Search Results for: countrys-largest-transit-bus-system-electric-buying-spree

2021-06-27

Mercedes Grows in EV Bus Market

Emiliano Marzoli
Emiliano Marzoli

While smaller players are struggling to remain competitive in the EV bus space, Mercedes-Benz is targeting more clients and more volumes. 

Mercedes-Benz has handed over one eCitaro G electric articulated bus with solid-state batteries each to Hamburger Hochbahn and Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein.  The two new electric articulated buses each have seven battery packs with solid electrolyte and an energy content of 441 kWh, allowing up to 200km range, depending on operational conditions. 

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2022-06-25

Brazilian Marcopolo Launches H2 Bus in Australia

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

Brazilian-based Marcopolo has expanded its product line of renewable and zero-emission fuels. Volgren, a company owned by the Brazilian manufacturer, is Australia’s largest bus producer. It has signed an agreement with Wrightbus, an Irish bus manufacturer, and market leader with Hydrogen technology in Europe, to develop and launch hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses for the Australian market.

The first units of the Volgren-Wrightbus are expected by early 2023. The vehicles will be the first Hydrogen buses in Australia to be built by a local manufacturer using European fuel cell technology.

Source: Press Release     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Marcopolo is committed in its strategy on new propulsion, either with their own EV chassis in Brazil or with the H2 chassis in other markets, such as the Volgren in Australia. It enables Marcopolo to compete better in growing markets while it keeps its position in ICE markets with its current products.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development South America for Power Systems Research

2020-12-21

VW Truck & Bus To Invest US$ 400 Million in 2021-2025

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

VW Truck and Bus has announced a new cycle of investment in Brazil operations of US$ 400 Million, for the period 2021 to 2025. This is higher than the last investment cycle, that was US$ 300 million that ended in 2020. This investment will be allocated in new products, mainly in alternative propulsion systems, such as electric, and improvements in the production facilities.

Source: AutoData       Read The Article

PSR Analysis:  The investment reinforces VW’s Truck and Bus focus in the Brazilian market. Product development for Proconve P8 in January 2023 will use a significant part of the investment; investments also will be made in facilities adjustments for higher volumes of production in the coming years.   PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director – Business Development, South America, for Power Systems Research

2023-10-24

Brazil To Become Hub for EV Bus Chassis Production

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT 
Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

Mercedes is exhibiting its electric bus chassis eO500U at Busworld in Brussels targeting other markets where the body is assembled over the bus chassis. Traditionally, the exports of Mercedes from Brazil are over 50% of the total production and it targets to expand this percentage with the new BEV, that has WEG drives, BorgWarner batteries assembled in Brazil with imported battery supplies.

Source: Valor Economico     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: While the push from São Paulo city to buy only BEV buses in the near future jeopardizes current chassis manufacturers business, it boos the development of BEV chassis and allow exports to other countries. Mercedes runs against the clock to compete with players like BYD and Higher with BEV chassis already developed.   PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development South America for Power Systems Research

2022-08-20

Mercedes To Deliver 1000 EV Bus by 2023 to São Paulo

During the Lat.Bus show in São Paulo, the Sales Director of Mercedes, Walter Barbosa, affirmed the demand of 500 EV Bus in 2022 and 500 in 2023, but he expect no deliveries in 2022 and all delivered in 2023.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Mercedes is running against the clock to win the business in São Paulo. Although it is preferred by the public transportation companies, BYD is ahead with product already developed. Marcopolo shows as a solution with own chassis and body, but still in early stages of launch.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development-South America for Power Systems Research

2021-10-23

Volkswagen Truck and Bus and CBMM To Develop Niobium Battery for EV

Volkswagen Truck and Bus, part of the Traton Group, and CBMM, a Brazilian giant of niobium mining, announced an agreement to develop batteries with Niobium for Electric Vehicles. It promises to recharge a Truck Battery in less than 10 minutes and provide a traveling higher range. Volkswagen will start tests in 2022 to develop a functional vehicle with Niobium batteries by the end of 2022.

Source: Revista Oeste     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Primarily used to improve the strength of high grade steels, Niobium is also used for super conductors and has been tested by CBMM and Toshiba in batteries for three years with positive results. The solution applied for MHV may put Brazil in a strong position in MHV EV segment, since 97% of the Niobium reserves in the world are in Brazil.

Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development , South America, for Power Systems Research

2023-10-24

Brazil’s School Bus Program Postponed

Initially scheduled to begin Sept. 12, 2023, the auction of the federal program “Caminhos da Escola” was postponed indefinitely. A new date has not been set. The new stage, which provides for the purchase of 163,000 buses was eagerly awaited by chassis and body manufacturers, would have been delayed until 2024 because of the time needed for the production.

The reason is technical: according to the bidding notice published at the end of last month, important chassis manufacturers as Volvo and Merecedes would be excluded from the bidding process due to new certification demanded.

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2020-12-17

2020, A Year to Forget for MHV; 2021 Is Looking Better

Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher

SUMMARY: In this article we provide a global overview on a regional basis of the medium and heavy commercial vehicle market (GVWR > 6 MT’s) along with current trends and OEM happenings in North America.

NORTH AMERICA. MHCV production in North America is expected to decline by 35% in 2020 compared to 2019.  However, orders for class 8 trucks improved significantly in Q4 2020 as large fleets placed their orders for a 2021 build.  This appears to signal an improvement in demand for 2021 as the market aligns itself with the expected freight level moving forward.  The consumer segment was strong during the last half of the year and the industrial segment is now expected to improve, as well. 

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2023-11-16

Brazilian Marcopolo OKs Fuel Cell bus in Europe

With a capacity of 53 passengers, Marcopolo’s model, the Audace Fuel Cell, is a road unit. The version of the product made in China that has been exhibited and already approved for Europe, carries the cylinders in the luggage rack. Kent Phang, the Sales Director of Allenbus, partner of Marcopolo on the FC vehicle, says there is also an option to place the hydrogen cylinders over the body. With four cylinders, the vehicle exceeds 500 kilometers, according to the company. With six cylinders it is possible to reach 900 kilometers.  

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