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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…
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Offshore Hydrogen Could Be 10x Cost Of LNG
European energy policy makers apparently are taking a DNV report on offshore hydrogen manufacturing seriously. But this doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, in either its assumptions or its conclusions, according to this article.
DNV is an international classification organization that sets standards for ships and offshore structures, according to Wikipedia.
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BYD Establishes JV To Produce Sodium-Ion EV Batteries

Guy Youngs Chinese automotive conglomerate BYD is establishing a joint venture with Huaihai Holding Group to establish themselves as the world’s largest supplier of sodium-ion batteries for small EVs. Previously, we’ve seen CATL (BYD’s main competitor), announce plans to produce sodium-ion cells.
Sodium-ion batteries deliver a lower energy density than traditional lithium-ion cells but cost notably less to produce. Their main component (sodium) is also safer and more abundant than lithium. The chemistry is ideal for smaller EVs that generally deliver less range and have less demand on a daily mobility basis.
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Scania Launches HV Truck with 900km Range
The X-gas line, presented by Scania in June 26, in Piracicaba (SP) will have versions with powers of 280, 340 and 410 horsepower, and has a range of 900 kilometers, 400 km more than Scania’s debut version in the gas segment.
The longer range was made possible by increasing the number of cylinders that store fuel in the chassis of the vehicles. There are 16 tanks, eight on each side, with a capacity ranging between 118 and 95 liters. In the gas truck previously launched by Scania, there were eight tanks in total.
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Alternative Power Report, July 2023
This month author Guy Youngs discusses several reports on new techniques in battery production, hydrogen power and several types of alternative powers.
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DATAPOINT: NA Mixers, 2023 Production
Mixers are used by a variety of industries, especially for construction applications, and mix an assortment of materials. Power Systems Research tracks the North American production of two types of mixers: one used to produce asphalt and one for mixing mortar or concrete. Asphalt Mixers/Agitators…
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Ammonia-Powered Fuel Cell Developed for Deep Sea Shipping
ShipFC is the project financed by the Union European program Horizon 2020 and Hydrogen Europe aiming to prove that fuel cells powered by green ammonia can meet the strict IMO standards of zero-emission Deep Sea shipping.
Currently, a 100% zero-emission solution is not available in this segment. Batteries do not last longue enough with a size that can fit a ship onboard, and Hydrogen technology has some other challenging issues to resolve. Alternative fuel solutions are promising but still need to be tested, confirmed, and approved by DNA.
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Hyundai China Sales Drop 77% in Six Years
FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT
South Korea’s Hyundai Motor has announced that it will sell two plants in China. Beijing Hyundai, a joint venture with China’s state-owned auto giant Beijing Automotive Group, will reduce the number of plants in operation to two. Sluggish sales in the Chinese market have prompted the company to make structural reforms.
Hyundai Motor’s sales in China were 260,000 units in 2022; in 2016 it sold 1.13 million units, a 77% decline in six years.
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Honda Forced To Reduce Car Features
FAR EAST: JAPAN REPORT

Akihiro Komuro Honda will sell some of its new vehicles without a function that detects vehicles in the blind spot and warns the driver, saying the dedicated semiconductors required for this function have been in short supply.
To solve the situation where it takes about a year from order receipt to delivery, Honda will sell the new models with the function reduced so that they can be delivered in about six months.
Sales of the new SUV model “ZR-V” began with a specification that eliminates “Blind Spot Information (BSI),” which alerts the driver by detecting vehicles diagonally behind the vehicle and displaying them in the door mirror. Since the procurement of the necessary in-vehicle semiconductors was not completed in time and the delivery period was expected to be prolonged, the company decided to sell the car without this BSI function. Although it varies by store and model, the time from order to delivery can be reduced by half, from about one year to about six months.
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VI B Emissions Seen Boosting China’s Auto Industry
CHINA REPORT

Jack Hao The new national standard for automotive emissions, scheduled to be implemented July 1, 2023, could boost China’s auto industry, say industry insiders.
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other departments recently issued a joint notice proposing that the National VI Emission Standards for automobiles (National VI B) be implemented nationwide July 1, 2023.
Industry insiders believe that the implementation of the new regulations will drive car companies to accelerate technological upgrading, thereby achieving green and low-carbon development of the automotive industry.