Friday of every month? Well they do, and it’s wonderful.

The next night market will run from 6pm to 9pm on the 29th of January (this Friday). It promises to provide an evening of “wonderment, mystery, and celebration,” with live music and a wide array of stalls (including some typically delicious local foodstuffs); it’s the perfect evening out for the whole family: browse the stalls, explore what’s on offer, make new friends and see old ones.

Purchase a Polo TSI hatch from R1,995* per month.

Monthly Instalments

No. of Instalments

Interest Rate Linked / Variable

R1,995*

36

6.72%*

Polo TSI 81kW Highline

R254,700

R1,999*

36

5.96%*

Polo TSI 81kW Highline DSG

R270,700

R2,099*

36

5.98%*

Polo TSI 70kW BlueMotion R243,800

R2,099*

36

5.83%*

Purchase the New Caddy Maxi Panel Van TDI 81kW from R3,978* per month and receive R12,000 worth of free accessories to suit your business needs.

Guaranteed Total Cost Incl Future Value fees & VAT

Deposit

19.6% (R45,844) 20.09% (R51,169) 20.33% (R55,033) 20.43% (R49,808)

67% (R156,713) 67% (R170,469) 67% (R181,369) 63.4% (R154,569)

R228,539 Model

R242,614

Monthly No. of Interest Rate Instalments Instalments Linked / Variable

New Caddy Maxi Panel R289,400 Van TDI 81kW

R256,931 R230,135

R3,978*

72

9.75%*

Deposit

Balloon Payment

Total Cost Incl fees & VAT

10% (R28,940)

30% (R86,820)

R373,262

Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg.

Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za

Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za

Polo Vivo 2012 Polo Vivo Sedan 1.4 Trendline 2014 Polo Vivo 1.4 Trendline 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline 5 Door 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Trendline 5 Door Polo 2013 Polo 1.2 TDI BlueMotion 2014 Polo GTI 1.4 DSG 2015 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Highline 2015 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Highline 2015 Polo Gp 1.2 TSI Comfortline 2015 Polo GP 1.2 Comfortline 2015 Polo GP 1.0 TSI BlueMotion Golf 2011 Golf R 2.0 TSI 2016 Golf 1.2 TSI Trendline 2015 Golf GTI 2.0 TSI DSG Jetta 2012 Jetta 1.4 TSI Comfortline 2015 Jetta 1.4 TSI Comfortline Up! 2015 Take up! 1.0 55kW 2015 Take up! 1.0 55kW Other VW 2011 Caddy 1.6 Trendline 2015 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 2015 Cross Caddy 2.0 TDI 2015 Golf SV 1.4 TSI Comfortline 2016 Passat 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG 2015 Golf SV 1.4 TSI Comfortline 2010 T5 Kombi 2.0 TDI 2011 Amarok Double Cab TDI Highline 2010 Caddy 1.9 TDI Maxi 7 Seater Other 2013 Audi A3 1.8 TFSi 2013 Renault Sandero 1.4 2013 Hyundai iX35 2.0 Executive 2014 Nissan Juke 1.4 Acenta

Mileage certified • Full Service history • 7-day exchange plan • Vehicle Customization • 24 Hr roadside assistance •

80-point mechanical check 2-year / unlimited km warranty* Vehicle History Integrity Check Balance of VW Automation Plan Professional Vehicle Reconditioning

Silver White White Beige

R114 900 R134 900 R142 900 R139 900

57 000 16 500 18 000 30 000

km km km km

White White White Blue Red White Blue

R149 900 R239 900 R209 900 R219 900 R209 900 R209 900 R205 900

99 000 39 000 9 500 16 000 9 000 7 700 12 500

km km km km km km km

Red White Grey

R318 900 R249 900 R429 900

64 000 km 100 km 7 000 km

Silver Red

R165 900 R279 900

88 000 km 6 000 km

White White

R109 900 R109 900

8 000 km 28 000 km

White White Green White Grey Red Beige Beige Silver

R159 900 R318 900 R309 900 R314 900 R399 000 R325 900 R269 000 R289 900 R174 900

69 000 6 000 19 000 7 000 3 000 6 400 92 000 89 000 95 000

km km km km km km km km km

White Gold White Grey

R259 000 R79 900 R195 900 R165 900

42 000 99 000 93 000 23 000

km km km km

*The advised price exclude the 2 year Mastercars Warranty. The Mastercars Warranty is available as an option and is a contract between the customer, an insurer and administrator. This extended Warranty is not available for all Amarok and Light Commercial Vehicle models. Terms & conditions apply. While stocks last.

Mastercars Sales Consultants: Laurie - 082 783 8040 • Rajen - 072 228 9834 • Sanjay - 083 639 0989 Barry - 072 235 4244 • Phumlani - 073 744 8350 Visit us on www.baronsvwpmb.co.za and find us on facebook.com/BaronsPietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg

9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100

An optional cost of R3850 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.75%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Caddy Maxi Panel Van TDI 81kW model in standard specification. Instalment excludes optional extras and delivery but includes monthly administration fee of R57. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 05 February 2016.

Space to be spontaneous.

Purchase the New Caddy Maxi Trendline TDI 103kW DSG® from R4,961* per month and receive R15,000 worth of free accessories.

Model

Vehicle Price

New Caddy Maxi R399,300 Trendline TDI 103kW DSG®

Monthly No. of Interest Rate Instalments Instalments Linked / Variable

R4,961*

72

9.75%*

Deposit

Balloon Payment

14% 35% (R55,902) (R139,755)

Total Cost Incl fees & VAT

R496,912

Offer exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg.

Visit us on www.baronsvw.co.za An optional cost of R3700 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.75%. Note: Offers calculated on the New Caddy Maxi Trendline TDI 103kW DSG® model in standard specification. Instalment excludes optional extras and delivery, but includes monthly administration fee of R57. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 05 February 2016.

New Sales Consultants

Alison Wiltshire – Sales Manager • John Brown • Merglin Rama Menzi Ngubane • Bahle Bhengu • Erica Neff • Keshnee Pillay • Shika Chunderdave

Sales Enquiries: 033 940 1445

BP Advertising

• • • • •

e&oe

An optional cost of R950 incl VAT will be charged for metallic paint. Note: *Linked to FNB prime rate, currently 9.75%. Note: Offers calculated on the Polo TSI range in standard specification. Instalment excludes optional extras and delivery fee, but includes initiation and monthly administration fee of R57. Offers may not be used in conjunction with any other special service or offering. The Guaranteed Future Value is based on 20 000km p.a. Subject to bank approval. Information subject to change without prior notification. All finance offers are subject to credit approval from Volkswagen Financial Services. Offers only available through Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa Proprietary Limited trading as Volkswagen Financial Services an Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider. NCRCP6635. Terms and Conditions apply. All the above is subject to price increase and valid until 05 February 2016 or while stocks last.

Barons

Vehicle Price

e&oe

Polo TSI 66kW Comfortline R233,900

Barons VW Pietermaritzburg can be found at 9 Armitage Road. They are committed to bringing you quality cars and excellent service at the best possible prices ALL year round! To start hunting for your dream vehicle, visit www.baronsvwpmb.co.za. And to book a test drive or service call (033) 845 3100. Open Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, and Saturdays 8am – 1pm.

e&oe

Vehicle Price

Enter Barons PMB. The folks at Barons have made it there long-term mission to make your life easier. It shows in their superlative after-sales service, and in their tailor-made financial advice and planning, and it shows in their decision to offer a shuttle service to and from the Dunrobin night market. There’s no charge at all, so you can save all your cash for the wonderments on offer at the market!

Built to build your business.

Guaranteed Buyback.

Model

But why am I touting the Dunrobin night market? Aren’t I supposed to be writing about Barons PMB? See, there’s a small problem with the Dunrobin night market: anyone who’s ever been to Dunrobin knows that its at the top of a big old hill, and the only parking available (when the market is on) is at the bottom.

6

WitnessWheels TRANSPORT MOTORING

January 28, 2016

For that freshly ironed look The fourth­generation Caddy has arrived to show the competitors how mini vans are done ALWYN VILJOEN VOLKSWAGEN Commercial Vehicles launched the fourth­ generation Caddy panel van range in the Midlands today.

The third­generation vehicle saw about 23 400 Caddys being sold to businesses and large fam­ ilies in South Africa during its 11­ year life cycle.

VW say the new Caddy has been enhanced and refined in ev­ ery area to ensure that it contin­ ues to be the benchmark in its segment. Three models are available in nine derivatives, from the basic Caddy to the pop­ ular Crew Bus and the Panel Van. While the Trendline is the most luxurious, the CrossCaddy is the most trendy.

Design As with all VW designs, the Cad­ dy sports that freshly ironed look with sharp creases and unwrin­ kled surfaces.

The fourth­generation has, however, moved away from round elements to a square, more edgy look, giving what VW called in its press kit more “pres­ ence, exclusivity and dyna­ mism”.

The accentuated lines and shapes continue inside, where a horizontal band with integrated air vents and a new generation of infotainment equipment un­ derline the new Caddy’s modern look.

Engines An engineering maxim that en­ sure profitability is not to fix what ain’t broken, which is why the new Caddy uses the same engines as the third­generation.

The power has, however, been tweaked, with the 1,6­petrol en­ gine in the Panel Van and Crew Bus now making 81 kW instead of 75 kW. Note, the Crew Bus on­ ly comes with this diesel engine.

The two­litre TDI engines are set to make 81 kW or 103 kW and

are sold on all the variants.

The 1,6­litre and 2,0 TDI with 81 kW are both available with a five­speed manual transmission.

Meanwhile, the 2,0 TDI with 103 kW is only offered with a six­ speed DSG transmission.

Standard features Standard safety features in all models include ABS, ESP, multi­ collision braking system, driver and front passenger air bags, hill hold (only available with 103 kW) and fatigue detection (standard in 103 kW and option­ al in other derivatives).

The special edition Panel Van Sport features painted bumpers, electric windows and side mir­ rors, 16­inch Fortaleza alloy wheels, composition audio radio with LCD Screen, climatic man­ ual air­conditioning system and Comfort package (cruise con­ trol, front fog lights and multi­ function display).

The Trendline adds electric side mirrors and windows, a CD­ radio with Bluetooth, USB port and six speakers, alloy wheels, climatic manual air­condition­ ing system, drawers under the front seats, a leather steering wheel, multifunction display and speed­sensitive power steering.

Optional features Customers of the new Caddy can individualise their cars with a va­ riety of the optional features.

The optional features for the Panel Van and Crew Bus include tow bar, 15 and 16­inch alloy wheels, park distance control and radio­CD systems.

For the Trendline, the options on offer are multifunction steer­ ing, seven­seater package, bi­xe­ non headlights, light and sight package (light and rain sensors, cruise control and auto dimming rear­view mirror).

A two year/unlimited kilome­ tres warranty and a three­ year/60 000 km Automotion Service Plan are included with all

The staff at Barons in Pietermaritzburg look forward to showing sedan drivers why a crew bus like that of the new Caddy is always best for family lugging (Seen here in European specification.) PHOTO: SUPPLIED

CADDY BAKKIE NOT COMING TO SA — REALLY, REALLY NOT AFTER Car magazine played most of South Africa for April Fools by stating that VW has confirmed the Brazilian built half­ton pickup (shown right) will come to South Africa, both VW sellers and buyers couldn’t wait for the half­tonner.

The truth is that VW South Afri­ ca will not import a bakkie that is already halfway through its life cycle and we may have to wait a

few more years for the face­lift before the company even looks at the numbers to see if creating a right­hand steer for export to those few markets that drive on the left is viable.

Bear in mind that all of South Africa’s annual vehicle sales total less than one percent of global ve­ hicle sales, which rather puts our bakkie desires into perspective.

models except the Trendline, for which the warrantee is limited to 120 000 kilometres. All models also have 15 000 km service in­ tervals and a 12­year anti­corro­ sion warranty.

Crew Bus 2,0 TDI 81 kW, which lists for R265 200, compared to the basic Panel Van, which starts at R210 800 for the same engine.

The “normal” 1,6i, 75 kW Caddy retails for R300 400 and R40 300 more turns this into the Cross Caddy so beloved by free­ lance photographers.

Barons in Pietermaritzburg would like to remind readers that the prices are recommended re­

Prices The range is divided into the Panel Van, Crew Bus, Trendline and All Track. To our mind, the best value is the Caddy Maxi

tail only, and the staff looks for­ ward to showing sedan drivers why Wheels always recommends a Crew Bus for family lugging.

The competition VW can rightfully assert that the Caddy range sets the standard for small panel vans, which is why the Caddy Maxi is also used as a paddy wagon to cart drunk

and disorderly Brits to the tank after a night out in London.

But the German van neverthe­ less face competent competition in mini vans that range from Nissan’s EV200, selling from R229 700 for the panel van and R290 500 for the NV200 Com­ bi, to Ford’s 1­litre B­Max, selling from R221 900 and Fiat’s Qubo 1,4, selling from R200 990.

VETERAN LABOUR­SAVING TRACTORS Florida’s Flywheelers Antique Engine Club hosted a show of labour­saving devices in Fort Meade, Florida, last week. These are some highlights from the show. This exotic­looking machine (left) is a McCormick Orchard Tractor. It is extra slim with exotic­looking bodywork designed to travel through orchard isles. Orchard tractors are prized by collectors PHOTOS: VICKI SMITH/GIZMAG

A 1964 Oliver 770 Competition Tractor Built by Heartland Agricultural Services in Tamaroa, IL.

For more information on Witness Wheels advertising Contact Avir on 084 278 3447 or Avir@witness.co.za

Right: A 1948 Farmall Cub and 1962 King Midget car. Its owner is proud to tell you he has driven it across 48 states, plus Canada and Mexico, and including over the Continental Divide in Colorado and Montana.

This 1910 Case Steam Tractor runs a working vintage sawmill. It produces 75 HP at 250 rpm and under a full load it needs 170 kilograms of coal per hour to feed it.

Renault Clio Blaze

Renault Sandero 66kw Turbo Expression 5 Dr

Price: 184 900

From: R2 607 per month

Special Price: 137 944 Saving: R8 956

From: R1 966 per month

Retail

Term

Total cost 35% Residual Interest rate Deposit

R146 900 72 mths R189 832 R48 280

11%

R13 794

Installment

Retail

R1 966

R184 900 72 mths R252 419 R64 715

Term

Total cost 35% Residual Interest rate Deposit 11%

R18 490

Installment R2 607

HERO DEALS

Renault Duster 1,6 Expression 4x2

Renault Captur 66kw Turbo Expression 5 Dr

From: R2 890

From: R3 032 per month

Retail Price: 215 900 Saving: R10 000

Retail

Term

Price: 215 900 Saving: R13 000

Total cost 35% Residual Interest rate Deposit

R215 900 72 mths R280 145 R72 065

Gerard Chetty 033 940 1437

11%

Darryl Smith 033 940 1435

R20 590

Installment

Retail

R2 890

R228 900 72 mths R293 869 R75 565

Hector Mkhwanazi 033 940 14 36

Term

Total cost 35% Residual Interest rate Deposit

Njabulo Mtshali 033 940 1434

11%

R21 590

Yagan Padayachee 084 555 7456

*Terms and conditions apply. Repayments calculated on balloon of 35%, over 72 months, at 11% linked interest rate with 10% deposit. Subject to bank approval. Excludes mandatory on-road charges and metallic paint. Vehicles depicted may differ to actual models. While stocks last. Above offers available for the month of January 2016. E&OE.

McCARTHY RENAULT PIETERMARITZBURG 9 Armitage Road • Tel: 033 940 1433 • www.renaultpmb.co.za

Installment R3 032

8

WitnessWheels MOTORING RACING

Gnarly racing in 2016

After Dakar, racing fans are pumped for more daredevil action and few races provide as much spectacular and TV­friendly action as Stadium Super Trucks. This American invention has spread to Australia and does for automotive racing what steeplechase races do for horses and hurdles for human runners. The races Down Under will this year see the third­placed Dakar rider, Toby Price, compete against the more experienced bakkie jumpers in this closed­circuit mayhem of long jumps and barely controlled landings. Find more on http://stadiumsupertrucks.com PHOTO: SUPPLIED

The Roof of Africa in Lesotho likes to bill itself as the mother of all enduros, but it is a doddle compared to the annual one­day Erzberg Rodeo in Austria. The race is only 40 km long, but simply eats the 1 500 top Trail, MotoX and Enduro riders who vie from over 30 nations to enter. Only 500 drivers qualify to line up at the bottom of the open­cast mine, and of these, fewer than 10 make it to the top of the 35­degree climbs and down again via forest trails over boulders. As in the Roof of Africa, fans may help fallen riders at any time, but miss a control point and you are out, as was the case with England’s Graham Jarvis, who led only to be disqualified in last year’s race (inset). More on the race on redbullsignatureseries.com PHOTO: YOUTUBE

Trike drifting is a cheap form of wheeled racing that started in New Zealand but was quickly adopted wherever cash­strapped racers lived near steep hills. All that is needed is the front of a BMX bicycle, half a chair, a few pipes and a set of rear wheels, over which are hammered a short section of PVC piping to make things extra slippery. This DIY racing now takes place from Inanda in KZN to Vermont in the U.S., where the third annual Burke Mountain Sliders will take place later CV Joint this year. While the purists stick to gravity, more trikes now have electric motors or speCialists lawnmower engines to power drift at parking for CV joints, ball joints, lots and shopping malls. Find out more on tie rod ends, wheel bearings.

DriftTrikesSA on Facebook. Seen here are trike drifters in Taiwan.

341 GReYlinG stReet PHOTO: KUMAFILMS.COM Pmb. 033 342 9174/75

January 28, 2016

Foton maintains its proud Dakar record CHINESE vehicle builder Fo­ ton this year improved on its performance in the gruelling Dakar Rally at its third at­ tempt, which ended in Rosario on January 16.

This year, the company en­ tered a Tunland pick­up and a Sauvana SUV, which is based on the Tunland. The Sauvana will be arriving in South Africa later this year as an addition to the local Foton range.

Both vehicles were crewed

by Chilean teams, with Rodri­ go Moreno and Diaz Araya taking 42nd place in the Sau­ vana and Alvaro Chicharro and Patricio Legarreta taking 51st spot out of the 67 cars which completed the two­ week rally in Argentina and Bolivia.

Taken into consideration that 117 cars started the 2016 edition of the Dakar, just fin­ ishing the recent Dakar was an accomplishment in itself.

The second week in this year’s Dakar proved especially tough for competitors, with high temperatures and soft

China’s Foton again managed a proud finish in this year’s Dakar.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED sand taking their toll on man and machine.

Getting through the difficult stages in Bolivia, where a lot of compet­ itors had to call it a day, was yet again testimony to the in­ herent toughness and all­ter­ rain capability of the two Fo­ ton vehicles.

Foton was the only Chinese manufacturer to have a 100% finishing record with its two entries in Dakar 2016.

Foton debuted at the Dakar with a Tunland driven by Chi­ charro at the 2014 event, which was disqualified when its support truck ventured on­

to the racing route. Last year, the team fared better, taking 57th and 59th positions with two Tunlands.

Chicharro said on the podi­ um in Rosario at the end of the 2016 rally that Foton is im­ proving its performance year by year. — Supplied.