PowerTALK™, September 2022

South Korea is looking at its first trade deficit with China in 28 years, according to a report in the September issue of PowerTALK News, the monthly report of news and analysis from Power Systems Research. Also in this issue is a report from Guy Youngs on Alternative Power sources, as well as reports from two important industry shows: The Cannes Yachting Festival in France and the M&T Expo in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

IN THIS ISSUE
  • Alternative Power
    • Electric Battery Power Forecasts
    • Can EV Enthusiasm Trigger Global Growth?
    • Lithium Spot Prices Climb Nearly 900% Since January 2020
    • Cummins Jumps On New Energy Storage Iron Salt Formula
    • EV Shipping Set To Blow IC Engines Out of the Water
  • North America:
    • Navistar Introduces S13 Engine Platform
    • Outdoor Power Equipment Forecast To Grow 5.3%
  • DataPoint: NA Crawlers
  • Europe: Report from Cannes Yachting Festival 2022
  • Brazil/South America: Special Report: M&T Expo
  • China: Drought Forces Sichuan Power Cuts at Factories
  • Japan: Vinfast To Export Initial 5,000 EVs To Europe and the U.S.
  • Japan: Honda To Discontinue Two-Wheel Gasoline Vehicles
  • South Korea: South Korea Sees First Trade Deficit with China in 28 Years
  • India: Festive Demand Expected To Boost Auto Industry

Vinfast To Export Initial 5,000 EVs To Europe and the U.S.

SOUTHEAST ASIA: VIETNAM REPORT

Vinfast has announced plans to export approximately 5,000 EVs to the U.S., Canada, and Europe by the end of 2022. This is the first time for them to export EVs. The company also plans to start construction of a new EV plant in the U.S. by the end of this year, accelerating its global strategy.

According to the plan, exports to the U.S. and other countries will begin in early November, with delivery to customers starting in December. Vinfast’s CEO revealed that the company has orders for approximately 65,000 EVs worldwide.

Read More»

Hydrogen Engines Cheaper than Diesel?

As companies seek to decarbonize their truck fleets, Ryze Hydrogen says that hydrogen combustion engines are the way to go– they are cleaner than diesel and they also make more economic sense, according to the company. Many companies today are looking at fuel cells in order to be able to use H2 as a clean fuel, but there is a growing movement toward the use of hydrogen combustion engines.

Cummins and Westpoint are cited as examples, with Cummins having unveiled a medium-duty concept truck using an H2-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE), which drew substantial attention in Germany at the IAA Transportation exhibition. Similarly, Westport Fuel Systems also unveiled its own HPDI hydrogen ICE engine for heavy duty vehicles earlier in September

Read More»

PowerTALK™, December 2022

IN THIS ISSUE

Lots of news on Alternative Power issues in the December edition of PowerTALK News from Guy Youngs and other analysts at Power Systems Research. In addition to Guy Young’s report on alternative power, don’t miss John Krezsicki’s podcast about Michigan University’s Solar Car research program, Tesla’s Lithium refinery project in Texas and Chris Fisher’s report on M&A activity in the Light/Medium EV segment. PSR

  • Alternative Power
    • Are There Enough Materials For Needed EVs?
    • Redwood To Supply Cathode Materials To Panasonic
    • Tesla Lithium Refinery Project Advances in Texas
    • Here’s What Container Ships Could Look Like by 2050
  • DataPoint: Terminal Tractors
  • North America:
    • More Acquisitions in Light/Medium EV Segment
    • U.S. Powersports Industry Grows in 2021
    • PSR Podcast: Michigan Solar Car Program  
  • Europe: Solaris Buses Purchases 25 Fuel Cell Engines
  • Brazil/South America:
    • Royal Enfield Starts Assembly Plant in Brazil
    • BorgWarner To Produce Vehicle Batteries in Brazil
    • John Deere Plans Construction Equipment Plant
  • China: 2023 EV Sales To Grow To 8.4 Million Units
  • Japan: Honda To Produce FCVs in the U.S.
  • South Korea: SK To Expand Supplies To Hyundai’s U.S. Plant
  • India: CV Production Nears Pre-covid Levels

PowerTALK™, January 2023

Manufacturers are increasing their efforts to develop hydrogen as a power source for vehicles and stationary power equipment at the same time that they continue to develop batteries that are lighter and that can be charged faster.

In This Issue
  • Alternative Power
    • • Are Hydrogen Engines in the Future?
    • • Growth of Hydrogen Internal Combustion engines (H-ICE)
    • • JCB Reaches Hydrogen Milestone
    • • Hyster Begins Pilot of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Container Handler
  • North America: U.S. Economy Faces Problems
  • DataPoint: NA Combines
  • Brazil/South America
    • • Brazil Pushes Truck Renewal Program
    • • First Synthetic Fuel Neutral CO2 Started
    • • FPT Developing Ethanol or Biomethane Engine
  • Europe: Cost Increases Cause Losses at HanseYacht
  • China: CNH To Halt Sales of Construction Machinery
  • Japan: METI Sets 2030 Goal for EV Trucks
  • South Korea: Hyundai Plans $14.7 Billion for Software
  • Southeast Asia: EV Purchase Subsidies Planned
  • India: Bets Placed on Green Hydrogen

Hitachi Construction Machinery Raises Product Prices

JAPAN REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Komatsu will continue to raise prices substantially in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. This will be at the same level as the current fiscal year. The impact of price increases on consolidated operating income is estimated to be in the range of 100 billion yen.

This is approximately 20% of operating income for this fiscal year. Although the impact of high raw material prices will lessen in the next fiscal year, there are concerns about an economic slowdown. While the benefits of the yen’s depreciation will diminish, they will build a profitable structure to further increase the operating profit margin from less than 13% in the current fiscal year.

Read More»

2022 Truck Production Index (PSR-TPI) gains 2.9%

St. Paul, MN (April 8, 2023)— The Power Systems Research Truck Production Index (PSR-TPI) decreased from 108 to 106, or -1.9%, for the three-month period ended March 31, 2023, compared to Q4 2022. The year-over-year (Q1 2022 to  Q1 2023) gain for the PSR-TPI was, 103 to 106, or 2.9%.

The PSR-TPI is a quarterly truck production report that measures global truck production in 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. The next update of the Power Systems Research TPI will be in July 2023 and will reflect changes in the TPI during Q2 2023.  PSR

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

PowerTALK™, April 2023

The April 2023 issue of PowerTALK News features the Q1 2023 Truck Production Index. The report shows that the 2022 Index climbed 2.9%, but declined in Q1 2023. The report also has articles on Alternative Power and the global forecast for personal watercraft.

IN THIS ISSUE
  • Alternative Power:
    • Global ICE Industry Cliff Is Here
    • Top Construction OEM Hierarchy Changes
    • Compact Track Loaders Grab Skid Steer Market
    • Diesel Technology Achieves Peak Efficiency
  • Global:
    • 2022 Truck Production Index Gains 2.9%
    • 2030 Global PWC Market Could Hit $3 Billion
  • DataPoint: North America ATVs
  • Brazil/South America:
    • Volvo Tests Renewable LNG Truck
    • Vale Increases Use of BE Locomotives
    • Biodiesel Mix Increase Begins in April
    • Scania, Mercedes Reduce Production Shifts
  • Europe: Group Beneteau Forecasts 10% Growth in 2023
  • Japan: Honda Plans Personal Electric Motorcycles
  • Vietnam: Vingroup To Enter EV Cab Market
  • China: Beiqi Foton Motors, Cummins Set Joint Investment
  • India: LNG May Be Fuel for Long-Haul Trucking

Compact Track Loaders Eat into US Skid Steer Market

The past decade has seen compact track loaders (CTLs) eat into the market share held by skid steer loaders in the US, before overtaking sales of their wheeled counterparts completely. In 2012, there were 36,125 skid steer loaders sold in North America, compared to 21,500 sales of compact track loaders. By 2022, that number had jumped to 93,000 compact track loader sales, compared to 30,000 skid steer sales.

Read More»

Cummins To Invest $1 Billion in US Hydrogen Fuel Network

Cummins has announced that in addition to the recent investments it has made in its Fridley, Minn., plant, it will also invest more than $1 billion across its US engine manufacturing network in an effort to support the transition into hydrogen fuel.

The investments are being made in Indiana, North Carolina and New York. The $1 billion is intended to provide an upgrade of facilities supporting the first “fuel-agnostic” engine platforms in the industry. The fuel-agnostic concept refers specifically engines that can use different types of fuel, especially a variety of low-carbon and zero-carbon fuels.

Read More»