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  • A New Path for Van Hool

    EUROPE REPORT 
    Emiliano Marzoli
    Emiliano Marzoli

    Brussels, Belgium – After weeks of uncertainty and, finally, a bankruptcy, bus and trailer manufacturer Van Hool can look to the future again.  The company trustee has accepted the bid from the competitor VDL – Schmitz-Cargobull.  This move was seen by the trustee as the quickest and most efficient way to restart the operations without losing additional company value, and important resources. 

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  • John Deere Announces Investments in Brazil

    BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT 
    Fabio Ferraresi
    Fabio Ferraresi

    John Deere, has announced the acquisition of the condominium housing the company’s regional office in Indaiatuba (SP) and the Parts Distribution Center for South America (SA-PDC) in Campinas (SP), along with adjacent land for future expansion. The company also recently has acquired two plots in the Montenegro Industrial District (RS). These investments are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to development and expansion in the national market.

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  • Volvo To Begin Testing Heavy EV Trucks

    Volvo has received authorization from the Ministry of Transportation to begin testing its heavy electric trucks in Brazil. The vehicles will be part of a study and will be able to operate in urban areas, metropolitan regions, and short to medium-distance intercity transportation, aiming to evaluate their performance and impact on pavement in this type of operation.

    The transport companies ReiterLog and Ritmo Logística will be the first to operate the Volvo electric trucks. Preliminary results from the study, led by Senatran (National Traffic Department), with technical coordination from Inprotran (National Institute of Traffic and Safety Projects), in partnership with Volvo, Prometeon, UNB, and UFRGS, indicate benefits of operating zero-emission CO2 vehicles, such as high energy efficiency, absence of noise, low vibration levels, and increased driver comfort.

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  • Kubota Unveils First Fuel Cell Tractor

    JAPAN REPORT
    Akihiro Komuro
    Akihiro Komuro

    On March 28, Kubota unveiled the first prototype of a fuel cell-powered tractor. Although no release date has been set, the company will consider installing fuel cells in unmanned, automated tractors. Kubota is also developing battery-powered agricultural equipment, but the company believes that hydrogen-powered fuel cells will be effective for medium-large sized agricultural equipment.

    Kubota is rushing to commercialize fuel cells because it believes demand will grow in developed countries such as Japan, Europe and the United States as a result of the trend toward decarbonization. The prototype machine has about 60 horsepower and has three hydrogen tanks installed above the cabin, which are used in Toyota’s Mirai fuel cell car. It generates electricity by reacting hydrogen with oxygen to power the engine. In the experiment, a tractor was equipped with a plowing unit to till the soil.

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  • VW To Inject €2.5 billion into Hefei Base

    CHINA REPORT
    Jack Hao
    Jack Hao

    Facing intense competition in China’s new energy vehicle market, Volkswagen has decided to increase investment in its Hefei base. On April 11, Volkswagen announced an additional investment of €2.5 billion in its production and innovation center in Hefei to further strengthen its local R&D capabilities.

    It has been reported that this investment will also be used to accelerate the development and production of two Volkswagen brand smart electric vehicle models co-developed with Xiaopeng Motors. Volkswagen revealed that the first model, a mid-size SUV, is planned to enter production in 2026.

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  • Hyundai-Kia and Stellantis Plan Different EV Strategies in India

    INDIA REPORT
    Aditya Kondejkar

    “India is a key market for vehicle electrification, particularly due to the government’s carbon neutrality goals, which makes securing cost competitiveness through localized battery production crucial,” Heui Won Yang, president and head of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s research and development division.

    Source: Business Standard.     Read The Article

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  • PowerTALK™, April 2024

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    The April 2024 issue of PowerTALK News presents another excellent report by analyst Guy Youngs on Alternate Power sources, an update on the OEM Van Hool, John Deere’s aggressive plans for expansion in Brazil, and an analysis of the market strategies being developed by two OEMs in the India market.

    IN THIS ISSUE

    ALTERNATIVE POWER REPORT

    • Are Sodium Ion Batteries Viable Alternative to Lithium?
    • New Hydrogen Colors to Watch in 2024 and Why They Matter
    • Study Shows Plug-in Hybrids Aren’t as Clean as We Thought
    • CATL, Yutong Launch Long-life EV Battery

    GLOBAL:  Lawn and Garden Equipment Market

    DATAPOINT: North America Plate Compactor Production  

    EUROPE: A New Path for Van Hool   
    BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA    :

    • John Deere Announces New Investments in Brazil
    • Volvo To Begin Testing Heavy Trucks

    JAPAN: Kubota Unveils First Fuel Cell Tractor
    CHINA:     VW To Inject € 2.5 billion into its Hefei Base
    INDIA: Two EV Strategies for India Market

  • Q1 2024 Power Systems Research Truck Production Index (PSR-TPI) falls 4.5%

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    St. Paul, MN (April 15, 2024)— The Power Systems Research Truck Production Index (PSR-TPI) decreased from 116 to 111, or 4.5%, for the three-month period ending March 31, 2024, from Q4 2023. The year-over-year (Q1 2023 – Q1 2024) PSR-TPI was flat at 111. There was no change.

    The PSR-TPI measures truck production globally and across six regions: North America, China, Europe, South America, Japan & Korea and Emerging Markets.

    This data comes from OE Link™, the proprietary database maintained by Power Systems Research.

    All Regions. In 2024, Medium and heavy commercial vehicle production in Europe, South Asia and North America is expected to decline modestly while production in China, South America, Japan, and Korea is expected to improve over last year.

    Global Index. Globally, medium, and heavy commercial vehicle production is expected to decline by 1.5% this year over 2023. Moving into 2024, much of the focus on demand will be centered around slowing global economic conditions that will impact overall freight demand. PSR

    Jim Downey is vice president – global data products at Power Systems Research and Chris Fisher is the senior commercial vehicle analyst at Power Systems Research

  • South American Truck Production Index Climbs 3.4%

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    April 16, 2024— The Power Systems Research South America Truck Production Index (PSR-TPI) increased from 88 to 91, or 3.4%, for the three-month period ending March 31, 2024 (Q1 2024), from Q4 2023. The year-over-year (Q1 2023 – Q1 2024) PSR-TPI increased  from 75 to 91, or 21.3%.

    The PSR-TPI measures truck production globally and across six regions: North America, China, Europe, South America, Japan & Korea and Emerging Markets. The South America TPI measures truck production in Brazil, Argentina and Columbia.

    This data comes from OE Link™, the proprietary database maintained by Power Systems Research. PSR

    Jim Downey is vice president – global data products at Power Systems Research and
    Chris Fisher is the senior commercial vehicle analyst at Power Systems Research

  • Alternative Power Report, April 2024

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    The April 2024 Alternative Power Report by Power Systems Research features several articles on batteries including one on sodium ion batteries as an alternative to Lithium Ion batteries, and another on the dropping cost of EV batteries. Hydrogen power sources show increasing promise, and there is an article on Chinese manufacturer CATL launching a battery pack with Yutong Bus Co to power commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks that has a 15-year warranty. PSR

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