From Diesel to DC

News: Emissions

2023-02-20

From Diesel to DC

For a long while, it looked as if hydrogen fuel cells would be the technology of choice for emissions-free road transport. However, truck manufacturers and freight forwarders recently turned their attention to battery-electric vehicles.

For logistics companies, the shift to zero emissions will be difficult. While it only takes a few minutes to top up the tank of a truck with diesel, it takes hours to fully charge the battery of an EV, which presents a real challenge for logistics businesses with zero-emission aspirations.

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Study Shows Plug-in Hybrids Dirtier than Believed

Plug-in hybrids pollute up to three times more than advertised, even when fully charged, and emit five to seven times as much CO2 when the engine is running, according to a new study commissioned by Belgian NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) and conducted by the University of Technology in Graz, Austria

The study measured emissions from three popular models: the BMW 3 series, Peugeot 308, and Renault Megane. Like many plug-in hybrids, these cars started as gas/diesel-powered models and then a battery was added on to improve emissions testing performance and mileage

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2023-01-20

Case New Holland(CNH) To Halt Sales of Construction Machinery

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

CNH Industrial Group says it is stopping the sales of construction machinery and equipment in the Chinese market after Dec. 31, 2022. This is another significant development by foreign brands in the Chinese market.

John Deere withdrew from the Chinese market after the original industrial structure was changed by the merger of the Chinese plant of Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. At the same time, Hitachi Construction Machinery also made changes to Hitachi Construction Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., which is responsible for sales and services in China, and set up a new sales and service company, “Hitachi Construction Machinery Sales (China) Co., Ltd.”, which began operating Nov. 1, 2022.

On Dec. 29, 2020, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced that from Dec. 1, 2022, all off-road mobile machines below 560kw (including 560kw) produced, imported and sold and their diesel engines installed shall meet the requirements of the Chinese IV emission standard. The implementation time of Chinese IV emission of off-road mobile machinery above 560kw and its installed diesel engines has not been announced.

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2022-10-21

Scania, VW and Volvo Show Euro VI Lineup

Three OEMs have announced new fuel efficient products.

Scania has announced an 8% fuel consumption improvement with Super 13 liters engines and promises 50% maintenance stops reduction. Volvo has announced a new Euro VI line with Volvo Engine produced in Brazil, replacing MWM on the VM platform. VW fuel consumption improvement is in the 5% range and the company reports 4,000 units Euro VI sold in 2022 already.

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Ideanomics Successfully Tests Quick Power 500 kW Charger

Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

At 27%, the transport industry is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases in North America and Europe and within the transport sector, passenger cars contribute the most emissions followed by medium and heavy-duty trucks which contribute emissions at around 26% of the transportation industry. The move to reduce or eliminate emissions is one of the biggest priorities within the industry.

In a first, Ideanomics has announced that it successfully tested WAVE’s 500kW ultra-fast wireless charger at the Port of Los Angeles, which can charge class 8 electric trucks in less than 15 minutes. Installation of the wireless electric chargers is already underway at the Port of LA, and Ideanomics expects the first chargers to be ready for use in 2023

Source: Electrek: Read The Article

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2022-08-20

Hyundai Doosan Infracore Plans Hydrogen Engine

FAR EAST: SOUTH KOREA REPORT

Hyundai Doosan Infracore announced that it has been selected as the lead company for the national project “Development of Hydrogen Engine System and Storage and Supply System for Construction Machinery and Commercial Vehicles” by the Industrial Technology Evaluation and Management Agency.

Through this project, the company plans to develop a 300kW, 11-liter class hydrogen engine and hydrogen tank system with zero carbon emissions, which will be installed in commercial vehicles such as trucks and large buses, and construction equipment such as excavators by 2024. After verification, the company aims to begin full-scale mass production in 2025.

“Although hydrogen engines have high energy density, they are expensive and require technological maturity to ensure durability under adverse operating conditions,” said a company official. “For this reason, the engine system is more suitable for construction machinery and medium- to large-sized commercial vehicles than for passenger cars.”

Source: Wow! Korea

PSR Analysis: Hydrogen products in Korea are still far from practical at this point. Hydrogen can be classified as green, blue, or gray depending on the cleanliness of the production process, and the hydrogen fuel cell power plant in Korea that began operating in June emits 10 tons of carbon for every ton of hydrogen it produces. At this point, Korea’s hydrogen industry is still in the gray stage, but I do not think it is time to discuss whether the technology is good or bad, as it will take time for the technology to become more advanced.

The idea that hydrogen is better suited for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles than for passenger cars makes a lot of sense. However, mass production of a commercial model by 2024 is certainly a very high goal. With the lithium-ion battery industry currently thriving in South Korea, I will keep a close eye on the future development of hydrogen in the country. PSR

Hino Motors’ Engine Fraud Covers 560,000 vehicles

FAR EAST: JAPAN REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Hino Motors has announced that the falsification of diesel engine emission values, which was previously announced in March, had been taking place since at least 2003 or earlier. The company had previously stated that the fraud began in the fall of 2016. In 2016, the company also revealed that it had falsely reported to the MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism) in response to its request for a fact-finding survey on exhaust gas and fuel efficiency tests.

Source: The Nikkei

PSR Analysis: Although I do not wish to make such negativity a theme, I cannot overlook this issue. The impact on the industry of the fraud at Hino, which has the top share of the medium- and heavy-duty truck sector in Japan, is significant. Isuzu has suspended shipments of four bus models that use Hino engines. Not limited to the automotive field, Tadano cranes, Kobelco hydraulic excavators, Hitachi Construction Machinery wheel loaders, and Kato rough terrain cranes have also been forced to suspend shipments after the problem came to light.

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Chinese IV Standard for Off-road Machinery To Be Implemented Dec. 1, 2022

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

On Dec. 29, 2020, the Ministry of ecology and environment announced that Dec. 1, 2022, all off-road mobile machines below 560kw (including 560kw) produced, imported and sold and their diesel engines installed shall meet the requirements of the Chinese IV emission standard.

The implementation time of Chinese IV emission of off-road mobile machinery above 560kw and its installed diesel engines will be announced separately.

In 2022, due to adverse factors at home and abroad, enterprises in the industry will generally face market pressure. In order to better switch the upgrading of Chinese IV emission standards from the aspects of supply chain and industrial chain, steadily promote the implementation of Chinese IV emission standards, reduce the operating pressure of enterprises, and maintain the stable and sustainable development of the industry, the Association recently submitted the “request for instructions on the implementation time delay of Chinese IV emission standards for off- road mobile construction machinery” to the atmospheric environment department of the Ministry of ecological environment according to the policy advice and suggestions of enterprises on Chinese IV emission, It is suggested that the conversion time of the whole machine products with the national three emission standards for construction machinery to the national four emission standards be postponed from December 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023.  Regarding the application submitted by the association to the Ministry of ecology and environment for “postponing the implementation time of the ‘National four’ emission standard for off-road mobile construction machinery”, the Association received a clear reply: it will not be further extended! Therefore, the “national four” emission standards for off-road mobile machinery will be switched as scheduled from December 1, 2022.

Source: Sohu     Read The Article

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2022-07-20

Heavy Truck Sales Fall by More Than 60% in H1 2022

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

The heavy truck industry fell in the first half of 2022 by more than 63% from the previous year. According to the latest statistics from the China Automobile Association, for January to June this year, the overall sales volume of the domestic heavy truck market was about 380,000 units, a decrease of 63.6% compared with the same period last year.

In June, the sales volume of China’s heavy truck industry was only 55,000 units, a year-over-year decrease of 65%. The main reasons for the decline in heavy truck sales this year are the upgrading of emission standard from “China V” to “China VI” last year, which caused a pre-buy in the market, and the impact of the epidemic this year, which depressed the logistics and transportation market, further curbing demand for new trucks.

The heavy truck industry is a cyclical industry, and its development cycle fluctuates due to changes in environmental protection policies and the overall economy. Following a 14 month decline in sales, the primary concern in the heavy truck industry is this: When will there be a turnaround?

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2022-06-25

Show Report: 2022 NEW Environmental Exposition

FAR EAST: JAPAN REPORT

Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Last month, I visited the three-day 2022 NEW Environmental Exposition, an exhibition of environment-related equipment in Tokyo. The show promoted the effective use of resources, new energy and energy reduction, and the utilization of CO2 emission reduction technologies

Source: Official Website

PSR Analysis: The exhibition featured many environment-related devices for waste treatment, demolition, bioplastics, water treatment and purification, heat utilization systems, recycling, and more.

Large equipment such as those that crush and efficiently separate debris mixed with earth, sand, and wood; metal recovery systems from seawater using special fibers, and equipment related to crushing wood, stone, and other materials were eye-catching in variety and size.

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