The technology is the result of a collaboration of Toyota with the GAC Group, a Chinese state-owned manufacturer. The ammonia engine is a form of internal combustion engine (ICE) powered primarily by ammonia, (ammonia is comprised of a nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms). It does not contain carbon. As a result, when it’s burned in an ICE, it does not release carbon dioxide, one of the major greenhouse gases. In the effort to decarbonize, the potential of this type of technology is considerable.
Reports of scientific discoveries highlight this months Alternative Power Report produced by Guy Youngs of Power Systems Research. Read about a new ore discovered in China, Toyota’s work on solid state batteries and an ammonia-powered engine, and finally new work on white hydrogen.
Sila’s Titan Silicon anode powder consists of tiny particles of nano-structured silicon that replaces graphite in traditional lithium ion batteries. Compared to graphite, silicon stores up to 10 times more energy, so using it instead of graphite for anodes — which release electrons when a battery discharges — can significantly improve a battery’s energy density.
However, the material swells during repeated charging, with the resulting cracks radically reducing battery life. The Sila technology allows for this expansion by using nano-scale carbon “scaffolding” to keep the silicon in check.
The silicon powder has several advantages. With it, EVs could soon be able to travel up to 500 miles without stopping to charge. When the need does arise to recharge, the Sila batteries could do so in about 10 minutes.
PSR Analysis: Using silicon powder does not require new manufacturing techniques so the technology is proven and should be relatively cheap (but this wasn’t mentioned in the article) and it bypasses the virtual Chinese monopoly on purified graphite (China currently supplies 96% of the purified graphite used by the world’s battery makers). PSR
Guy Youngs, is Forecast & Adoption Leadat Power Systems Research
Chile has announced plans to produce US$ 30 billion in green Hydrogen for export by 2050. This involves using the mining industry equipment traditionally powered by diesel in fuel cell powered equipment to make the bridge for current state to future state.
PSR Analysis: There are several roadblocks as technology improvement needs, energy cost and investment source for the initiative. So far it sounds like a campaign promise rather than a robust initiative. However, the technology use is progressively closer to reality. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director- Business Development South America, for Power Systems Research
Off-road equipment markets are expected to see a slight recovery from the devastating effects of COVID-19 in 2021, according to a report prepared by Power Systems Research that appeared in the October 2020 issue of OEM Off-Highway magazine.
One segment, the construction equipment market in North America has been riding a strong economy over the past few years. The segment was due for a slowdown; however, current worldwide economic conditions have caused a rapid cycle to reset in the construction industry. Government is committed to support the demand in the sector by investing heavily into infrastructure. We have yet to see any new level of demand, but we expect to see signs of the new normal in H2 2020 and early 2021. PSR
After selling 35 NG Trucks in Chile, Iveco announced the sale of 100 Stralis NP Cursor 13 NGs in Argentina for a supplier to O&G industry in the Southern country.
PSR Analysis: The acceptance from customers helps to remove a barrier to NG sales, transforming this technology from a Trend to a reality. NG was formerly more deployed in Buses than in Trucks. With the experience of fleet owners, the technology will gain scale rapidly in South America countries and accelerate the volumes in South American markets. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development South America for Power Systems Research
Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV), a subsidiary of Stuttgart-based Daimler, plans to increase its dealership count by 10% to 250 this year. Read The Article
As Ashok Leyland (second largest player in the MH CV segment) is reducing its business to focus on SCV, DICV is adopting an aggressive strategy in the struggling Indian MH CV industry.
The Colombian auto market has retained its growth curve in October by posting sales of 20,900 units, up 13.3% compared to September, a month which also grew 39% above August. Data source: Andemos
The Andemos said this recovery is due to the increase of procurement for “safe transportation” as well as reopening of the economy and ending of personal isolation.
According to Andemos, if no new measures requiring isolation are taken, then the reduction compared to 2019 will be around 30%
PSRAnalysis: As we stated in our Q3 2020 update forecast, Colombia is one of the countries most severely affected by COVID-19. It is very good to know that Colombia is restarting its growth cycle. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development-South America, for Power Systems Research
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