Bosch Qingling has begun construction on Bosch’s first R & D Center for hydrogen fuel production in the world, a national hydrogen fuel cell engine production base and a national hydrogen energy commercial vehicle production base.
The hydrogen fuel cell engine project is being built jointly by Bosch (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and Qingling Group, with a total investment of about US$ 470 million (2.98 billion yuan).
The program called Low Carbon FINAME is dedicated to the acquisition of new machines that contribute to carbon emission reduction, with a focus on EV Buses, EV Trucks and Off-Highway Machines electric and Hybrid. OEMs have to register their products before December 2024 to access lower interest rates.
PSR Analysis: The incentives for funding are an important driver to make an EV competitive when compared to an ICE in Brazil, a country with high interest rates and high cost of capital. Historically, lower interest rates caused high sales and bubbles in key segments as CE and MHV. We are closely monitoring the funding conditions and the impact it will bring to key market segments. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director, Business Development-South America, for Power Systems
The 13 liters with Scania Twin SCR aftertreatment developed in Sweden is tested in Brazil for the new Proconve P8 products, already in place for new models and mandatory for all models by January 2023. The homologation process at IBAMA is already advanced but may show adaption needs to Brazilian environment. This engine is part of a completely new powertrain and brakes system with higher efficiency and lower emission. The power range vary from 420 to 560 hp and it is prepared for HVO use.
PSR Analysis: The use of edge technology at Scania Trucks in Brazil is in line with the amount of exports Scania makes to Europe and to lower emission regions. The higher efficiency will bring increased sales to South America as fleet owners seek lower fuel consumption. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director, Business Development-South America, for Power Systems Research
Eve Urban Air Mobility, the branch of aircraft giant Embraer, says it has started the process to register its eVTOL, Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing, vehicle at ANAC, the Brazilian bureau for aircraft certification and tied to international bureaus. Getting this documentation is the most important step for starting its commercial operation programmed for 2026. With this certification Eve will meet international standards of air navigation and safety.
PSR Analysis: Although the aircraft business is not exactly at the scope of products we currently cover, this launch will impact the mobility industry and we are monitoring it closely. Eve has already set 17 partnerships and has a booking of 1700 units, more than many EV makers making a lot of noise in the industry and media. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director, Business Development South America, for Power Systems Research
Germany-based Torqeedo GmbH and Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH are jointly developing a hydrogen hybrid propulsion system for the marine industry. The ambitious and innovative project is provisionally named “Ma-Hy-Hy” (Marine Hydrogen Hybrid) and is funded by the Bavarian federal government until 2024.
Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH specializes in a high-tech innovative, climate neutral energy solutions, especially in CO2-neutral and emission-free hydrogen fuel cells and electric hybrid systems for stationary, automotive, rail and maritime applications. Development and production sites are located in the Munich area.
Torqeedo GmbH, as a part of the Deutz group, is a market leader in development and production of lithium batteries, solar charging equipment, electric and hybrid drives. It offers outboards and inboards, electric motors and hybrid drive systems ranging from 0,5 to 100 kW on motor level (up to 200 kW on system level).
460 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of agricultural harvesters to be produced in the U.S. during 2022.
This information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink™ , which provides information on engines, and OE Link™, a database of equipment manufacturers.
Market Share: With 48.5% of total units produced, Deere leads in production of Harvesters in the U.S. In second position is Oxbo International’s combined plant totals of 24%; third, is Flory with 10.5%.
Exports: Collectively, up to 1% worldwide.
Trends: In 2021, production of Harvesters in NA increased 13%. Production is expected to gain another 3% in 2022. The Ag industry has fluctuated in recent years and demand for new products declined a few years ago due to falling commodity prices. Farmers couldn’t afford new equipment and spent years refurbishing existing units.
Currently, it appears that growers are moving from hand to machine harvesting. They are increasingly using over-the-row mechanical harvesters to pick produce and like commodities. Especially during COVID times, this type of machinery reduces the need for manual labor during labor shortages. The increase in harvester production is also attributed to the desire for new machinery that increases productivity and profitability.
Expect production to fluctuate over the next 3-5 years with an increase of 5% by 2025. PSR
Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations, at Power Systems Research
Q. What is the current state of electric vehicle technology globally as well as the U.S.? A. From a medium and heavy truck perspective, electric trucks are still in the early stages of testing, and it will still be a few years before we know if the current technology will be effective. Transit or city buses are much further along in the process since these are largely not for profit vehicles and have more dedicated routes that allow for more consistent recharge.
China is probably the furthest along with electric bus adoption with almost half of all medium and heavy buses produced being electric. While electrified bus adoption in North America and Europe is not nearly as strong as China, demand is increasing. In North America, natural gas buses (CNG and Propane) are currently the alternative fuel of choice. However, government mandates will likely force bus electrification over the next decade or so.
SUMMARY. 2021 was a year of big hopes for economic recovery and pandemic management, and, overall, the economic rebound was strong. Looking at the state of the economy in general, and the key economic indicators such as GDP, interest rates, employment levels, etc., the North America market finished the year on a very high note. At the same time, development of new pandemic variants as well as ongoing issues with supply chains have led to manufacturing issues.
The second half of 2021 brought steady economic activities and strong economic recovery. Despite this strong performance, many existing and new challenges were seen. Problems from pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, logistics backlogs, and semiconductor shortages to new virus variations and labor market issues have contributed to slower growth in Q4 2021 than during the first half of last year.
Let’s break it down. The “Great Resignation” means companies must make themselves more attractive to new hires, and it provides those workers who remain more leverage to change corporate cultures from the inside.
With help of government support and targeted fiscal policies, the US economy showed a strong comeback in 2021. Furthermore, the growth trajectory is well positioned to continue to expand into the next few years, however, at much slower pace, than in 2021.
At the same time, there are many reasons for us to be optimistic about this trend. Our positive outlook is based on the reviews of key economic indicators, including GDP, unemployment, and inflation. In our previous forecasts, we discussed recovery trends for the post-pandemic period, and called for a return of demand for most markets in 2021. Last year, we witnessed a strong level of activities and an economic rebound for
ST. PAUL, MN — The Q4 2021 Power Systems Research Truck Production Index (PSR-TPI) increased from 116 to 120, or 3.4%, for the three-month period ended December 31,2021, from Q3 2021. The year-over-year (Q4 2020 to Q4 2021) loss for the PSR-TPI was, 190 to 120, or -37%.
The PSR-TPI measures truck production globally and across six regions: North America, China, Europe, South America, Japan and Korea and Emerging Markets.
This data comes from OE Link™, the proprietary database maintained by Power Systems Research.
Global Index: We expect global production volumes in 2022 to gain 3.7% vs 2021, with a positive trend in all regions, except for China, where we expect production volumes to be down -3.6% in 2022 vs 2021. China experienced a surge in demand during 2020 due to the change in emissions regulations, so 2021 was down significantly, about 20%.
All Regions: Global demand for Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles (MHV) rebounded in 2021 but overall growth in the segment was flat. Going forward, we expect the growth to accelerate in 2022 and 2023. The exceptions to this rebound trend are in China and India, which continue to decline and sharply drive overall global production numbers into negative territory.
North America: While supply chain disruptions continue to negatively impact the commercial vehicle market, medium and heavy commercial vehicle production is expected to finish 2021 15.8% higher than 2020. The forecasted production growth rate is expected to continue to show improvement through 2023 as supply chain disruptions ease and truck capacity in the market begins to align with demand. The disruption in the supply chain and on-going issues with COVID will continue to impact the market in 2022. PSR
Jim Downey is Vice President-Global Data Products and Chris Fisher is Senior Commercial Vehicle Analyst at Power Systems Research
KAMAZ said it is installing new 6-cylinder engines working on methane gas and having 720 HP on its trucks. Switching to NG fuel is one of the main trends of the Russian automotive giant. It builds Inline 6 and V8 engines
Inline 6 cylinders engine will be made in several versions but the 720 hp will be available in the top model only. For the economy segment, the OEM will offer a 450 hp engine; the price of this model will be significantly cheaper. Read The Article
PSR Analysis: A few years ago, KAMAZ started developing new 6-cylinder inline engines in co-operation with Liebherr. The R&D now is program successfully expanding into a new stage, developing a new range of HHP NG-powered engines. PSR
Maxim Sakov is Market Consultant – Russia Operations, for Power Systems Research
