Product Descriptions by Segment and Application Power Systems Research tracks some 250 products in 13 major industrial segments. This Guide defines each product that PSR lists in its proprietary databases. Segment: Agriculture Application: 2-Wheel Tractors 2-Wheel Tractors Application: Ag Tractors 2-Wheel Drive Tractors 4WD Articulated Ag Tractors MFWD Tractors (Mechanical Front Wheel Drive) Tracked Ag
On March 3, Hon Hai Precision Industry delivered its first EV, the Model T commercial bus, to a bus route operator based in Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. The company aims to deliver 30 buses by the end of this year to expand its EV business, which is a new entry into the market, and the key to its future growth will be the extent to which it can break away from its business model that relies on contracted production of iPhones.
The “Model T” was delivered to Kaohsiung Bus Company. The vehicle was developed by Hung Hua Advanced Technology, a new company jointly established with Yulon Motor Manufacturing (Yulon), a major Taiwanese car manufacturer. Everything about the Model T, from concept to design and manufacturing, was done in Taiwan.
More than 65% of the parts procured were supplied by members of MIH, a group of more than 1,000 cooperating manufacturers recruited by Hon Hai when it entered the EV market, as well as by Taiwanese manufacturers. The vehicle will begin operating on actual bus routes on March 16, the company said.
Hon Hai also plans to introduce EVs for personal use in the future. In addition to the Model C SUV, which will be the first EV for individuals, the company plans to introduce the Model E, a high-end sedan. The company has already announced a plan to achieve sales of 1 trillion Taiwan dollars (over 4 trillion yen) in five years.
Source: The Nikkei
PSR Analysis: Hon Hai moves very fast. Less than two years after announcing its entry into the EV business, Hon Hai delivered one of the company’s first three EV prototypes in October 2021.
The alliance they founded, MIH, has been in existence for more than a year since October 2020, and more than 2,000 companies from Japan and other countries have joined the development coalition. An alliance of unprecedented scale is about to bring about a major innovation in the automotive industry.
MIH (Mobility in Harmony) is an open EV ecosystem that promotes new collaborations in the mobility industry. MIH brings together strategic partners in the EV field, where the development and manufacturing processes are different from those of conventional vehicles, and promotes the creation of next-generation EVs, autonomous driving, and mobility service applications by opening up advanced hardware and software technologies.
Through the realization of reference designs and standardization of EV technologies, many alliance members intend to jointly create an open EV platform that will bring innovation to the industry by shortening development cycles and lowering barriers to entry.
The number of overseas companies outside of China and Taiwan participating in the MIH continues to increase. In addition to South Korea’s Kia and India’s Mahindra, Tier 1 automakers Continental of Germany and ZF are also participating.
Major players include Microsoft, Arm, LG Electronics, ON Semiconductor, Oracle, Kaspersky Lab, Samsung Electronics, Siemens, TomTom, and Dell Technologies.
At the time of MIH’s inception, the impression was that Taiwanese and Chinese companies accounted for more than 95% of its members, but now, one after another, a diverse group of members have gathered from around the world, greatly enhancing its development capabilities.
The unprecedented scale of the MIH is symbolic of the global interest in next-generation mobility, such as EVs and autonomous driving.
It is easy to imagine that this power of MIH has been a major driving force in the development of the EV buses this time around. All eyes are now focused on the future actions of this huge alliance on an unprecedented scale. PSR
A month ago, the first self-driving bus operations begun its three-month trial in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan. It is the first revenue-generating service of autonomous rapid transit (ART) project supported by the central and local governments. The goal is to launch commercial operation across the country in 2021.
“Autonomous technology will lead a revolutionary change to the city’s transportation systems,” said Huang Wei-Cher, Mayor of Tainan. “The smart transportation initiative will help us improve overall road safety, operational efficiency, and rural area transportation services.”
The service will cover two business districts. One service will run on weekends only, on a 2.5km route between Nanke Railway Station and National Museum of Prehistory, while the other will be on weekdays in the 6.4km route along Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City, where a smart vehicle testing site is located.
The Azure A12 BR electric bus, from China’s TEVX Higer, has started operating in the South Zone of São Paulo. The vehicle has been put into use by Transwolff. According to the company, the 12-meter-long vehicle was made especially for the Brazilian market. It has a low floor and a suspension “kneeling” system. This feature provides more safety, comfort, and ease when boarding and disembarking passengers.
The bus has wide aisles and an access ramp at the central door. Thus, there is more accessibility for people with special needs related to reduced mobility.
This Chinese OEM confirmed the plans to start the production of its vehicles in Brazil by 2023 after the initial phase of importing the first units in 2022. In 2021, road tests of the Azure A12BR will take place in São Paulo using the regular city bus fleet.
Source: Automotive Business Read The Article
PSR Analysis: Higer Bus has announced an investment of US$ 10 million for production infrastructure but it has not announced the location of the manufacturing facility. Although they say there are many suppliers in Brazil, as ZF, Dana, Valeo, Bosch and Siemens, the amount seems low and limits the operation for something similar to a CKD with shared assembly infrastructure. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development South America for Power Systems Research
Kawasaki Heavy Industries says it has been awarded a contract to design an electric propulsion system for the world’s first electric tanker. Two shipbuilders in Shikoku will build the two vessels, with the first one to be completed by March 2023. It is about 60 meters long and has a gross tonnage of 499 tons.
Intercity transportation of passengers by highway buses started in a new phase with the beginning of the operation of the first full electric plug in bus. It is Marcopolo Viaggio 1050 bus, assembled on BYD D9A 20.410 chassis, operated by Turis Silva. This initiative is also supported by EDP Smart, a division of Energy Solutions of EDP, a company of the electrical segment.
Editor’s Note: This report includes a conversation with Miguel Elizalde Lizárraga, the executive president of ANPACT (the National Association of Bus, Truck and Engine Manufacturers) and a visit to the Expotransporte 2022, the largest truck show in Latin America.
ANPACT represents the trucks, buses and engine manufacturers in Mexico. It participates actively with government organizations and other important related associations to ensure the truck and bus industry gets enough support, incentives, alliances, agreements and information to grow in the local market. Also, to continue with their outstanding role as one of the most important exporters of heavy duty vehicles globally.
The ANPACT gathers the most important trucks, buses and engine manufacturers in Mexico such as Kenworth, Freightliner, International, Mercedes Benz, Man, Volkswagen, Scania, Dina, Mack, Volvo, Isuzu, Hino, Detroit and Cummins.
During our conversation, Elizalde provided timely insights into the Mexican transportation industry and the major market challenges this country is facing today.
Vehicles manufactured in Mexico produce an important impact on the country’s economy, logistics and mobility. For example, 71% of the foreign trade value is moved to the US through heavy duty trucks. Much of the movement of goods in Mexico is through trucks, and people use buses as their main transportation.
According to ANPACT´s August statistics, manufacturers produced a total of 127,858 heavy duty vehicles from January through August this year. This is 18% more than 2021 production. Through August, export volumes increased by 15.7% (106,824 units) compared to 2021. Retail demand has increased so far by 20.5% (25,196 units).
Current challenges the transportation industry is facing today in Mexico include road safety, environmental regulations implementation, supply chain lead times, driver shortage, e-commerce, vehicles renewals, safety and energy infrastructure.
Van Hool has announced its exit from the City Bus business and focus on Hydrogen fuel cell coaches which appears to have been a serious miscalculation. As the market transitions away from internal combustion engine buses toward battery electric buses, Van Hool has been left behind.
Van Hool recently lost a bid for 300 electric city buses to BYD which assembles their buses in Hungary at a lower cost than Van Hool could manufacture these in Belgium. It was reported that the BYD bid was approximately 20% less than the Van Hool bid. This along with other issues will result in Van Hool ending most if not all of their bus and coach operations in Belgium and transfer the bus and coach making activities to their assembly plant in Macedonia.
However, Van Hool will need a significant cash infusion in a short period of time to cover the cost of their existing debt and the coming redundancy payments in order to stave off insolvency.
During the past few years, many cities and states have committed to full adoption of their transit bus fleets to zero-emission vehicles. While the implementation dates vary, most are aiming to have the transition completed by 2040.
Since transit buses typically have pre-defined routs and access to recharging infrastructure, they are good candidates for adoption. It also helps that this segment is not-for-profit, and a short-term payback is not required. The significant barriers to adoption appear to have been overcome.
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