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Brazil To Become Hub for EV Bus Chassis Production
BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT

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 Ar…
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Higer Azure Electric Bus Debuts in São Paulo
The Azure A12 BR electric bus, from China’s TEVX Higer, has started operating in the South Zone of São Paulo. The vehicle has been put into use by Transwolff. According to the company, the 12-meter-long vehicle was made especially for the Brazilian market. It has a low floor and a suspension “kneeling” system. This feature provides more safety, comfort, and ease when boarding and disembarking passengers.
The bus has wide aisles and an access ramp at the central door. Thus, there is more accessibility for people with special needs related to reduced mobility.
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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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Brazil Motorcycle Production To Reach 1.5 Million in 2023
In the first seven months of 2023, manufacturers affiliated with Abraciclo assembled 887,000 motorcycles, up 14.3% over the same period in 2022. Registrations totaled 903,200, up 21.4%, including imports and sales from automakers not yet linked to the association, such as India's Bajaj and Royal Enfield, which began production in Brazil at the end of last year. The entity's expectations for 2023 are for expansion of 10.4% (1.56 million units) in production and 10.9% (1.51 million motorcycles) in…
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BEV Demand Boosts Brazil Mining Investment
The increase in global demand for clean energy is accelerating investments in the exploration of reserves of so-called critical or strategic minerals in Brazil. Over the next five years in Brazil, companies are expected to invest approximately US$ 8 billion in key strategic minerals. In copper the expectation is that the resources will reach US$ 4.47 billion, while nickel is in second place, with investments of US$ 2.3 Billion forecast.
Source: Valor Read The Article
PSR Analysis: A significant…
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PSR Participates in SAE Brazil Mobility Forum
For the fifth consecutive year, Power Systems Research (PSR) will participate in the 20th SAE Mobility Forum in Curitiba-PR. This year’s event will be held Sept. 12and 13 at FIEP (Paraná State Industries Federation) auditorium.
This Forum brings together the most important companies in the Medium Heavy Vehicles and Off Highway Vehicles in Brazil. Originally, the event was called “Diesel Forum,” but with the new technologies of propulsion in the key segments covered by the forum, it changed its name…
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Mexico Beats Argentina for Brazilian Vehicle Exports

Fabio Ferraresi Mexico became the main trading partner of the Brazilian automotive sector in July, beating Argentina in 2023 YTD results. Brazil exports volume to Mexico are favorable because of a 33% growth in the Mexican domestic market. Brazil expanded its exports to the country by 142%, according to Anfavea.
Even with the help of increasing exports to Mexico, Brazilian exports had a significant reduction to 30,300 units, 27.6% below the same period in 2022, which totaled 41,900 units.
The Chilean market has shrunk by 30% this year, from 261,000 to 182,000 units compared to the first seven months of 2022. Purchases of vehicles made in Brazil decreased 61% in the period, from 41,000 to 16,000 units.
In Colombia, the domestic market fell by 60%, from 263,000 to 104,000 units, from January to July compared to the same period last year, and the presence of Brazilian vehicles fell 42%, from 47,000 to 27,000 units.
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29% of 2023 Trucks Fit with Euro 6 Engines
Data released by Anfavea about July Sales and Production show only 29% of the trucks sold in 2023, and produced during the year, met the PROCONVE P8 / Euro VI emissions regulation.
From January to July 2023, 53,900 trucks were produced, 36.2% below the 84,500 units produced in same period last year. This amount is also lower than that produced in the same period in 2021, when 89,500 trucks were produced on the Brazilian OEM assembly lines.
Truck production is still at a slow pace as the market continues to generate low demand for the new PROCONVE P8 technology.
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BYD Expands Production in Brazil
BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT

Fabio Ferraresi BYD announced the installation of an industrial complex in Camaçari, Bahia. The largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world, the Asian giant will invest, in five years, about US$ 600 Million (R $ 3 Billion) in the installation of three factories at the Bahia complex, generating about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs. In addition to passenger vehicles, electric bus and truck chassis will be made on site, as well as a battery split.
The company will take over Ford’s facilities. The deal, however, has not yet been officially announced. The Camaçari pole is the last factory that still belonged to the North American brand in Brazil. The automaker, which announced the end of its local production in 2021, has already sold its facilities in Taubaté (SP) and São Bernardo do Campo (SP).
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Alternative Propulsion MHVs Down 55% YTD in Brazil
Unlike what happened with automobiles, in which new propulsion technologies registered an increase of almost 60% in the first half of 2023, heavy vehicles powered by electricity or gas dropped 55.5% in this period.
From the 604 units licensed in H1 2022, the volume fell to 269 from January to June this year. The survey was released by the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea).
Source: Automotive Business Read The Article
PSR Analysis. Although OEMs say the drop…