2022-12-14
BorgWarner said it will start producing battery systems for electric vehicles in Piracicaba-SP, Brazil, by Q1 2023 with declared annual capacity of 1,000 electric units.
The plant in Piracicaba formerly belonged to Delphi and was acquired by BorgWarner in 2020. The plant will receive a production line from Akasol, another company acquired by BorgWarner.
Terminal Tractors are specialized heavy duty vehicles designed to move loads at container ports and container terminals. Generally, they are slow moving (under 30km/h) and employ a high torque diesel engine and 4×4 wheel drive which enables them to move very heavy trailer loads, sometimes up to 200 or 300 tons
2022 has been an interesting year on many commercial vehicle fronts including the medium and light electric commercial truck and van segment. While large established OEMs such as Ford, who is expected to produce approximately 6,500 E-Transits at the Kansas City plant in 2022, there has been some shakeup within the electric commercial vehicle start-ups.
During the past six months, Mullen Automotive, based in Brea, CA, has acquired the assets of the now bankrupt Electric Last Mile (ELMS) company and has acquired 60% of Bollinger Motors, which has yet to start vehicle production.
In September 2022, Mullen Automotive invested $148 million into Bollinger Motors, giving Mullen a 60% share of the company. Bollinger plans on introducing their electric class 3 – 6 lineup of cargo vehicles starting in 2023 and it is likely that Bollinger will also manufacture the Mullen electric light commercial vans also starting production in 2023.
2022-12-05
The 23rd edition of FENATRAN, the International Road Cargo Transport Trade Show, brought together more than 500 brands in the exhibition pavilion of São Paulo Expo, Nov. 7-11, and generated total revenue of about USD 2 billion, more than USD 200 million than the last edition of FENATRAN, held in 2019. Power Systems Research representatives were at the show. Read there reports. PSR
2022-11-17
Randon, an Brazil-based OEM, has agreed to invest $40 million to acquire the US-based trailer manufacturer Hercules. Randon’s purchase agreement for Hercules is expected to be finalized within 120 days. Randon Implementos is the largest semi-trailer manufacturer in Latin America. The company maintains a manufacturing park in Argentina and works with partners to assemble semi-trailers at several points in Central America and Africa. It is the main Brazilian exporter in the segment, with a historical market share of 60% in exports.
The City of São Paulo has announced a partnership with Enel, an energy supplier, for its bus fleet electrification project to be completed by 2024. Under the agreement, the city will get funding for the project of R $ 8 billion. The plan calls for the replacement of the fleet of combustion buses with non-polluting models.
According to the city, Enel is one of the main stakeholders in the project and should assist companies in logistics, infrastructure and the feasibility of electric vehicles based on their experience in Latin America.
Ten years after starting operations in Brazil with the import of Trucks and plans to have a local plant, Foton Aumark do Brasil (FAB) is preparing to go to court against the Chinese brand, claiming breach of contract. The company was created by economist Luiz Carlos Mendonça de Barros, former president of BNDES and former director of the Central Bank.
Source: Automotive Business Read The Article
PSR Analysis: The volumes of Foton were always very small and the situation will not affect the market. Plans for plants and volumes were never executed and sales never ramped up. Now it is just litigation between the parties and dealers that should look for compensation after FAB. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development South America, for Power Systems Research
2022-11-15
New vehicle sales in the six major Southeast Asian countries totaled 317,765 units in September, up 33% from the same month last year. The figures were compiled from new vehicle sales statistics released by automobile industry associations and other organizations in each country. This is the 12th consecutive month that sales have exceeded those of the same month last year; the economic recovery from COVID-19 continues, with sales up 8% compared to September 2019, even before the spread of the infection.
Indonesia, the largest new vehicle market in the region, saw a 19% y/y increase to 99,986 units. This was the highest single-month sales volume in 2022. The tax exemption for some models ended at the end of September, and there appears to have been a rush demand for new vehicles.
The full details of the government’s goal of a next-generation semiconductor development system have been revealed. Led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and in cooperation with the private sector and overseas countries such as the United States, a new company will be established to mass produce next-generation semiconductors, and a new R&D center will be launched. This is the first time that a comprehensive system for research and mass production of advanced semiconductors has been established.
The new structure has two pillars. The “LSTC (Leading-edge Semiconductor Technology Center)” will be established by the end of this year as a research and development center for next-generation semiconductors. The University of Tokyo, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tohoku University, RIKEN, and others will participate in the LSTC, which aims to be an open R&D platform for both domestic and international use so that the results of research can be put to practical use. The company is also considering collaboration with the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), which is scheduled to be established in the United States.
During the past few years there has been plenty of talk about battery electric power replacing diesel-powered internal combustion engines in commercial trucks. At some point this might be true for short and regional haul freight carriers, but what about the long-haul heavy truck segment?
Currently, the lack of a sufficient charging infrastructure, range anxiety and the extreme weights associated with the batteries are significant deterrents to mass adoption of long-haul battery electric trucks. However, hydrogen fuel cell trucks for long-haul applications appear to be a viable option in this segment. Even though fuel cell trucks currently have a greater range and lighter weight than battery electric trucks, they have the same problem as electric trucks: a lack of refueling infrastructure.
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