Akihiro Komuro

  • Hyundai’s Unmanned Cargo Plane Concept Aims for 2026

    Akihiro Komuro
    Akihiro Komuro

    Hyundai Motor Co. has begun developing an unmanned aircraft for cargo transport and has announced the concept of “air cargo” to be commercialized in 2026. The company is already developing a personal aerial vehicle (PAV) that will be responsible for moving people around in urban areas, and this technology will be applied to cargo transport aircraft. It is envisioned as a transport aircraft that will carry more cargo than drones carrying small cargo.

    Read More »

  • Kawasaki To Spin Off Motorcycle and Engine Business

    Kawasaki Heavy Industries said it will spin off its motorcycle and engine business in April 2021. The business is the only B2C business in KHI.  By spinning off the business, the company aims to speed up decision-making and offer new products and services for consumers.

    Read More »

  • Makita Engine Products To Be Discontinued in March 2022

    Makita, a major power tool company, will discontinue the production of engine products such as engine mowers, engine chainsaws, and other engine products for garden equipment at the end of March 2022. The company will concentrate its resources on its mainstay rechargeable power tools and garden equipment, for which demand is expected to increase in the future. Annual sales of engine products account for less than 2% of the total.

    Source: The Nikkei

    PSR Analysis: I visited Makita's booth at the Agri…

    Read More »

  • Kawasaki Receives Order for First Electric Tanker

    Akihiro Komuro
    Akihiro Komuro

    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.

    Read More »

  • Yanmar To Analyze Data on Agricultural and Construction Equipment

    Yanmar Holdings announced it will begin operating Yanmar Synergy Square, a support base for monitoring the operational status of customers’ agricultural and construction equipment, beginning Oct. 19, 2020.

    Data will be collected and analyzed via communication from sensors installed on machines and equipment. It will suggest parts replacement and maintenance before they malfunction. It was built at a cost of 2.5 billion yen (23.8 million USD) and will be operated by Yanmar Global CS, a subsidiary of the company.

    Read More »

  • TADA Raises US$5 Million To Enter EV Tuk Market

    Singapore-based MVLLabs, the operator of car dispatch service TADA, has raised US$5 million. MVLLabs is a company that operates a mobility ecosystem based on the blockchain protocol. TADA, a no-fee car dispatch platform built on MVL’s blockchain, launched in Singapore in 2018.

    In 2020 they are also expanding into Cambodia and Vietnam. MVLLabs plans to use the funds raised to facilitate continuous expansion and further develop the mobility ecosystem.

    According to them, mobility data such as transactions,…

    Read More »

  • Hyundai and LG Electronics To Collaborate on In-Car Appliances

    Hyundai Motor will collaborate with LG Electronics on home appliances for the interior of electric vehicles. The two companies will work together to develop OLED TVs to be mounted on the ceiling and walls, as well as home appliances such as refrigerators and coffee makers that make the interior of the car more comfortable. They unveiled the next generation concept car “Ionic Concept Cabin.”

    Read More »

  • JAPAN REPORT: Toyota, Honda, Shell To Expand Hydrogen Fueling Network in US

    Toyota, Honda and Shell announced a plan to expand their hydrogen refueling network in California.

    Akihiro Komuro
    Akihiro Komuro

    Shell will install hydrogen refueling systems at 48 gas stations using a grant from California’s hydrogen refueling infrastructure support. The company will also upgrade two Shell hydrogen stations and add fuel dispensers to heavy-duty truck stations.

    Additionally, Toyota and Honda have agreed to expand sales of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in California to support the Shell hydrogen Stations. Toyota and Honda plan to expand sales of the Mirai and Clarity Fuel Cell, respectively.

    Read More »

  • SOUTH KOREA REPORT: Doosan Infracore Collaborates with Game Developers

    Doosan Infracore says it has signed an MOU with Unity Technologies Korea for mutual cooperation in the development of a construction process simulator.

    Akihiro Komuro
    Akihiro Komuro

    This is the first joint project with a game engine developer in the construction equipment industry, which is rare in the global construction equipment industry.

    The game engine is regarded as very useful in various industries such as shipbuilding, logistics and construction. Doosan Infracore and Unity will work together to develop a simulator. It realizes various physical elements on a construction site where excavators and other equipment operate in a virtual environment. The simulator will be very useful in accurately predicting complex variables that may occur on a real construction site.

    Read More »

  • VIETNAM REPORT: VinFast Enters Luxury Segment With New SUV

    Vietnamese automaker VinFast has launched a luxury SUV, the VinFast President, to take on global brands like Lexus and Mercedes. To cost VND4.6 billion ($198,200), the seven-seater looks similar to VinFast’s first SUV, the Lux SA2.0, but with more advanced technologies and frills like massage and heated seats.

    Akihiro Komuro
    Akihiro Komuro

    Its 420HP V8 engine can go from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.8 seconds and offers a top speed of nearly 300 kph. VinFast will produce only 500 units and sell them exclusively in Vietnam. The first 100 customers will get a 17% discount on the price.

    In its segment, the VinFast President costs 45% less than the Lexus LX 570 and 33% less than the BMW X7. Industry insiders say it lacks some premium features often seen in luxury cars such as captain’s chairs, TV screens and a high-end sound system. The vehicle signifies the ambition of VinFast, a unit of Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, Vingroup, to enter all segments of the auto market after bringing out its first vehicle in July last year.

    Read More »

Current Reports

Download complimentary reports that show the type of information available from Power Systems Research.

PowerTALK News

Stay informed each month with insights from Power Systems Research analysts working around the world as they identify and comment on important news items in the company’s monthly newsletter.

Subscribe
View Archive