Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1107757
M8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 APRIL 2019 MOTORING THE first all-electric Aston Martin has finally been re- vealed, nearly four years after it was originally announced. Based on the existing com- bustion-engine Aston Martin Rapide sedan, the "Rapide E" officially debuted at the Shang- hai Auto Show on Tuesday. Only 155 will be made, and As- ton Martin didn't announce a price for the car. Powered by an 800-volt, 65kWh battery, Aston Martin estimates the Rapide E will be able to travel "over 200 miles" on a single charge. Twin mo- tors mounted on the rear axle will generate 450kW (or over 600 horsepower) and can get the car up to a top speed of 155 miles per hour. That will hap- pen fairly quickly, too — Aston Martin says the Rapide E will go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds (which is a tick faster than the standard internal combustion Rapide S). When plugged into a high- speed charger, the car's battery can be recharged at a rate of 310 miles per hour. The car will be equipped with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, and an 8-inch display mounted atop the centre of the dashboard will handle info- tainment duties (with physical buttons below it on the centre console, echoing the layout of the most recent Rapides). Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be supported. On the outside, the Rapide E mostly resembles the combus- tion engine car it's based on, save for some electric blue ac- cents in the headlights and on the brake calipers. Under the hood is where things are most different. The battery system has been designed around the space where the combustion version's V12 engine, gear box, and fuel tank normally go. This means the Rapide E doesn't have a full floor of batteries like, say, a Tesla. While that cuts down on design and engi- neering costs, it ultimately lim- its the number of battery cells (and ultimate capacity) that an automaker can fit in the car. In the end, the Rapide E weighs 4,717 pounds, which is about 400 pounds more than the in- ternal combustion Rapide S The Rapide E was announced in 2015, right around when As- ton Martin was going through a big cost-cutting push that resulted in hundreds of layoffs. To get the Rapide E (then just called "RapidE") project off the ground, the British automaker lined up funding from Chi- nese financiers. Then, in 2016, Aston Martin announced it would build the car with Chi- nese tech conglomerate LeEco — the company founded by Jia Yueting, who also founded (and now runs) struggling EV startup Faraday Future. Aston Martin's first electric car was supposed to hit the road in 2018 and be made in greater volumes. But LeEco pulled out of the joint ven- ture in 2017 amid its own cash crunch. Aston Martin turned to Formula One engineering house Williams to help bring the car to market, and nar- rowed the scope to just 155 vehicles. (Williams also helped build the batteries for the first- generation electric racecars of Formula E.) Aston Martin's first electric car is finally here Aston Martin's Rapide E IGO, the newest ride-hailing company developed and introduced by Famalco Group, has just hit the Maltese roads. The company's main aspiration is to effectively provide consumers with a ride-hailing service that is highly ac- cessible and affordable, and that is operated through the use of the latest technology with 24/7 ease of booking convenience, journey tracking as well as free WIFI in all cars. Although a relatively new service in the mobility industry, with the founding idea behind the service rec- ognised less than a decade ago, the immense global popularity of ride- hailing services across continents, countries and states is not to be tak- en lightly. Locals and tourists around the world have quickly and resolutely made the shift from a traditional taxi service into a ride-hailing service, recognising the advantages using this method of transportation has. Whilst the obvious advantages for customers using ride-hailing services are namely the cheaper fares, 24/7 quick service, easy payment scheme, and ease of booking convenience, the ride-hailing industry has also opened the doors for many ambitious indi- viduals to try their hand behind the wheel. The prospect of becoming a driver is an increasingly enticing one. Un- like many professions, drivers within the ride-hailing industry enjoy an in- credible sense of overwhelming free- dom and flexibility; highly sought after conveniences. Although still working under the name of a compa- ny, drivers also enjoy the opportuni- ty to be their own boss, setting their own hours, and working as much as they'd like in their outside office. Drivers also enjoy the reliability and ease of the ride-hailing applications, like Famalco's iGO app, which takes a lot the logistical concerns away, leav- ing drivers to focus solely on the ser- vice they provide. The driver's iGO application also serves as a highly de- pendent co-pilot, aiding and assist- ing drivers with all the information they require, ensuring the service for the consumer is highly streamline. And what's better than meeting new people? While making new friends won't happen in every ride, one can definitely learn something out of every ride. Every person picked up, brings new cards to the table. For any individuals keen on starting and enjoying a career within the mo- bility industry, or acquiring a stable second source of income, ride-hail- ing companies like iGO are primed and offering the opportunity. For more information about iGO or any other unit of Famalco Group, please visit the official iGO Facebook page or call on (+356) 2339 2339 or visit www.Famalco.Net. Famalco | Building Business Earn the extra buck with iGO