2024-04-17
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.
2024-03-17
At a special works council recently, bus manufacturer Van Hool announced over 1,100 jobs will be lost at the company between now and 2027. The redundancies and other job losses are part of the ‘Van Hool Recovery Plan’ the company is introducing to get the business back on track.
The largest number of job losses – about 830 – are planned for this year. Bus production is now being moved to Macedonia, while trailers, industrial vehicles, R&D will remain in Flanders.
Source: VRT News. Read The Article Read This Article, Too
PSR Analysis: Van Hool has struggled recently under the pressure of competition from Chinese manufacturers. Even in the Flanders, home of Van Hool, Chinese bus manufacturer BYD was able to win a public tender for the supply of 300 electric urban busses. The biggest advantage of Chinese companies is the know how and attractive price they can offer on battery powered busses. In recent time, Van Hool has invested heavily in Fuel cells busses, but this move has not pay off.
Van Hool has announced its exit from the City Bus business and focus on Hydrogen fuel cell coaches which appears to have been a serious miscalculation. As the market transitions away from internal combustion engine buses toward battery electric buses, Van Hool has been left behind.
Van Hool recently lost a bid for 300 electric city buses to BYD which assembles their buses in Hungary at a lower cost than Van Hool could manufacture these in Belgium. It was reported that the BYD bid was approximately 20% less than the Van Hool bid. This along with other issues will result in Van Hool ending most if not all of their bus and coach operations in Belgium and transfer the bus and coach making activities to their assembly plant in Macedonia.
However, Van Hool will need a significant cash infusion in a short period of time to cover the cost of their existing debt and the coming redundancy payments in order to stave off insolvency.
After months of investigation, the European Commission says it has found evidence that China has been “unfairly” subsidizing the EVs it exports to Europe. Possible “remedies” on the table include retroactive tariffs on Chinese EVs.
Source: Electrek: Read The Article
PSR Analysis: This article was mentioned in previous issues of the Alternative Power Report and now that the EU has found its evidence, we can expect tariffs to be raised, especially as the European car market continues to flounder. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
Like it did with passenger EV rebates in December, Germany has decided to pull the plug on subsidy programs for electric semi-trucks and city buses. What happens to the nation’s commercial EV market now?
When the German government established the funding program for climate-friendly commercial trucks in 2021, the subsidies were seen as a highly effective tool to drive up demand for electric vehicles in the medium- and heavy-duty truck markets.
2024-02-27
Daimler’s GenH2 hydrogen trucks, powered by liquid hydrogen for an electric motor, are set to hit German roads in 2024. These trucks, boasting a hauling capacity of about 25 tons for over 1,000 kilometers on a full tank, integrate a propulsion system delivering 300 kilowatts, supplemented by a battery for an additional 400 kilowatts during high-demand situations like hill climbs. This initiative represents a collaborative effort with Air Liquide and Linde for H2 refueling services, leveraging advanced storage technology for higher energy density and operational efficiency. PSR
Source: Hydrogen Fuel News. Read The Article
2024-01-23
As of Jan. 1, 2024, the French government has revised its “malus écologique”, a one-time penalty tax for registering bulky, CO2-emitting cars, to include many more ICE vehicles, even some of the most popular budget models.
Drivers of cars emitting 118 g/km of CO2 pay €50 (about $55), and this increases rapidly with higher CO2 emissions, with a maximum ceiling for vehicles reaching €60,000 ($65,590). Vehicles weighing 1,600 kg/1.6 tons or more will have to pay between €10 and €30 per additional kilo.
2024-01-22
The electric hydro foiling propulsion system is a fast-growing technology taking an important place in the future of the maritime industry. The revolutionary concept provides cost-effectiveness, zero-emissions, zero-noise and excellent performance values (very fast) in different types of boats for pleasure and commercial use.
Tne technology is innovative and is, for most vessels, based on a specific aerodynamic design of a boat, retractable foils, electric motors, and batteries. Hydro foiling and electric systems work together to cut through waves causing less drag and resulting in higher speed.
The use of energy is much less than for any other vessel with a traditional propulsion system. E-foiling boats give an impression of flying over water silently with no CO2 emission or any other air or water pollution. The experience is comfortable, safe, clean and speedy.
Deutz AG To Sell Torqeedo Shares To Yamaha Deutz AG signed an agreement Jan. 19, 2024, to sell its shares in Torqeedo to Yamaha Motor Co Ltd. The sale of Torqeedo’s shares were planned and announced at the Deutz Annual General Meeting held in April 2023.
Torqeedo is a market leader in developing and manufacturing advanced marine electric engines and propulsion systems.
2024-01-19
Inside China a state subsidy is the norm, but outside of China the position is very different. The level of involvement by the central government feels a lot like a subsidy, one that undercuts local manufacturers. The problem is especially acute when it comes to electric car production.
Many of China’s car companies are looking more and more to export markets to absorb some of their production. But for some countries, the electric car onslaught coming from China is seen as a threat to local companies and their workers. The EV revolution was never intended to displace domestic industries and workers but that seems to be happening.
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