Brazil

On April 10, Volvo Trucks announced that its fully electric heavy-duty vehicles have begun experimental operations in Brazil.

The vehicles will be used mainly in urban areas for short and medium distance transportation to measure their performance and impact on the pavement to verify the results of studies previously carried out on the axle weight of heavy electric trucks.

The results of these studies indicate that using vehicles with zero CO2 emissions, within the safety and paving standards of Brazilian roads is beneficial and mentions other benefits like being high energy efficiency, absence of noise, very low vibration levels and great comfort for the driver.

The objective of the project is to establish regulations on axle weight that enable safe and efficient circulation of heavy electric trucks and tractors.

(Volvo Brazil press release on April 10, 2024)

On April 12, BMW announced the local production of the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid at the Araquari plant in Brazil will start from the last quarter of 2024.

This is the first premium plug-in hybrid model built in South America. This strategy is taken by satisfying demand since in 2023 the BMW X5 was the third-best model of the entire BMW line-up in Brazil.

“The BMW Group plant in Araquari has a flexible production line. It will be the only one to produce ICE, PHEV, and Flex-fuel models in the whole BMW Group production network. Depending on market demand, we can get ready to produce hybrid or electric models in a short period of time. In the next step, we will build PHEV and ICE vehicles on one line.” Commented Michael Nikolaides, Head of Production Network and Logistics at BMW Group.

(BMW press release on April 10, 2024)

During the presentation of the Smart City Expo 2024, held from March 20 to 22 in Curitiba, Brazil, Peugeot presented the 100% electric Partner Retrofit project, a prototype to transform an ICE vehicle into an EV.

The engine produces 95 hp and 14 kgfm of torque. It will maintain its exchange rate and the aim is to reduce the weight of the kit, which is currently 200 kg and takes away much of the car's loading capacity.

This is a project developed thanks to a partnership between Stellantis and SENAI. Currently the tests involve two prototypes, and it is expected to extend it to other Stellantis models.

During the second stage of development, 10 models will participate and will be distributed among small, medium, and large fleet owners.

The Boxer with “My Peugeot PRO” Connectivity and a 7+1 version of the E-Expert van were also presented at the event.

(Multiple sources on March 20, 2024)