Motoring

Wednesday 11 October, 2023

Portugal’s top racetrack is the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, located a short drive from Portimão and the Algarve’s fabulous beaches. Now petrolheads from around the world have the chance to own a home there and enjoy easy access to world championship racing and topflight driving experiences. Here’s why the Algarve Race Apartments complex offers a rare opportunity to combine a passion for motorsports with the fabulous Portuguese lifestyle.

A one-of-a-kind location combined with attractive prices make apartments at a new complex beside Portugal’s Formula 1 racetrack one of the most attractive investment opportunities in the Algarve today, said exclusive promoter of the project Ideal Homes Portugal in October.

The key-ready Algarve Race Apartments complex offers a rare opportunity for investors to secure a fully managed, income-producing property situated just a few hundred metres from Portugal’s famous Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA) racetrack near Portimão. With prices starting at just €175,000 for a one-bedroom unit, owners can benefit from strong returns by entering their property into the on-site rental scheme, keeping a set number of days each year for their own personal use.

Easy finance and no extra costsThanks to its proven rental audience, leveraging an investment at Algarve Race Apartments could make perfect sense. Ideal Homes Portugal’s mortgage team have access to competitive products with foreign investors required to put down just 30 per cent as a deposit, giving them access to mortgage rates of around 3.5 per cent with a five-year term or longer. A €3,000 holding deposit is needed to reserve an apartment.

Five-star hotel statusAlgarve Race Apartments operates alongside the five-star Algarve Race Resort hotel, situated next door. Residents of the apartments have access to the hotel’s facilities, which include a restaurant and two bars, large terrace, spa and gym, indoor and outdoor pools, games room and Kids Club, as well as smart corporate facilities.

Coast, clubhouse and countrysideThe AIA and Algarve Race Apartments sit in a rural area called Mexilhoeira Grande, with the pretty Monchique Mountains as a backdrop. Despite this natural setting, which offers scenic trails, horse-riding and mountain-biking, the beach resorts and tourist amenities of the Western Algarve are still very close. The historic marina cities of Lagos and Portimão are both around 15-20 minutes’ drive, the nearest beaches at Meia Praia and Praia da Rocha are around 25 minutes away and equally accessible are golf clubs at Penina, Alamos, Boavista and Morgado.

Breaking records! The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA) was the busiest it has ever been in 2022, when it achieved ‘customer occupancy’ of 355 days. This included 24 national and international championship races and 23 days of corporate events, all of which helped it attract more than a million visitors. The year of its 15th anniversary, so far 2023 has been equally successful and 2024 is lining up to be just as busy.

In March this year, the racetrack hosted the opening race of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, in April FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and International GT Open races were held there, at the end of June the FIM JuniorGP World Championship excited crowds and this autumn competitors in the FIM Superbike World Championship and European Le Mans Series are setting the track alight! Not forgetting the pro-karting races and Algarve Classic Festival at the end of October.

An exciting question on many people’s minds is when will Formula 1 return to Portimão? The AIA hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2020, after a 25-year break in the country, and then in 2021. The circuit came within a whisker of hosting Formula 1 racing again this year after the Chinese GP was cancelled in December (due to Covid). Portugal was momentarily in the running as a replacement but organisers decided to drop the date from the F1 calendar altogether. Watch that space!

Experience it for yourself!Visitors who feel inspired are invited to test the track for themselves, by taking part in one of the various driving experiences on offer. There are corporate packages available too, while the AIA’s own driving school can provide courses with qualified instructors.

The AIA is also home to the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve (KIA), one of Europe’s largest go-kart tracks. Then there are the three off-road tracks where all types of off-terrain vehicles, including SUVs, rally cars and motorbikes can be hired for private or corporate use.

Starting prices at the Algarve Race Apartments, which come fully furnished and ready for occupancy, are €175,000 for a one-bedroom unit, €209,000 for a two-bedroom and €235,000 for a three-bedroom. Sole promoter of the complex is Ideal Homes Portugal (www.idealhomesportugal.com).

For more information about purchasing at Algarve Race Apartments, readers should email info@idealhomesportugal.com or visit https://news.idealhomesportugal.com/algarve-race-apartments

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Monday 9 October, 2023

3 in 4 drivers in the UK are regularly putting themselves and other drivers at risk by not regularly checking their tyre pressure.

That’s according to exclusive data from UK auto firm Swansway Motor Group, who shared the figures to shed light on the need for increased tyre safety awareness.

“It’s alarming to discover that so many of us place so much trust into tyres we don’t check often enough”, Matt Springhall, Aftersales Director at Swansway Motor Group, noted.

As the primary touchpoint between car and tarmac, tyres ensure vehicle control, stability, and safety. When properly maintained, they enable effective acceleration and manoeuvring.

Neglected tyres, however, whether under-inflated, worn out, or damaged, can lead to skidding, longer stopping distances, or even blowouts – especially at higher speeds.

“Every time we drive, our safety, as well as that of others on the road, is at stake”, Springhall added. “We must prioritise tyre health not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental part of our driving routine.”

An easily fixable problem

Despite the critical importance of tyres, nearly 1 in 10 drivers (9%) never check their tyre pressure, a sobering figure that only amplifies the need for awareness amongst UK drivers.

Fortunately, tyre maintenance is straightforward and accessible. While 23% of respondents check their tyres monthly, all drivers can easily incorporate regular tyre checks into their routine.

For example, most petrol stations across the country come with air pumps and pressure gauges, making it simple for drivers to address any issues they may find. And when it comes to checking tyre tread, it can be as simple as using a 20 pence coin.

Knowledge is power

Springhall encourages all drivers, saying, “Knowledge is power this Tyre Safety Month. Let’s all take a moment to appreciate and check the unsung heroes of our cars. Just a few minutes of attention can ensure safer journeys for all.”

Key highlights of the research:

75% of UK drivers don’t check their tyre pressure enough 1 in 10 admit to never checking their tyre pressure at allOver 10% of people admit to never checking tyre tread

Head over to the Swansway Motor Group website for more information about their Tyre Safety Survey results.

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Tuesday 3 October, 2023

As the prime minister announced his rollback of net zero pledges, including cancelling a compulsory car-pooling policy that never existed, it’s doubtful he even knew it was National Liftshare Week. The week, that is spearheaded each year by the UK & Ireland’s largest car-sharing platform, Liftshare, aims to get more people sharing rides. Despite the negative attention brought on car-pooling by the PM, that’s exactly what it did – with an 80% uptick in liftsharers across September this year.

National Liftshare Week, which ran from 18-24th
September, also saw a 60% increase in journeys added to the Liftshare platform. The week was backed by promotional activity from Liftshare, its Mobilityways group clients and local community groups involved in liftsharing.

This tops off an already record-breaking year for numbers of people liftsharing. Mobilityways managing director Julie Furnell recently commented: “We are celebrating our silver jubilee year, saving 1 billion miles from UK roads and our best ever summer for new Liftshare members, all without mandatory policies from the Government.”

This was in reference to a record-breaking summer for new Liftshare members. 23,000 people joined the platform across July and August, which is double the same period last year. In fact, in the first nine months of 2023 the same number of people joined Liftshare as in the whole of 2022.

The boost in Liftshare members is thanks to Liftshare teaming up with Esso on their Thoughtful Driving campaign, encouraging people to take one less journey. As part of the initiative, Esso is helping to increase Liftshare’s exposure to get more people sharing.

As a social enterprise, Liftshare offers its journey-matching service free of charge to members of the public. Liftshare community manager, Amy Young, says: “People use Liftshare for multiple reasons – to have company on their journey and do their bit for the environment. Drivers want to split the cost of fuel, plus many enjoy helping others get from A to B more affordably and conveniently. For those who don’t drive, it can be the case that public transport is too expensive or not feasible where they live.”

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Wednesday 27 September, 2023

Hendy Group has announced the extension of its relationship with Stellantis, with the addition of the FIAT franchise to its Vauxhall site in Poole.

The addition of the brand represents the latest in a series of moves to grow the Group’s relationship with Stellantis across Dorset, Wiltshire and Kent.

“The Stellantis brand portfolio is really exciting for us, and this latest addition to our relationship demonstrates our commitment to growing with the Maserati, Vauxhall, Peugeot and FIAT brands,” said Paul Hendy.

Maria Grazia Davino, Stellantis UK Group Managing Director said, “With the Hendy Group’s proud history, dating back to 1859, and its strong focus on customer excellence, our future relationship will be very positive, and I look forward to being part of its continued development.”

“It really is an exciting time for the Group, as we continue to invest in our facilities to reinforce our long-term commitment to the south, investment in our future and providing a high-quality service for motorists across the south coast,” added Paul.

The FIAT franchise will join the existing Vauxhall site in Branksome, Poole in early 2024. The addition of the brand will see the Group represent over 20 brands in over 57 locations, with a turnover in excess of £1 billion.

For more information, visit www.hendy.co.uk.

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Thursday 7 September, 2023

More people than ever are giving lift-sharing a go, according to Liftshare. This summer was a record-breaking one for new Liftshare members, with over 23,000 joining the lift-sharing platform across July and August. That’s four times the amount of the same period last year, due to Liftshare’s recent collaboration with Esso.

As a social enterprise, Liftshare (which is this year celebrating its Silver Jubilee) offers its journey-matching service completely free of charge to members of the public, predominantly across the UK and Ireland. With the recent spike in members and journeys added, now is a great time to find someone going your way.

National Liftshare Week is also coming up on 18-24th
September, which is traditionally a time when more people get involved in sharing lifts and taking cars off the road. During Liftshare Week last year, Liftshare saw three times the usual number of sharers, and savings of £393,343, over 1.3 million miles and almost 300 tonnes of CO2.

Liftshare community manager Amy Young says “The boost in Liftshare members is thanks to our recent work with Esso, encouraging more people to Liftshare for their commutes and to events this summer. Esso awarded new and existing Liftshare members with bonus Nectar points and promoted the initiative with an advertising campaign. Liftshare turned 25 years old this August and this bumper summer for members has given us further reason to celebrate.”

Amy Young continues, “We identified through the Commuter Census that incentives play a key factor in encouraging people to choose a more sustainable mode of transport. People are keen to do their bit for the environment but only if it’s also affordable, and lift-sharing covers both bases.”

All Liftshare members, including new sign-ups, can claim 500 Nectar points on their next purchase at participating Esso service stations – fuel or shop – up until 4th
October. Liftshare has teamed up with Esso on their Thoughtful Driving Initiative, which provides help on how to fill up with less impact, drive more economically and make one less car journey. As part of the initiative, Esso is helping to increase Liftshare’s exposure to get more people sharing.

Amy Young concludes, “This isn’t a one-off campaign, we’ll be working closely with Esso on more projects to raise Liftshare’s profile and bring extra benefits to members. Plus, as part of National Liftshare week 2023, Liftshare is also running a member competition. We’re giving away £100 Love2shop vouchers each for 5 lucky members between 11th to 30th September. To be entered, all they need to do is add or update their Liftshare journey.”

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Tuesday 5 September, 2023

The market for solid state cooling will more than triple to over $100 billion by 2044, providing many ways to create a billion-dollar business in this sector. Uniquely, the Zhar Research report, “Solid State Cooling Markets 2024-2044” (326 pages) has the full analysis, fully up-to-date. Older reports are useless because this subject is advancing rapidly.

Future cooling will increasingly be solid-state. Imagine multi-mode and multi-functional materials using multilayered solids and structural electronics like your mobile phone and much of your electric car. This will mainly be a world of benign, affordable materials such as silicone, silica, boron nitride, alumina, titania and polyethylene variants but often in sophisticated forms such as aerogels, nanocomposites, photonics and metamaterials. Complex chemistry too – a major opportunity for your skills, with less risk of commoditisation. Just as your phone replaces many things, solid-state cooling may reverse as heating or provide sensing, electricity, electronic drape function and more. Increasingly it will vanish into your roof, window, car body etc. Learn how some versions are even transparent, enabling invisible retrofit and use in glass buildings. Mostly, they will cause less or no undesirable heating of your city because they will be more efficient or unpowered “passive”. There will be very little to go wrong in contrast to so much cooling today that relies on plumbing, liquids and gases including undesirable refrigerants.

Some of the new insights and data in the report include:

Maturity curves 4New infograms 25Background forecasts 3New SWOT appraisals 11Acquisition opportunities over 6Companies mentioned 121+ worldwidePartnership opportunities and best researchOngoing updates so you get the latest developmentsNew solid-state cooling forecasts 2024-2044 in 24 linesDetailed roadmaps 2024-2044 in two lines and two pagesData and insights for you to create a billion-dollar businessMany promising applications and gaps in the market identifiedDetailed appraisal of research pipeline with much further readingPhD level analysis revealing winners, losers, main materials of interestEmphasis on research and company progress is particularly 2023 onwards

The “Executive summary and conclusions” at 39 pages is sufficient for those with limited time as it uses prolific new graphics, SWOT appraisals, infograms to reveal the market and technology dynamics, potential acquisitions and partnerships and the detailed road ahead 2024-2044 in many forecasts and a roadmap by year. The emphasis is commercial, particularly focussing on opportunities for added-value materials and devices but with many of latest research reports recommended for further reading throughout the report.

Chapter 2 Introduction takes 25 pages to introduce how cooling needs will increase for many reasons, growing problems and new solutions when cooling buildings and how problems are becoming severe with traditional cooling inadequate. It gives the overview of solid-state passive cooling for buildings and cooling windows and greenhouses. Learn air conditioner alternatives that are lower power, greener, more affordable and see comparison of traditional and emerging refrigeration technologies with NEOM smart city The Line in Saudi Arabia as an emerging example.

Understand the major new cooling opportunities in electronics and ICT with new SWOT appraisal of 6G Communications thermal material opportunities. See how cooling various forms of solar power: solar panels, photovoltaic cladding etc. and large battery thermal management become important plus electric vehicles land, water and air creating major new needs for thermal management.

The fins on your electronics and your car radiator cool mainly by forced and natural convection not radiation. However, paradoxically, reinvented radiative cooling is one of the most significant new trends. Chapter 3 puts all that together with a full 50 pages of, “Radiative and heat sink radiative/ convective cooling, passive liquid cooling: emerging materials and devices toolkit 2023-2043” given its huge potential. A maturity curve of radiative cooling technologies give technology readiness of each. This chapter explains the future of heat sinks and radiators and traditional and emerging radiative cooling. A major focus is Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling PDRC with its startup, massive research pipeline, materials opportunities and SWOT. See the fundamental and addressable limitations because this is data-based analysis not evangelism. The rest of the chapter analyses other emerging forms of radiative cooling, including tailorable-emittance coatings, paints, tapes, thermal louvers and ,particularly, tuned radiative cooling using both sides by Janus emitter JET. Then comes self-adaptive radiative cooling based on phase change materials and a SWOT appraisal of passive radiative cooling in general.

Chapter 4 (45 pages) is “Thermal Interface Materials and other emerging materials and devices for conductive cooling”. It spans the familiar world of thermal conductors at interfaces and for spreading and removing heat. The TIM analysis is thorough, embracing manufacturer lists and initiatives, next materials, formats, morphologies micro to industrial. See the explanation of why there is a modest trend away from filling large gaps so thermal film and adhesives come to the fore but many other forms have a future. Seven current options are compared against nine parameters. The silicone SWOT explains why there is some trend to more use of advanced graphite, graphene and sophisticated thermally-conducting polymers as thermal conductors but silicones have a great future. Indeed, silicone-based solid-state cooling, in its huge variety of forms, dominates the research pipeline and company initiatives taken together in the report as a whole. In this chapter, both electrically-conducting and electrically insulating thermal conductors are in the frame. A large section addresses important considerations when solving thermal challenges with conductive materials. Thermally conductive carbon-based polymers are appraised against targetted features and applications and there is more.

Chapter 5. “Solid-state caloric cooling” is considered by Zhar Research to be very promising so it takes a full 57 pages to make sense of the frenzy of new research, the start of commercialisation and the potential applications. Three SWOT appraisals and sections on electrocaloric, magnetocaloric, elastocaloric and barocaloric options with a nod to the less-important twistocalorics. The multicaloric option follows. See why some of the options are non-starters on basic principles and other could be improved to the point of appearing in vast areas on buildings and maybe vehicles, despite being affected by weather. How does the best shape up against the older technology called thermoelectrics? Both are part of the strong trend from plumbing, liquids and gases to smart materials that is also seen with electricity production and batteries.

Could you have greenhouse glass that cools? Could you have a lens that concentrates sunlight not to set fire to something but to cool? Researchers say you can and Chapter 6. “Metamaterial and other advanced photonic cooling: emerging materials and devices” takes 32 pages to explain how this magic can mean big business. What materials, applications, timescales, best research papers, commercial initiatives, lessons of success and failure, three SWOT appraisals? It is all here, including metafabrics with such radiative and reflective cooling and a close look at why Anti-Stokes fluorescence is newly commercialised with considerable potential.

Thermoelectric cooling is solid-state but after a very long time it is still unusual to find someone selling $100 million yearly of it. Why bother to discuss it in this report? Well, it is being reinvented to escape rare toxic materials and become affordable and suitable for large areas. How about thermal locking by ferrons or spin-driven thermoelectrics? Metal organic framework thermoelectrics? Already, thermoelectrics can be lower cost than alternatives where precise temperature control is vital or strong cooling of small areas is needed, as required by the 1kW microprocessors expected soon. The 31 pages of Chapter7. “Thermoelectric cooling reinvented” explain, give a SWOT and predictions.

You cannot read this report without realising that is not just your car window that is multi-purpose (block the sun, antenna, demister). Cooling is firmly headed the same way, including car windows that also cool using several physical principles. Chapter 8. “Multi–mode and multi-purpose integrated cooling involving solid-state” closes the report with many examples to come. Expect solid-state cooling that desalinates water, captures useful amounts from the air. What startup offers solid-state reflective and radiative cooling smart material for aircon and refrigeration? There is load-bearing thermal insulation and active cooling material and a great deal more on the horizon. The report emphasises clarity with a glossary and terms explained in the text.

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