PowerTALK™, May 2022

The May 2022 issue of PowerTALK News features articles on the NA production of Hydraulic Power Units, development of bio-fuels in Europe and the successful sales effort of Hyundai EVs at the Indonesia Auto Show.

Inside:

  • DataPoint: NA Hydraulic Power Units
  • Europe: Plant-Based Bio-fuel May Not Replace Fossil Fuels
  • South America:
    • Komatsu Announces Expansion in Brazil
    • Agrishow 2022 Sells US$ 5 Billion in Ag Equipment
  • China: Beijing Plan Calls for 100% EV Commercial Vehicles
  • Japan: MEGURI2040: The Fully Autonomous Ship Program
  • South Korea: Hyundai Sells EVs at Indonesia Auto Show
  • Vietnam:  Dat Bike EV Motorcycle Enters SE Asia
  • India:
    • PMI Electro To Set Up EV Manufacturing Plant
    • Tata Motors: Electrification Is Irreversible Trend

Brazil Government Announces US$ 65 Billion Agriculture Funding Plan

The Brazil government announced June 29 the new Safra Plan for 2022/2023 with a total of R$ 340 Billion (US$ 65 Bi) to fund business related to Agriculture,  including Agricultural Machines and Trucks for product transportation. The amount is 36% higher than the previous year plan.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: While the volume of funds is higher, the interest rates are also higher. In addition, the prices of agricultural supplies are higher than in the previous cycle. Agricultural Machines should maintain its high production and sales trend while Trucks should grow due to pre-buy caused by Proconve P8 (Equivalent to Euro 6) by January 2023. PSR

BMW Focuses on Hydrogen Fuel-cell EVs


BMW remains primarily focused on electrified combustion engines and battery electric cars, but it is adamant that hydrogen FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles) will play a part of its transportation package. A limited batch of hydrogen-fueled BMW X5s soon will enter production, and the company says it is already planning for the next model with FCEVs making their way into its 2025 next-generation electric vehicle portfolio

Source: H2 Energy News Read The Article

PSR Analysis: This moves BMW into the Toyota/Hyundai camp supporting FCEV, with Tesla and VW being firmly in favor of battery-powered Electric Vehicles only. BMW is developing its position so that it can offer a full range of alternative power vehicles and meet customer demand whichever way it goes.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Australian Solar Park Could Generate Hydrogen for Less Than $2/kg


Frontier Energy conducted a pre-feasibility study (PFS) at its Bristol Springs Solar project in Australia to show that it has the potential to be a low-cost green hydrogen producer, with power sourced from the company’s planned first stage 114 MW DC solar farm. The solar would power a 36.6 MW alkaline electrolyser, producing an estimated 4.4m kilograms of green hydrogen per year.

Source: PV Magazine Read The Article

PSR Analysis: With green hydrogen costs being around $3/kg to $6.5/kg, production of green hydrogen at this cost significantly boosts the use of hydrogen as a fuel for either Hydrogen ICEs or FCEVs. It also closes the price gap with dirty hydrogen which is generated using fossil fuels. Dirty hydrogen costs around $1.8 per kg, according to S&P Global.  PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

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

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Redwood To Supply Cathode Materials To Panasonic

Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

Panasonic Energy said it has agreed to purchase cathode active materials and copper foil for lithium-ion batteries from Redwood Materials.  The recycled cathode active materials will be used to manufacture batteries in the company’s new $4 billion factory located in De Soto, Kansas, starting in 2025, and the recycled copper foil will be used to make batteries at Panasonic’s facility in Sparks, Nevada, starting in 2024.

Recycling and a localizing supply chain are both essential to make the best use of limited natural resources,” said Kazuo Tadanobu, President and CEO of Panasonic Energy, in a press release.

This may amount to 50% of the cost of the battery and add around 900 new workers to Redwood Materials workforce once in full scale production

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BorgWarner To Produce Vehicle Batteries in Brazil

BorgWarner said it will start producing battery systems for electric vehicles in Piracicaba-SP, Brazil, by Q1 2023 with declared annual capacity of 1,000 electric units.

The plant in Piracicaba formerly belonged to Delphi and was acquired by BorgWarner in 2020. The plant will receive a production line from Akasol, another company acquired by BorgWarner.

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Alternative Power Report, December 2022

Read the expanded December 20222 Alternative Power Report produced by PSR’s Guy Youngs and other analysts at Power Systems Research. This month’s report includes articles on increased battery production in the US., Tesla’s plans for a recycling plant in Texas, increased merger activity in the EV Light/Medium commercial vehicle segment and new power sources being developed for cargo ships.

JCB Reaches Hydrogen Milestone

JCB’S £100 million investment in a project to produce super-efficient hydrogen engines is going full steam ahead. A team of 100 engineers has been working on the exciting development for more than a year and the 50th JCB hydrogen combustion engine has now come off the production line as part of the development process.

JCB’s hydrogen-fueled backhoe loader is one of three hydrogen vehicles the OEM is developing. JCB hydrogen engines are powering prototype backhoe loaders and Loadall telescopic handlers and the company has recently unveiled its very own designed and built mobile refueling bowser to take fuel to the machines. The bowser has enough hydrogen to fill 16 hydrogen backhoe loaders and can be transported either on the back of a modified Fastrac tractor or on a trailer.

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