South Korea halts loudspeaker broadcasts along border with rival North Korea
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
13 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Style Edit: BMW iX xDrive45 hits Hong Kong with its greener, more sophisticated ride
For anyone looking for a greener, more intelligent, more thoughtfully made vehicle, with zero compromise on performance, interior comfort or exterior dash: your prayers have been answered. A luxury electric SUV that ups the bar and breaks new ground on numerous fronts, the BMW iX xDrive45, newly introduced in Hong Kong, offers a more powerful engine, a more refined profile, a dramatically longer range and a more sophisticated line-up of technology than any other vehicle in its class. The business end of the BMW iX xDrive45. Photo: Handout It certainly packs a punch, generating 408hp, 82hp more than previous generations of the iX, alongside 700Nm of torque, which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds. The power comes from drive units on both the front and rear axles, part of the brand's first chassis created specifically for electric vehicles. Advertisement The BMW xDrive45's distinctive hexagonal steering wheel. Photo: Handout That power is allied to exceptional range – between 490 and 602km, about 160km more than previous iXs, with the Max Range function adding up to another 25 per cent to that. That incredible stamina comes from a 94.8kWh battery that offers 30 per cent more energy. The new BMW iX xDrive45 also brings the looks. Showing off minimalist lines, it features a redesigned BMW kidney grille at the front, frameless glass doors and body-coloured lower trim at the sides, and a seamless rear. High-spec speakers in the doors are sited next to controls for the locks and seat belt. Photo: Handout A similarly restrained aesthetic extends to the interior. An innovative layout, with the battery deep in the floor and the drive units on the axles, makes for a generous cabin, which also features seats with heat and massage functions. Seated behind the hexagonal steering wheel, drivers have dual information and control displays in reach, both with easy-to-use touch and voice control. Navigation is a cinch thanks to the BMW Head-Up Display with its Augmented View function, along with the BMW Maps system. When it comes to avoiding collisions, Driving Assistant technology enhances the car's safety. The seats include heating and massage functions. Photo: Handout The BMW iX xDrive45's sophistication also allows it to be kinder to the environment. For the first time, BMW has used silicon carbide semiconductor components to make it more efficient and it is also highly aerodynamic, with a svelte drag coefficient of just 0.25.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Towngas to build hydrogen-powered EV charging stations amid mixed industry signals
Hong Kong's major natural gas company is looking to produce hydrogen for application in other industries, showing commitment to the market at a time when companies and governments are cancelling or scaling back plans amid cost challenges. Advertisement Hong Kong and China Gas, or Towngas as the sole natural gas producer is known, will start work on building the city's first public electric vehicle (EV) charging station powered by hydrogen, it said on Friday. The venture was expected to commence operations next year, it added. The firm will extract hydrogen from its existing gas network, chief operating officer Don Cheng Hill-kwong said, as part of its contribution to Hong Kong's 2050 peak-emissions target. It would initially feature five charging piles, while the power production costs would be higher compared to other power sources, he said. 'Once our business scales up, we believe the costs of electricity generated from hydrogen will be lower than other green power sources,' he added. Mr Don Cheng Hill-kwong (left) and Filla Mak, chief operations officer of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, introduce the city's first public electric vehicle automatic hydrogen charging system. Photo: Handout Towngas' announcement added to recent mixed signals from the hydrogen industry amid challenges in production costs, demand and commercialisation prospects for the low-carbon fuel. Advertisement Earlier this month, Hyundai Motor revealed plans to deploy 1,000 hydrogen fuel-cell trucks in southern Guangdong province by 2029. The South Korean carmaker earlier said it would open a dedicated centre in mainland China to focus on hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
‘Very troublesome': will Hong Kong ride-hailing rules turn Uber drivers away?
Andrew Yiu* is at a crossroads about whether to continue his job as a full-time Uber driver, as the Hong Kong government plans to regulate ride-hailing platforms and impose requirements such as vehicle age limits. Advertisement The city is set to legalise ride-hailing platforms in the first half of next year, ending over a decade of operating in a grey area. Among affected stakeholders are ride-hailing drivers like Yiu, who has earned HK$32,000 to HK$36,000 (US$4,076 to US$4,586) a month since joining Uber almost four years ago with his Tesla vehicle. 'I work as an Uber driver because it gives me the flexibility of when to work, so I can be with my children when needed,' he said. 'But the proposed ride-hailing regulatory framework seems not very friendly to drivers. It is still not clear whether I need to buy a new car to work after my current one turns seven years old.' Advertisement His concerns persist even after Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan acknowledged last week that there was divided public opinion on the seven-year vehicle age limit for ride-hailing and said she would listen more to feedback.
