New Vehicle Sales Increase 33% in September

SOUTHEAST ASIA: 6 MAJOR COUNTRIES REPORT

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.

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Korean Electric Motorcycle Maker Builds Factory in Vietnam

FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT

Zio Holdings, a South Korean company engaged in the production and sale of electric motorcycles, says it has completed an electric motorcycle factory in Bac Ninh Province in northern Vietnam.

The factory covers an area of 1,300 m2 and has an annual production capacity of 12,000 units. The factory will receive parts supplied from original brand factories in Vietnam and China and will assemble the parts at ZIO EV’s factory in Vietnam.

The electric bikes to be manufactured at the new factory will be named “EDEN” and “MEVOYEZ,” and will use LFP batteries (lithium-ion iron phosphate batteries). The maximum speed is 55Km/h, and the driving range is over 150km. The selling price is expected to be 30 million VND (approximately 176,000 yen).

Semiconductor Development Companies Set Up

FAR EAST: JAPAN REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

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.

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DATAPOINT: North America Utility Vehicles, 2022 Production: 432,700 Units

432,700 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Utility Vehicles to be produced in North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) in 2022.

Four-wheel off-road Utility Vehicles with side-by-side seating are designed to be used in a variety of recreational, industrial and military applications. When equipped with dumpers, they are commonly used for landscaping, dumping and transporting light materials. Vehicles can be customized with enclosed cabs, tool racks, dumpers and more for use on college campuses, parks, corporate campuses and airports. Suppliers offer a wide variety of gas, electric and diesel utility vehicles.

This 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.

Exports: Canada, up to 90%; Mexico, up to 85% for NA markets, and US, up to 40% worldwide.

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Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck News

NORTH AMERICA REPORT
Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher

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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Powersports Market Expected To Exceed US$ 50 Billion

Power Systems Research is forecasting global revenue for the Powersports industry to grow from $31.5 billion in 2020 to US$ 50.91 billion in 2030, a CAGR of 6% over the forecasted period.

Global Powersports Market
All-Terrain Vehicles, Side-by-Side, Powerboats, Snowmobiles and Heavyweight Motorcycles

Drivers-of-Demand. There are many factors driving the global powersports market growth:

  • Increased all-terrain vehicle popularity.
    • These include the rising participation in recreational activities, like surfing, off-road driving, and snowmobiling.
    • According to the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association around $36 Billion is spent directly and indirectly on snowmobiling in the US and Canada each year.
    • ATVs have lesser age restrictions, lower maintenance costs, are easier to maneuver due to low vehicle weight and are more affordable
    • Rise in use of powersports to boost adventure tourism traveling to new locations for gaining new experiences, with controlled risk components and personal challenges in wild & exotic environments.
    • People are raising the bar for racing by introducing new terrains and challenges.
    • The market in Europe is expected to showcase exponential growth backed by government policies that promote recreational and off-road leisure activities.
    • Global governmental initiatives to boost the tourism industry by assisting recreational clubs in enhancing their service offerings are creating a favorable environment for the market participating in the construction of dedicated infrastructure for recreational and amusement purposes.
  • Technological innovations have played a major role in developing vehicles.
    • New products have increased comfort, power, engineering, and safety.
    • Utility-terrain vehicles (UTVs) have improved durability and adaptability for off-road riding.
    • Growth in investments and rapid innovations in the automotive sector have resulted in improved performance of powersports vehicles. This has resulted in improved vehicle efficiency, reduced noise and higher power of vehicles. Companies are also focusing on developing electric products for quieter more powerful riding.
  • Growing consumer disposable incomes make it easier for customers to purchase leisure and recreational power equipment.
  • Data prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) show that outdoor recreational activities accounted for US$ 374.3 billion in 2020, which is 1.8% of the overall U.S. GPD in 2020.

Smaller Bauma Returns To Munich

Summary. After more than three years, Bauma, one of the largest construction events in the world, reopened its doors for seven days in Munich Oct. 24. Power Systems Research (PSR) had a five-person team at the event, discussing trends with industry representatives, from new products and services to topics around the future evolution of sustainable technologies.

The show was smaller than the last time it was held, in 2019. Close to 3,200 exhibitors from 60 countries (2019: 3,684 exhibitors from 63 countries) participated and more than 495,000 visitors from over 200 countries (2019: 627,603 visitors from more than 200 countries) came to Munich for the event.

Bauma is the world’s leading trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines, construction vehicles and construction equipment. International visitors made up about 50% of the attendance. That’s a change from 2019 when about two-thirds of visitors came from Germany.

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Urban Railroads Delayed

SOUTHEAST ASIA: VIETNAM REPORT

The development of urban railroads in Vietnam has been significantly delayed. The opening of the second line in the capital Hanoi is expected to be delayed to 2027, and the first line in the southern city of Ho Chi Minh City may not open until the end of 2023.

In addition to financial difficulties, there are cases where administrative authorities are not proactively resolving problems, leading to further delays.

In mid-September, Hanoi City abandoned the planned Hanoi Urban Railway Line 3 (Nhon Hanoi Station), which was planned to run through the center of the city, to open by the end of the year. The line is 12.5 kilometers long. Construction of the line began in 2010, and although it was originally planned to open in 2015, it is believed that the plan has already been changed about five times.

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Hyundai Motor and KT Invest in Autonomous Driving

FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT

The Hyundai Motor Group and telecommunications giant KT have formed a capital and business alliance. The two companies will invest about 750 billion won in each other by exchanging their shares.

The two companies will jointly develop communication-related technologies to produce autonomous driving equipment. In addition to automobiles, Hyundai Motor is expanding its business in the fields of robotics and urban air transportation (UAM, or flying cabs), and has decided that partnering with KT will enable it to accelerate research and development in fields other than automobiles.

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