Brazil’s vehicle production in the first two months of 2025 reached 393,000 units, the highest since early 2021, marking a 15% increase compared to the same period in 2024. February demonstrated a significant 14.6% rise from the previous year and a 24% increase from January.
In the first bimester, car and light commercial vehicle production were at 289,800 units, up 12.5%, while Truck production was 20,000 units, up 10.5% and Bus chassis production was 4,000 units, up 11%.
Kubota plans to build a tractor factory in India, open that will be operational by 2030. The investment is expected to be in the tens of billions of yen. The annual production volume will be increased to approximately 240,000 units, double the current volume.
India accounts for about half of the global tractor market in terms of volume, but Kubota’s market share in the country is only about 25%. The company aims to increase sales by developing new products in cooperation with the local manufacturer it has acquired.
Currently, it produces about 120,000 units a year at three factories, including Escorts, which it acquired in April 2022 for about $953,020,000 USD (140 billion yen). Its production capacity is 170,000 to 180,000 units, but it is expected to fall short of that in the next five years.
Kia is launching a new range of EVs that can be easily modified to meet different interior and design needs and will begin selling a mid-size van in Korea in July. The company is currently in talks with about 100 companies in the transportation and logistics industry. Although global EV sales are currently sluggish, Kia hopes to develop a new revenue stream by promoting the fact that the specifications of these vehicles can be changed to suit the needs of different industries.
“We have opened up a new paradigm with our customized EVs.” The CEO spoke with great enthusiasm at Kia’s EV Day event in Spain. The company unveiled the first production model of the “PV5,” a mid-size van that is the first in a series of independently developed EVs called “Platform Beyond Vehicle” (PBV).
Editor’s Note: For a brief period from Feb. 8 – 12, I visited the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and conducted interviews with several people involved in the construction equipment industry. Here is a summary of the country and the stories I heard from industry experts.
Country Profile: Population 280 million, median age 29.7, and 90% of the population is Muslim. Comprises over 17,000 islands. The current capital is Jakarta, but due to worsening problems of land subsidence and air pollution, a plan has been made to move the capital to Nusantara, and construction of the new capital has already begun.
PSR Analysis: Chinese-made construction machinery is rapidly gaining popularity in the Indonesian market, where price is a key consideration–the initial cost is on average about 20% cheaper than Japanese or Western brands. The quality of Chinese-made machines has improved dramatically compared recently, and the after-sales service is also responsive, making it easy for buyers to select them.
Baidu and CATL say they will collaborate on unmanned driving and digital intelligence to promote unmanned driving services and industrial AI applications.
The cooperation is expected to leverage the advantages of both companies, including CATL’s battery, swapping, and skateboard chassis technologies for unmanned vehicle development, and to explore competitive products and business models to enhance mobility services.
Baidu will support CATL’s digitalization with its full-stack AI capabilities, spanning chips, platforms, and applications, injecting new energy into the green transition and jointly building a smart energy future.
The US administration has been pressuring India to reduce its import tariffs on cars, but India remains cautious about making drastic changes. While there is some openness to lowering tariffs on imported cars, a complete removal of these duties is unlikely in the near future. The ongoing discussions between the two countries may lead to some tariff adjustments, but India’s primary concern is protecting its local industries.
PSR Analysis. Even if India were to reduce tariffs to zero, the impact on the domestic automotive market would likely be minimal. The duty differences are relatively small, and the risk of imports flooding the market is low. India’s automotive component sector, especially in areas like EV differentials, bevel gears, and crankshafts, has been growing steadily. This sector benefits from India’s low labor costs, significantly lower than countries like Mexico and the US, giving it a competitive advantage in global supply chains.
Wärtsilä, a marine and energy technology provider, saw a 34% increase in Q4 2024 order intake and 14% growth for the full year. Q4 orders reached EUR 2,491 million, with net sales up 13% to EUR 1,854 million.
The full-year order intake was EUR 8,072 million, with net sales growing 7% to EUR 6,449 million. The order book rose 25% to EUR 8,366 million.
CEO Håkan Agnevall highlighted record highs in order intake, operating results, and cash flow, noting significant profitability improvements. Despite geopolitical uncertainties, demand for decarbonization solutions has remained strong.
A Portable/Walk-Behind Trencher is used to dig trenches, especially for laying pipes or cables, for installing drainage, or in preparation for trench warfare. Trenchers range in size from walk-behind models, to attachments for a skid loader or tractor, to very heavy tracked heavy equipment.
Riding Trenchers are used to dig trenches, especially for laying pipes or cables, for installing drainage, or in preparation for trench warfare.
This product information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink™ , which provides information on engines, and OE Link™, a database of equipment manufacturers. PSR
By Carol Turner, Senior Analyst, Global Operations
This month, Alternative Power Report Editor Guy Youngs brings readers up to date on Elon Musk and Tesla activities around the world. Sales are down, stock price is down, and consumer anger is up. Read about it in the March issue of the Alternative Power Report produced by Power Systems Research. The March report also contains information on EV battery development and the tariff wars launched by U.S. President Donald Trump. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
Toyota has been revealed to be the largest auto industry funder of climate deniers in US Congress, according to a report released today by Public Citizen.
Toyota sells more gas-powered, polluting vehicles than any other company on Earth, and thus it has a vested interest in continuing to sell those polluting vehicles. But the problem is that gas-powered, polluting vehicles are not good for the health of humans or other living beings on this planet
Toyota has repeatedly ranked as one of the strongest funders of pro-pollution, anti-EV, and climate denying propaganda in the world
PSR Analysis: Previously, the auto industry has taken advantage of changes in government, trying to get money-saving clean air rules torpedoed even after implementation, but not this time, except for Toyota. The big concern behind all of this is whether Toyota will begin to struggle like Nissan and other legacy carmakers (with the impact of the EV revolution). PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Leadat Power Systems Research
