News

2024 Global Snowmobile Production 

89,400 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Snowmobiles expected to be produced in Canada, Finland, Italy, Japan and U.S. in 2024.

Snowmobiles, often called sleds, are motor vehicles that have a revolving tread in the rear and steerable runners in the front, for traveling over snow off-road, often at speeds exceeding 100 mph. They are used for recreation and industrial purposes.

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 Operationsat Power Systems Research

Hyundai-Kia Offer Different Hydrogen Engine

Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

Hyundai and Kia have announced that they plan to work together to create a new hydrogen engine that will better overcome the challenges faced by previous generations of the technology. A lack of refueling infrastructure has been a top issue in this area.

With a focus on this issue, the goal of the collaboration between Hyundai and Kia is to greatly enhance the range of the hydrogen engine.  In fact, they are aiming for an unprecedented range to greatly improve the appeal of using H2 for zero-emission transport and transportation.

Source: Hydrogen Fuel News: Read The Article

PSR Analysis:  There has yet to be a passenger vehicle that is ready for drivers to purchase and use for their everyday needs in a realistic, practical, and affordable way. As a result, in order to overcome the lack of infrastructure, the range and appeal of this, will need to be massive, and in fact it may not be possible.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Fool’s Gold May Be Worth More than Previously Believed

In our childhood, many of us would have found iron pyrites and mistakenly believed it was gold. The disappointment of finding out it was Fools Gold may be over. Fool’s gold could kick off this century’s ‘gold rush’ after scientists discovered it contains lithium.

Scientists at West Virginia University discovered a surprising amount of lithium in 15 rock samples of iron pyrite.

Source: Daily Mail (via MSN): Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Sulphur-rich pyrite doesn’t require as many resources during the extraction process which means its environmental impact is much lower than the lithium-ion alternative. And fool’s gold is found in quartz veins that is mined throughout the world, which means there could be much more lithium hiding through the world than was originally thought.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Europe Investigates Chinese EV Subsidies

Last October, the European Commission opened an inquiry into whether Chinese automakers are the beneficiaries of such significant subsidies by the Chinese government that they have an unfair economic advantage over domestic manufacturers. The question is ridiculous, of course. Everyone on Earth knows the Chinese government has been providing massive support to its automotive sector for 20 years.

China has been open about its commitment to electric car manufacturing. It has told everyone its plans and then made those plans a reality. So, it should come as no surprise that Chinese companies can build electric cars in China, ship them overseas, and still undercut the price of electric cars from domestic manufacturers by 25% or more.

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Unsold Chinese EVs Clogging European Ports

Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

The threat of masses of cheap EVs made in China has governments concerned in Europe and the US. The USA has introduced a bill that would raise the tariff on EVs from China to 100% to protect US auto workers “from the existential threat posed by China” but Europe has no such tariff protections. The lack of high import tariffs has encouraged Chinese manufacturers to look to Europe as a place where they can send boatloads (literally) of electric cars.

A report by the Financial Times claims that Chinese manufacturers are sending more EVs to Europe than they can sell, which has led to thousands of EVs being parked at port facilities. The port operators are displeased because the glut of cars is interfering with other port activities. Some now say they are no longer ports but rather car parks for newly arrived Chinese EVs

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Volvo To Build Truck Plant in Mexico

GLOBAL REPORT
Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher

In April 2024, Volvo announced that it will build a heavy-duty truck manufacturing plant in Mexico to supplement the Group’s U.S. production. The plant will provide additional capacity to support the growth plans of Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks in the U.S. and Canadian markets, and support Mack truck sales in Mexico and Latin America.  The plant is expected to be operational in 2026. 

The new plant will be approximately 1.7 million square feet in size, and will focus on production of heavy-duty conventional vehicles for the Volvo and Mack brands. It will be a complete conventional vehicle assembly facility including cab body-in-white production and paint.  At the time of this writing, Volvo has not announced the location of the new production facility.

Source: Volvo AB

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2032 Global ATV-SxS Market To Hit $22.9 Billion

GLOBAL REPORT
Michael Aistrup

According to the latest research by Power Systems Research, the global ATV & SxS market size is valued at $13.54 billion in 2024 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.87% during the forecast period, reaching $22.85 billion by 2032.

ATV stands for “All Terrain Vehicle.” An ATV is an off-road vehicle with handlebar steering and a motorcycle-style seat that can seat a driver and one passenger in tandem. ATVs are designed for a variety of uneven terrain and roads. A side-by-side vehicle (SxS) is an off-road vehicle known for its 4- to 6-wheel design, unique side-by-side bucket seat setup, and steering wheel and pedal drive system.

Source: Power Systems Research

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World Hydrogen Summit:  The Hype Is Over

EUROPE REPORT 
Emiliano Marzoli
Emiliano Marzoli

Rotterdam, the Netherlands–During the World Hydrogen Summit (WHS) here many industry leaders, politicians and stakeholders came together to discuss the state of the art of this growing industry.  The event, held at Rotterdam Ahoy centre between May 13-15, was one of the largest global meetings for the hydrogen industry.  During the conference, many topics were covered, but some were more central amongst the panels PSR attended.  

The time of the hydrogen hype is over, and while there has not been the revolution seen in previous years, different projects across the globe have been launched, stating the start of a new and more mature phase in the hydrogen industry. 

While Europe has very ambitious targets, the industry asked for more support from institutions, and more clarity on objectives and regulations.  Currently, the EU focus is on Green hydrogen, while some of the industry representatives asked for the definition of a low carbon hydrogen category to boost projects in this initial phase of transition. 

The United States presents a more intricate and ambiguous scenario, as the upcoming November election raises questions about the longevity of incentives beyond this year. 

Globally, many countries are emerging as candidates to fuel energy decarbonization.  Morocco, wants to become one of the main exporters of green energy to the EU, and a major player in the production of Green Hydrogen.  The country has abundant solar and wind resources, and already the gas pipeline infrastructures connected to Europe.

Similarly, different countries in the Middle East are looking at the green economy transition as an opportunity to grow.  Oman is among these, with many projects already signed off to develop both renewable energy facilities, and hydrogen production projects. 

On the other hand, the Netherlands, and in particular the city of Rotterdam, are investing significant resources to become one of Europe leaders in the hydrogen economy.  The port of Rotterdam has a developed infrastructure for the distribution of natural gas, and they want to leverage their pipelines to become one of Europe’s gateways for the imports of hydrogen in the old continent.  They have already developed corridors with German, Belgium, France and the Scandinavian countries.   The large infrastructure, and the strong gas industry in the country will allow the Dutch to become a major player in the decarbonization of the European energy sector.  PSR

Emiliano Marzoli is Manager-European Operations for Power Systems Research

Agrishow 2024 Reports US$ 2.6 Billion in Business

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

Agrishow 2024 posted R$ 13.6 billion (US$ 2.6 Billion) in business, 2.4% higher than that recorded in 2023.

With 520,000 square meters and 800 booths, the almost three-decade-old event in Ribeirão Preto (SP) received 195,000 people for five days, from small, medium and large Brazilian producers to representatives of international companies. Four representatives of our PSR senior team in South America attended the Show to gather information and data.

Considered one of the largest open-air fairs in the world focused on agribusiness, Agrishow is not only a thermometer of the country’s economic activity but also a showcase of the latest in field technology, from agriculture to livestock.

In addition to large harvesters, planters, and state-of-the-art tractors–including electrically powered models—exhibitors displayed innovations in robots and drones, with more and more applications in farming and features such as greater load capacity and remote control.

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Heavy Rains Batter Brazilian OEM Operations

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT 

Recent heavy rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul has led to production disruptions in many automotive OEM operations located in the region, including GM, AGCO, Marcopolo, John Deere, Randon, and auto parts manufacturers like Fras-le. Despite this, automakers and auto parts companies are gaining control over production operations. However, logistical challenges persist, raising concerns.

Both Anfavea, representing automakers, and Sindipeças, representing the components sector, express worry about the production flow from these companies in Rio Grande do Sul, which serve domestic and international demands, presenting an unpredictable aspect currently.

The initial expectation for vehicle production was to remain steady despite the rains, as Gravataí and the Serra Gaúcha region, where most automakers operate, remain largely unaffected. However, parts production in Porto Alegre faced important disruptions due to many manufacturers being located in flood-affected areas in the region and the transportation from production areas to OEMs was severely affected. Some OEMs—such as GM, Stellantis and Volkswagen–already announced temporary plant shutdowns.

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