Mechanical Technology

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40 Mechanical Technology — September 2015
⎪ Nota bene ⎪
Index to advertisers
Aesseal..............................................2
Air Liquide........................................26
BMG................................................17
Clyde Bergemann Africa.....................25
Centrifugal pumps: Larry Bachus.........16
Festo................................................31
Instruweld........................................34
Koike...............................................15
SKF................................................IBC
SMC Pneumatics.............................. IFC
ThyssenKrupp.........................OFC, OBC
Verder Pumps...................................33
Weir Minerals Africa.....................18, 20
Zest WEG Group. ..............................12
2KG Training.....................................19
Industry diary
October 2015
Valves Selection, Installation &
Operation (4 Day)
12-15 October
Johannesburg, Cedar Park
Phindi Mbedzi:+27 11 325 0686
Offshore Energy 2015
13-14 October
Amsterdam RAI
Philip Mulder, +31 10 2092 674
2015 Johannesburg International
Motor Show
14-25 Oct
Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec.
Pula Dippenaar:
+27 11 494 3114
Tesla has announced a new entry-
level single-motor, rear-drive
Model S with a 70 kWh battery,
which is priced at $5 000 below
the dual-motor version (the all-wheel
drive Model S 70D) launched in April
this year.
That puts the newly discounted car’s
price at $70 000 – R950 000 at mid-
September exchange rates. With the
included US road tax subsidies and the
average petrol savings over a typical
five-years ownership period, Elon Musk
calculates this as equivalent to buying
a $50 000 (R650 000) fuel-based car.
The entry-level versions bigger brother
is the Model S 70D launched in April this
year, an all-wheel drive electric car with a
0-100 km/h time of 5.2 seconds and an
on-highway 400 km range. In addition
to having independently operational front
and rear motors, the 70D includes su‑
percharging to enable free long-distance
travel, autopilot hardware, navigation,
blind spot detection and many other
features. As with every Model S, the 70
and 70D will receive free over-the-air up‑
dates that add functionality and improve
the driving experience for years to come.
Along with its new entry-level car, the
company announced a series of upgrade
options. Thanks to a redesigned fuse on
the car’s battery, the Model S can now be
made to accelerate to 100 km/h in 2.8
seconds – similar to the times achieved
by hypercars such as the McLaren P1.
The new fuse design that allows this
performance boost has its own elec‑
tronics and a small lithium-ion battery.
Instead of melting beyond the preset am‑
perage as is the case with the standard
fuse, the new fuse constantly monitors
the current and is pyro-activated to cut
power whenever necessary.
This has been coupled with an up‑
grade to the main battery pack contac‑
tor, which eschews steel for Inconel, an
oxidation and corrosion resistant superal‑
loy. Because Inconel stays springy under
the heat of a heavy current, the car’s
maximum power pack amperage can be
increased from 1 300 to 1 500 A.
As a result, in this ‘ludicrous mode’
the upgraded Tesla P85 D can acceler‑
ate 10% faster than previous generation
Teslas, with a quarter mile being cov‑
The 2015 SAAFF annual
Congress
Taking place from October 14 to 16 at the
Durban International Convention Centre,
KwaZulu-Natal, this year’s Congress theme is
‘New Frontiers’, for the local freight forwarding
industry.
The popularity of trade with Africa, while
still perceived as a challenge for many, is seen
as a huge growth opportunity for others. “As
Africa has risen to prominence as an invest‑
ment destination over the past few years, so
the role of transport and logistics has taken on
greater significance,” says Andrew Shaw, PwC
Transport & Logistics Leader for South Africa in
his presentation ‘Business into Africa’. Shaw will
be speaking at the South African Association of
Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) Congress 2015 in
Durban in October, highlighting many of these
opportunities.
“Logistics strategists can’t afford to ignore the
African market of the future,” Shaw believes.
For more information, contact Catherine or
Elize at CVLC.
The recently launched entry-level Tesla Model S, with the new single-motor, rear-drive and a 70 kWh
battery, is priced at $5 000 below the dual-motor version (the all-wheel drive Model S 70D) launched in
April this year.
Tesla has announced a new entry-level Model S along with battery
updates and the addition of what it is calling ‘Ludicrous Mode’ on
the Model S P85 D.
Tesla launches entry-level Model S and upgrades ered in 10.9 seconds and the zero to
250 km/h time cut by 20%.
For people who are worried about
running out of charge on the go, Tesla
is also offering a 90 kWh battery pack
(up from 85 kWh), which, it claims, will
offer over 480 km of range at a steady
100 km/h on the highway. The battery
upgrade will cost $3 000, but Elon Musk
has advised owners to hold off upgrading
unless they’re already on the edge of the
range envelope.
For the next six months, current own‑
ers of the Model S P85 D can upgrade
to ‘Ludicrous Mode”, for an additional
$5 000 plus installation labour, while
people buying a new Model S new will
have to find $10 000 for the option. q