Tadano Electrifies World’s Largest Cranes

News: Far East

2024-09-23

Hyundai To Double Number of Hybrid Models

SOUTH KOREA REPORT

Hyundai Motor in August announced plans to expand its lineup of hybrid vehicles from seven to 14 models in response to slowing global demand for electric vehicles. The company will also use HVs for the first time in its Genesis luxury car brand. The company also announced plans to increase its annual global sales volume by 30% from 2023 to 5.55 million units by 2030, and to invest 120.5 trillion won (about 13 trillion yen) in R&D and capital investment over the 10 years out to 2033. The company will focus on advanced technologies such as next-generation HVs, in-vehicle batteries and automated driving technology.

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Thoughts About FCVs and Hydrogen Stations

Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

I traveled recently in the Toyosu area of Tokyo, an upscale residential area, and while there I stopped at a Hydrogen refueling station. While there, I spoke with one of the station’s staff, and I found his comments interesting.

He told me that the only FCVs on the market in Japan are the Toyota MIRAI sedan and Crown FCEV. Honda used to sell the Clarity FCV, but it has been discontinued and few are seen on the road. There are also no FCVs in trucks. There are about 80 hydrogen buses in Tokyo, but they don’t stop at this station because there is a hydrogen station is in the bus company’s office.

On weekends, maybe four or five cars come to the station each day, but on weekdays there are often days when not even one car comes. It’s very quiet. Filling up with hydrogen requires a person with a national qualification, so it’s not possible to operate it like a self-service gas station.

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2024-07-15

Hitachi Demonstrates Ultra-Large Electric Dump Truck

JAPAN REPORT

By Akihiro Komuro, Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia

Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Hitachi Construction Machinery said it is demonstrating a rechargeable all-electric dump truck at a mine in Zambia. It’s the world’s first demonstration of an ultra-large machine with a payload capacity of 200 tons.

Operating conditions and battery life will be verified over a one-year period. The original plan was to have the system in operation by the end of 2024, but the company now plans to launch it in 2025 or later.

The overhead wires will be installed along the mine’s route and the battery will be recharged as it travels along the route. This system allows for more efficient operation than recharging at stops. The batteries mounted on the vehicle body will also be lighter, increasing the payload capacity of the dump truck.

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2024-05-25

Kia To Double Hybrid Sales Amid EV Headwinds

SOUTH KOREA REPORT

Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group is going on the offensive with hybrid vehicles. Its subsidiary Kia plans to introduce HV models in nine of its main models, doubling its current sales volume to 800,000 units by 2028. Kia will temporarily review its investment focus on EVs, where competition is heating up globally, to flexibly respond to market trends.

In early April, Kia’s CEO showed signs of impatience at a business strategy meeting in Seoul, admitting that the EV market is slowing down and pushing back the goal of surpassing sales of 1 million EV units by 2026 to 2027.

At the same time, he announced the expansion of HVs: by 2028, he will introduce HVs in nine major models worldwide, increasing HV sales from 372,000 units (12% of the total) in 2024 to 800,000 units (19%).

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2024-04-17

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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2024-02-27

Toyota and Chiyoda Develop Hydrogen Production System

JAPAN REPORT
Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Toyota Motor Corporation and Chiyoda Corporation have announced the joint development of a hydrogen production system. The two companies plan to begin demonstration tests at Toyota’s main plant in fiscal 2025 and hope to begin marketing the system around fiscal 2027.

The system will produce hydrogen by electrolyzing water. It will have an output of about 5 megawatts and will be able to produce about 100 kilograms of hydrogen per hour. The new plant has a footprint of 6 meters wide by 2.5 meters deep, about half the size of a typical plant. By linking multiple plants, the production volume can be significantly increased.

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2024-01-22

2023 Domestic MC Shipments Increase 4%

JAPAN REPORT

Domestic motorcycle shipments increased for the first time in two years to 376,720 units in 2023, up 4% from the previous year. Class 2 mopeds, which have relatively low maintenance costs, performed well, increasing 47% year-on-year. The shortage of semiconductors and the easing of logistics disruptions also contributed to the increase in shipments.

Class 1 mopeds (50cc and below) fell by 29% to 92,824 units. Class 2 mopeds (over 50cc and under 125cc) were up 47% to 149,655 units, light motorcycles (over 125cc and under 250cc) were up 16% to 66,630 units and small motorcycles (over 250cc) were down 6% to 67,611 units.

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2023-12-17

Honda To End Mass-Produced EV “Honda e”

FAR EAST: JAPAN REPORT

Honda plans to end production of the Honda e EV by January 2024. This is the company’s first mass-produced EV, but sales have been sluggish, falling short of the annual domestic sales target of 1,000 units. Going forward, the company will focus on commercial light EVs, which will be launched in the spring of 2024, to increase the electrification rate of the vehicles it sells.

The Honda e was launched in 2020. The vehicle is priced at 4.95 million yen and has a range of 259 km (WLTC mode). Sales in Europe have already been discontinued. Sales in Japan will also be discontinued once stocks run out.

The Honda e was not originally intended to be a high-volume model, but it did not meet its sales target. The company plans to expand the model lineup, starting with the N-VAN e:, a light electric vehicle to be launched next year.

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