-
France, Germany Endorse Electric Trucks
Guy Youngs French Conseil d’Analyse Économique (CAE) and the German Council of Economic Experts (GCEE) finally weighed in on the EV vs. Hydrogen debate. And they didn’t fall for the hydrogen fantasy. Instead, they did what economists do best: they looked at the numbers, ran the models, and calmly declared that battery-electric trucks are not just viable—they’re the smart bet
-
2025 NA Snowmobile Production
Download PDF60,300 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Snowmobiles expected to be produced in the United States in 2025. Snowmobiles are motor vehicles that have a revolving tread in the rear and steerable runners in the front, for traveling over snow off-road, often at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
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
For details, download the complete report above.
Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations at Power Systems Research
-
Interest Rates Hurt Brazil Heavy Truck Production
Fabio Ferraresi Heavy truck production in Brazil fell 3.7% in Q1 2025 versus the same period in 2024, totaling 16,700 units, according to Anfavea. The decline is attributed to high interest rates (Selic), which have limited fleet renewal despite a record grain harvest.
Heavy truck sales also dropped 7% in the quarter, with 13,000 units registered.
OEM Performance – Heavy Trucks: Volvo: 3,900 units sold (+4% YoY); Scania: 3,500 units (−17%), and Mercedes-Benz: 2,100 units (−13.5%)
Despite the contraction in the heavy segment, total truck production grew 8.2%, reaching 31,700 units. The Medium-duty truck segment production was 8,900 units (+28.5%) and the Light-duty truck production was 4,500 units (+10%)
-
KG Motors To Mass-Produce Ultra-Compact EVs
Akihiro Komuro KG Motors, which manufactures and sells the ultra-compact “mibot” EV, is moving toward mass production of the units. It will start mass production in October 2025 at an assembly plant it has built near its headquarters. The company plans to produce 300 units in FY2025, 3,000 units in FY2026, and 10,000 units in FY2027.
The mibot is a one-person vehicle designed for short-distance travel, with a range of 100 kilometers per charge. The planned price at the time of mass production is 1.1 million yen ($7,700 USD), including consumption tax.
The assembly plant in Higashi Hiroshima City consists of a single production line with a main line of seven processes and a subline of four processes. Since there are only a few parts, the number of processes is less than that of a normal automobile production line.
-
Hyundai Motor Plans To Invest $21 Billion in US
Last month, South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group announced that it will invest $21 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. In addition to investing $6 billion to build a steel mill in Louisiana, the company will increase its U.S. auto production capacity by 70% to 1.2 million vehicles per year at a cost of $9 billion
The $21 billion investment in the U.S. will be the largest ever made by the Hyundai Motor Group. The investment will be made between 2025 and 2028 and will cover a wide range of fields, including automobiles, steel, parts and energy.
-
Honda To Launch Electric Motorcycles in Vietnam
Akihiro Komuro Honda plans to launch an electric motorcycle in Vietnam this month. The suggested retail price is less than 29 million VND (about $1183) without battery. The company is targeting the younger generation, who often use motorcycles to commute to school.
The name of the motorcycle to be sold is “ICON e:”. It will be manufactured at the company’s Binh Phuoc plant in northern Vietnam and will initially be sold through authorized dealers in seven provinces and cities. The maximum speed is 48 km/h, and it takes about 8 hours to charge the battery from zero to full. The maximum distance that can be traveled on a full charge is 71 kilometers. Because it does not require a driver’s license, which can be obtained at age 18, it is expected to be used by high school students on their way to school.
DataPoint Reports
TPI
PSR Truck Production Index
Free quarterly global commercial vehicle production report.
Alternative Power Report
The latest EV and power source news including batteries and fuel cells with analysis by PSR experts.
PowerTALK News
Stay informed each month with insights from Power Systems Research’s analysts working around the world as they identify and comment on important news items in the company’s monthly newsletter.
Subscribe View Archive
OE Link™ Offers
Global
Coverage
OE Link™ database provides OEM products, both On-Road and Off-Road, in 12 regions.
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