São Paulo Partners with ENEL To Replace Diesel Buses

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

The City of São Paulo has announced a partnership with Enel, an energy supplier, for its bus fleet electrification project to be completed by 2024. Under the agreement, the city will get funding for the project of R $ 8 billion. The plan calls for the replacement of the fleet of combustion buses with non-polluting models.

According to the city, Enel is one of the main stakeholders in the project and should assist companies in logistics, infrastructure and the feasibility of electric vehicles based on their experience in Latin America.

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Foton Aumark Shuts Down Operations in Brazil

Ten years after starting operations in Brazil with the import of Trucks and plans to have a local plant, Foton Aumark do Brasil (FAB) is preparing to go to court against the Chinese brand, claiming breach of contract. The company was created by economist Luiz Carlos Mendonça de Barros, former president of BNDES and former director of the Central Bank.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: The volumes of Foton were always very small and the situation will not affect the market. Plans for plants and volumes were never executed and sales never ramped up. Now it is just litigation between the parties and dealers that should look for compensation after FAB.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development South America, for Power Systems Research

Mexico Truck & Bus Update. Alternative Power Sources Displayed

Show Report: Expotransporte 2022

Editor’s Note: This report includes a conversation with Miguel Elizalde Lizárraga, the executive president of ANPACT (the National Association of Bus, Truck and Engine Manufacturers) and a visit to the Expotransporte 2022, the largest truck show in Latin America.

Lorena Violante
Lorena Violante

ANPACT represents the trucks, buses and engine manufacturers in Mexico. It participates actively with government organizations and other important related associations to ensure the truck and bus industry gets enough support, incentives, alliances, agreements and information to grow in the local market. Also, to continue with their outstanding role as one of the most important exporters of heavy duty vehicles globally.

The ANPACT gathers the most important trucks, buses and engine manufacturers in Mexico such as Kenworth, Freightliner, International, Mercedes Benz, Man, Volkswagen, Scania, Dina, Mack, Volvo, Isuzu, Hino, Detroit and Cummins.

During our conversation, Elizalde provided timely insights into the Mexican transportation industry and the major market challenges this country is facing today.

Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher

Vehicles manufactured in Mexico produce an important impact on the country’s economy, logistics and mobility. For example, 71% of the foreign trade value is moved to the US through heavy duty trucks. Much of the movement of goods in Mexico is through trucks, and people use buses as their main transportation.

According to ANPACT´s August statistics, manufacturers produced a total of 127,858 heavy duty vehicles from January through August this year. This is 18% more than 2021 production. Through August, export volumes increased by 15.7% (106,824 units) compared to 2021. Retail demand has increased so far by 20.5% (25,196 units).

Current challenges the transportation industry is facing today in Mexico include road safety, environmental regulations implementation, supply chain lead times, driver shortage, e-commerce, vehicles renewals, safety and energy infrastructure.

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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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GM Opens Third Shift at Joinville Engine Production Plant

GM has added a third shift at its plant in Joinville, SC, Brazil, to increase production capacity and supply engines for the Montana, the new Light Pickup below the S10 size. The capacity production increase forecast is 30%.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: The new GM Montana pickup is aimed to complete with the Fiat Toro and Fiat Strada, and grab market share from the leaders. GM also expects to export engines, if the shortage of semiconductors can be solved, which will allow the plant to reach the desired production levels.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director-Business Development, South America, for Power Systems Research

Special Report: M&T Expo

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT  
Carlos Briganti
Carlos Briganti

TheM&T Expo 2022 is one of the most important trade fairs in the construction and mining equipment industry throughout Latin America and this year the show featured more than 600 exhibiting brands in 54,000 square meters. Held in Sao Paulo Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2022, the event had more than 30,000 visits in four days. 

Disagreements between show organizers and exhibitors caused key players in the market to avoid the show. The list of missing exhibitors included Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu, JCB, CNH, and Volvo. Chinese companies, as well as Liebherr, took this opportunity to use large spaces at the event, both in area and in product portfolio with respective sales and engineering teams.

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Marcopolo To Deliver 30 EV Buses in 2022

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

Formerly using chassis built by other companies, mainly BYD, Marcopolo has announced plans to build its own EV chassis. It plans to produce and offer a complete set of bus chassis and bus body. It plans to deliver of 30 units in different setups for Brazilian cities in 2023.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Marcopolo is betting that its own chassis is more competitive for the market from an engineering and product standpoint. While preparing to compete with its chassis suppliers and partners in the EV segment, it still depends on them for the main volume of transit and intercity buses that is ICE powered.   PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development-South America for Power Systems Research

Mercedes To Deliver 1000 EV Bus by 2023 to São Paulo

During the Lat.Bus show in São Paulo, the Sales Director of Mercedes, Walter Barbosa, affirmed the demand of 500 EV Bus in 2022 and 500 in 2023, but he expect no deliveries in 2022 and all delivered in 2023.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Mercedes is running against the clock to win the business in São Paulo. Although it is preferred by the public transportation companies, BYD is ahead with product already developed. Marcopolo shows as a solution with own chassis and body, but still in early stages of launch.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development-South America for Power Systems Research

Volvo EV Bus Planned for Brazil in 2023

Volvo’s EV bus is now in the homologation phase in Brazil. Initially it will be produced in Sweden, with plans to be produced in Brazil for the South America market. The Curitiba plant engineering has participated significantly in the Bus Development.

Source: Automotive Business     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Volvo adapt its line-up to compete in the Brazil and South America market that will demand significant part of the volume for the EV models. It is slightly behind Mercedes and Marcopolo with its own bus, but still able to catch-up and compete in main markets.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development-South America for Power Systems Research

Brazil Highway Implement Registrations Continue High

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT  

July registrations of implements (trailer and over-chassis) reached 13,133 units, above the January to May average of 12,500 units. ANFIR (National Association of Road Implement Manufacturers) forecast is to reach 165,000 unit registrations, slightly above the 163,000 registered last year.

Source: Automotive Business      Read The Article

PSR Analysis: The trailers and over-chassis implement supply chain has fewer constraints than the Truck supply chain. While the market is influenced by the same drivers, the atypical stops due to shortage of components make the Trailer market an indicator of the Truck Market without the constraints. The positive outlook either in terms of actual sales and the forecast made by the OEM reinforces the forecast of a strong MHV production and sales numbers for the second half of 2022.    PSR

Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development-South America for Power Systems Research