Bosch China Establishes Commercial Vehicle Group

News: Production

2024-05-25

Bosch China Establishes Commercial Vehicle Group

CHINA REPORT
Jack Hao
Jack Hao

Bosch Powertrain announced the establishment of a commercial vehicle group, aiming to strengthen cross-domain cooperation at the same time it introduced a new electronic pneumatic braking system and intelligent mobility solutions for commercial vehicles at the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition.

Bosch also has developed an advanced super thermal management system to address the thermal management challenges in the commercial vehicle industry. Bosch says it is optimistic about the development prospects of hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles and is actively promoting the adaptive development and promotion of related technologies.

During the Beijing Auto Show, Wang Weiliang, the President of the Board of Bosch Intelligent Transportation Solutions China and the President of Bosch Powertrain Systems China, announced Bosch’s significant strategic initiatives for this year. Wang Weiliang said that China, as the world’s largest commercial vehicle market, is in a golden era of booming development for the commercial vehicle industry.

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Kubota Plans India as Global Production Hub

INDIA REPORT
Aditya Kondejkar

In a strategic move reminiscent of Suzuki Motor’s successful expansion strategy, Japanese agricultural equipment giant Kubota is carving out a path to global dominance by establishing India as its production nucleus. The recent acquisition of Escorts, a leading tractor manufacturer in India, marked a pivotal moment for Kubota, propelling it into a position of strength in the Indian and international markets.

Kubota’s journey in India began in 2008, albeit with sluggish growth and single-digit market share due to its specialization in lightweight tractors, which initially lacked the requisite power for Indian applications. However, with the acquisition of Escorts in 2022 and subsequent rebranding as Escorts Kubota, the company gained a significant foothold, complementing its expertise with Escorts’ established presence in the Indian market.

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2024-05-24

Alternative Power Report, May 2024

Alternative Power Report – May 2024Download

The May 2024 Alternative Power Report from Power Systems Research features several stories on Chinese EVs and the impact they are having on European and US markets. There also are stories on hydrogen development and hydrogen fueling stations. PSR

2024 NA Skid Steer Production        

96,000 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Skid Steer Loaders expected to be produced in North America (US and Canada) in 2024.

A Skid Steer Loader also known as a Skid Loader, Skid-Steer Loader, or Skidsteer, is a small rigid frame, engine-powered machine with lift arms used to attach a wide variety of labor-saving tools or attachments.

Four major uses for Skid Steer Loaders are: Agricultural, 29%; Rental Fleets, 22%; Construction, 20%, and Landscape, 12%.

This product 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. PSR

Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations, at Power Systems Research

2024-04-17

Are Sodium Ion Batteries Viable Alternative to Lithium?

ALTERNATIVE POWER REPORT
Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

Despite lithium ion battery prices continuing to fall, interest in sodium ion (Na-ion) energy storage has not waned. Sodium ion batteries are undergoing a critical period of commercialization as industries from automotive to energy storage bet big on the technology. Sodium ion looks well placed, with superior safety, raw material costs, and environmental credentials.

Sodium ion cells, produced at scale, could be 20% to 30% cheaper than the dominant stationary storage battery technology, lithium ferro/iron-phosphate (LFP), primarily due to abundant sodium and low extraction and purification costs. Sodium ion batteries can use aluminum for the anode current collector instead of copper, which is used in lithium ion batteries, further reducing costs and supply chain risks.

Source: PV Magazine: Read The Article

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New Hydrogen Colors to Watch in 2024

Hydrogen has the potential to be emissions free but only if we understand how the hydrogen is generated / manufactured or whether it occurs naturally. Several new terms have been used recently in the press, and this article explains them.

Gold hydrogen refers to naturally occurring deposits of the gas trapped underground in a way similar to how natural gas and oil deposits are found under the Earth’s surface. This type of H2 is different from White in that White now typically refers to the gas when it is above the surface, such as in the atmosphere, but Gold refers specifically to the gas found in underground deposits.

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CATL, Yutong Launch Long-life EV Battery

CATL has launched a battery pack with Yutong Bus Co to power commercial vehicles like buses and trucks. Yutong said the new battery packs will be used in upcoming electric vehicles and that the new long-lasting EV battery has zero degradation through the first 1,000 cycles.

The new EV battery pack, made with CATL, has a 932,000 mile (1.5 million km), 15-year warranty. Yutong calls the long-life battery an industry first. The bus manufacturer introduced another battery with a 10-year and 621,000 mile (1 million km) lifespan.

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John Deere Announces Investments in Brazil

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT 
Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

John Deere, has announced the acquisition of the condominium housing the company’s regional office in Indaiatuba (SP) and the Parts Distribution Center for South America (SA-PDC) in Campinas (SP), along with adjacent land for future expansion. The company also recently has acquired two plots in the Montenegro Industrial District (RS). These investments are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to development and expansion in the national market.

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Volvo To Begin Testing Heavy EV Trucks

Volvo has received authorization from the Ministry of Transportation to begin testing its heavy electric trucks in Brazil. The vehicles will be part of a study and will be able to operate in urban areas, metropolitan regions, and short to medium-distance intercity transportation, aiming to evaluate their performance and impact on pavement in this type of operation.

The transport companies ReiterLog and Ritmo Logística will be the first to operate the Volvo electric trucks. Preliminary results from the study, led by Senatran (National Traffic Department), with technical coordination from Inprotran (National Institute of Traffic and Safety Projects), in partnership with Volvo, Prometeon, UNB, and UFRGS, indicate benefits of operating zero-emission CO2 vehicles, such as high energy efficiency, absence of noise, low vibration levels, and increased driver comfort.

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Kubota Unveils First Fuel Cell Tractor

JAPAN REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

On March 28, Kubota unveiled the first prototype of a fuel cell-powered tractor. Although no release date has been set, the company will consider installing fuel cells in unmanned, automated tractors. Kubota is also developing battery-powered agricultural equipment, but the company believes that hydrogen-powered fuel cells will be effective for medium-large sized agricultural equipment.

Kubota is rushing to commercialize fuel cells because it believes demand will grow in developed countries such as Japan, Europe and the United States as a result of the trend toward decarbonization. The prototype machine has about 60 horsepower and has three hydrogen tanks installed above the cabin, which are used in Toyota’s Mirai fuel cell car. It generates electricity by reacting hydrogen with oxygen to power the engine. In the experiment, a tractor was equipped with a plowing unit to till the soil.

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