Teams from 10 local universities will compete in the challenge to convert the conventional-engined Proton Saga car into a fully electric-powered car in the Proton Green Mobility Challenge (PGMC) 2012 organised by Proton Holding Bhd (Proton) and Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who launched the challenge, said it represented the best example of how the industry, academia and the government cooperated to achieve various objectives in tackling major issues affecting the people.
He said the cooperation between the three major components forming the ‘triple helix’ under the AIM Innovation Developers programme was established to further speed up technological innovations in the country.
“With the addition of another component, namely the people, it will become Quadruple Helix,” he said at the launching of the challenge at the Car Park Lobby of the Prime Minister’s Office, here.
The 10 universities participating in the challenge are Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Kuala Lumpur Institut Malaysia Sepanyol (UNIKL MSI), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (Unimap), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) and Universiti Selangor (Unisel).
During the challenge, each university is provided with a Proton Saga car, one unit of battery, one motor unit and its control, as well as a RM20,000 fund for purposes of modification according to the rules stipulated, and the final stage will be held from October 4 to 7.
The winner will be decided based on the capability of the vehicle to go through various tests including driving distance, the level of pick-up within a quarter-mile distance, the fastest time in a lap and the maximum speed achieved.
The Prime Minister said innovation in the field of research and development (R&D) was crucial in driving national development, and the country’s most significant success could be seen in innovations in the country’s main commodities namely rubber and palm oil.
He said the nation had achieved numerous successes in the development of these commodities, for example, a Malaysian company had become the first company to unlock the oil palm genetic code, thus recording the most significant achievement in the field of science.
He said the success enabled the output of every hectare of oil palm plantation to be raised through the introduction of new and better types of palm trees.
