News

2020-09-28

JAPAN REPORT: Toyota, Honda, Shell To Expand Hydrogen Fueling Network in US

Toyota, Honda and Shell announced a plan to expand their hydrogen refueling network in California.

Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Shell will install hydrogen refueling systems at 48 gas stations using a grant from California’s hydrogen refueling infrastructure support. The company will also upgrade two Shell hydrogen stations and add fuel dispensers to heavy-duty truck stations.

Additionally, Toyota and Honda have agreed to expand sales of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in California to support the Shell hydrogen Stations. Toyota and Honda plan to expand sales of the Mirai and Clarity Fuel Cell, respectively.

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SOUTH KOREA REPORT: Doosan Infracore Collaborates with Game Developers

Doosan Infracore says it has signed an MOU with Unity Technologies Korea for mutual cooperation in the development of a construction process simulator.

Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

This is the first joint project with a game engine developer in the construction equipment industry, which is rare in the global construction equipment industry.

The game engine is regarded as very useful in various industries such as shipbuilding, logistics and construction. Doosan Infracore and Unity will work together to develop a simulator. It realizes various physical elements on a construction site where excavators and other equipment operate in a virtual environment. The simulator will be very useful in accurately predicting complex variables that may occur on a real construction site.

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VIETNAM REPORT: VinFast Enters Luxury Segment With New SUV

Vietnamese automaker VinFast has launched a luxury SUV, the VinFast President, to take on global brands like Lexus and Mercedes. To cost VND4.6 billion ($198,200), the seven-seater looks similar to VinFast’s first SUV, the Lux SA2.0, but with more advanced technologies and frills like massage and heated seats.

Akihiro Komuro
Akihiro Komuro

Its 420HP V8 engine can go from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.8 seconds and offers a top speed of nearly 300 kph. VinFast will produce only 500 units and sell them exclusively in Vietnam. The first 100 customers will get a 17% discount on the price.

In its segment, the VinFast President costs 45% less than the Lexus LX 570 and 33% less than the BMW X7. Industry insiders say it lacks some premium features often seen in luxury cars such as captain’s chairs, TV screens and a high-end sound system. The vehicle signifies the ambition of VinFast, a unit of Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, Vingroup, to enter all segments of the auto market after bringing out its first vehicle in July last year.

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2020-09-27

Belaz Wins Tender To Sell 96 Mining Trucks To India

The world’s leading mining trucks OEM – Belaz – has won the opportunity to supply 96 mining trucks to India, taking the prize from US and Japanese manufacturers.

Maxim Sakov
Maxim Sakov

They are heavy 220-ton mining trucks. The supply will take two years. Twelve trucks will be shipped to India this year, and the rest will be sent in 2021. The total contract value exceeds US$ 300 million. Belaz also is completing a previous large contract with India for 77 trucks.

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PSR Analysis: Historically, Belarussian Belaz has supplied most of its trucks to Russian mines. However, this year it has suffered a dramatic decrease in demand from Russia. So, the OEM has had to shift its focus to other markets. Its product range includes dump trucks from 30 to 450 ton capacity, wheel loaders and dozers. OEM uses YAMZ, Cummins, MTU, Scania and Liebherr engines for its machines.   PSR

Maxim Sakov is a Market Consultant in Russia, for Power Systems Research

Production of First Russian EV Passenger Car Postponed

Zetta company has had to shift mass production of its Russian car “City Modul 1” until after 2020 because the Fund of Industry Development refused to provide credit of 99.9 million Rubles (about € 1.1 million).

Maxim Sakov
Maxim Sakov

According to the Fund opinion, the company has insufficient budget to start the production, even with the requested credit. “The company needs an investor, who will believe in market potential of the product, and will co-finance the project together with the fund. The fund is ready to consider application one more time as soon as such investor will be found,” the Fund said

“City Modul 1” would become first serial Russian electric car. Zetta plans to make the car on its own production site in Tolyatti; production capacity is 15,000 units per year.

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Western Auto OEMs Seek Privileges for LNG Trucks

Move is opposed by Russian KAMAZ which plans to make similar machines.

Maxim Sakov
Maxim Sakov

Market players have proposed canceling import taxes and utilization fees for commercial vehicles fueled by LNG until 2025. The target of the measure is the development of LNG-transport until the appearance of domestic analogs of such machinery.

The suggestion comes from foreign makers of LNG on-highway tractors and supported by Gazprom. Now, no imported vehicles are exempted from these taxes.

The import tax for on-highway tractors is 5% of their cost, and the utilization fee is 10 to 12K Euro. LNG tractor is more expensive than its diesel analog by about 35K Euro.

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Regulatory Changes Could Boost India Auto Industry

India’s auto industry has slid back to the level of nearly a decade ago due to multiple regulatory changes, a slowing economy, liquidity issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aditya Kondejkar

The auto industry has shown signs of recovery over the last couple of months; however, an additional demand push is required to generate sustainable growth. The government is evaluating a series of possible measures such as a revision in the goods and services tax (GST) rate and a production-linked incentive and scrapage policy.

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GST Revision: The GST council is evaluating an industry 10% GST cut across categories of vehicles.

This GST revision will defiantly neutralize the impact of the price hike due to BS-VI upgradation. Further, this GST revision will give a strong thrust to auto sales during the coming festive seasons. 

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TAIWAN REPORT: First Self-Driving Bus on Three-Month Trial in Tainan

A month ago, the first self-driving bus operations begun its three-month trial in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan. It is the first revenue-generating service of autonomous rapid transit (ART) project supported by the central and local governments. The goal is to launch commercial operation across the country in 2021.

Erik Martin
Erik Martin

“Autonomous technology will lead a revolutionary change to the city’s transportation systems,” said Huang Wei-Cher, Mayor of Tainan. “The smart transportation initiative will help us improve overall road safety, operational efficiency, and rural area transportation services.”

The service will cover two business districts. One service will run on weekends only, on a 2.5km route between Nanke Railway Station and National Museum of Prehistory, while the other will be on weekdays in the 6.4km route along Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City, where a smart vehicle testing site is located.

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Chile Bets on Hydrogen

Chile has announced plans to produce US$ 30 billion in green Hydrogen for export by 2050. This involves using the mining industry equipment traditionally powered by diesel in fuel cell powered equipment to make the bridge for current state to future state.

Fabio Ferraresi
Fabio Ferraresi

Source: Financial Times     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: There are several roadblocks as technology improvement needs, energy cost and investment source for the initiative. So far it sounds like a campaign promise rather than a robust initiative. However, the technology use is progressively closer to reality.  PSR

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

DATAPOINT: US Combines, 2020 NA Production Forecast–6,300 units

The 6,300 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number Combines to be produced in the U.S. in 2020.

This 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.

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