Frankfurt,Germany /Paris,France -The Economic Times (India) -30 May 2011: -- Volkswagen is set to formalise its approach for truckmaker MAN in coming days, marking another milestone in the German automaker's bid for global dominance... The offer is one in a series of ambitious plans Europe's largest carmaker has on the go as it strives to overtake Japanese rival Toyota Motor as the world's No.1 player by 2018... Earlier this month VW marked the opening of a $1 billion U.S. assembly plant, it has been powering ahead in China, now the world's largest auto market, but still has progress to make on its alliance with Japanese group Suzuki... (Photo from truckwallpapers: VW truck, Constellation model)* Sweden - Volvo Trucks launches production of FM MethaneDiesel
Hanover,Germany -Truck Business, by Claude Yvens -31 May 2011: -- Continuing the momentum of the recent IAA show in Hanover, Volvo Trucks will produce and market a bi-FM. The Volvo FM MethaneDiesel can operate with up to 75% mixture of methane gas, reducing its overall CO2 emissions by 10%. By using biogas, the reduction may even reach 70%... Volvo Trucks will sell the first model in three markets where the gas distribution infrastructure is well developed, namely the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Sweden...* Sweden - Scania Transport Laboratory Duel Fuel cons loses a customer of Scania
Copenhagen,Sweden -Truck Business, by Claude Yvens -30 May 2011: -- The results are unambiguous: the Transportation Laboratory Scania truck lost the duel which he had opposed a similar vehicle of the German company TSL on a roundtrip Södertälje (SE) / Vordingborg (DK). On the way, Peter Röder consumed 28.5 l/100, l/100 km 28.6 cons Hanna Slime (STL), all with a total weight of 40 tons. Return (empty), Röder consumed 22.4 22.7 l/100 l/100 cons to Slime... Duel Fuel that had been initiated by Scania Transport Laboratory to prove that average consumption of 25 l/100 km is possible with the right equipment and highly trained drivers...* Algeria: Aabar's JVs to start production in 2011
Algiers,Algeria -AutomotiveWorld -May 26, 2011: -- Aabar Investments' ventures with German companies, which include Daimler and MAN Ferrostaal, are expected to start production in 2011 of up to 10,000 vehicles per year, The National reports... In August 2009, Aabar Investments, owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, signed a deal with the government of Algeria and five German companies to set up three manufacturing plants in the country to build cars, trucks, buses and engines... The German partners - MAN Ferrostaal, Daimler, Deutz, MTU and Rheinmetall – agreed to provide licences and intellectual property, while Aabar and the government of Algeria agreed to establish a venture to manage the facilities... In March this year, Daimler signed a memorandum of understanding with Aabar Investments and the Algerian government to form a truck and bus joint venture in Rouiba, Algeria. The project calls for the supply of auto components for local assembly in Rouiba. Daimler agreed to provide technology and supply parts and components on a contractual basis... (Photo from mw2.google.com: Overloadad truck in Fez) * India - Mahindra-Navistar JV eyes RHD export markets
New Delhi,Indi -AutomotiveWorld -May 26, 2011: -- The joint venture between Indian utility vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra and US-based commercial vehicles manufacturer Navistar, Mahindra Navistar Automotive (MNAL), is mulling exporting right-hand drive (RHD) CVs produced by the JV in India to overseas markets such as South Africa and SAARC countries... MNAL is working on establishing its presence across India in the first year of the company's launch. It expects to sell around 50,000 heavy CVs and 20,000 light CVs over the next three to four years, the report said... At present, the HCV segment in India is growing at 40%, while growth in the LCV has been reported at 15%... (Photo from motorbeam: Mahindra Navistar Truck)
* France - Renault to install 450,000m2 of solar panels
(The solar panels on the roofs of Renault's French plants will cover an area equivalent to 63 football fields)
Paris,France -Gizmag (USA), by Darren Quick -May 31, 2011: -- Outdoing the likes of Ferrari and Audi, which have already installed solar panels onto the roofs of their manufacturing plants, Renault has partnered with Gestamp Solar to launch what it says is the largest solar energy project in the automotive industry. The project will see solar panels eventually covering a total area of 450,000 m2 (4,843,760 sq ft) at Renault plants in France, generating 60 MW and cutting the company's CO2 emissions by 30,000 tons a year... Installation of the solar panels on the roofs of the delivery and shipping centers at Renault's Douai, Maubeuge, Flins, Batilly, Sandouville and Cléon sites will begin this month, with completion scheduled for February 2012... Renault says that upon completion, the solar panels will cover an area equivalent to 63 football fields and generate enough electricity to power a town of 15,000 - although that's obviously not what it will be used for... The solar roof project is part of Renault's plan to reduce its carbon footprint by 10 percent by 2013 and a further 10 percent by 2016...* France - Gruau to supply electric UV's
Paris,France -Fleet Europe, by Tim Harrup -31 May 2011: -- Bodywork manufacturer Gruau is to help clients in a relatively small niche market to obtain what they require. The niche is for electrically-driven vehicles of 3.5 tonnes, for which there is a limited demand. Gruau is thus to fit Italian electric Micro-Vett engines to around one hundred Fiat Ducato vans, which will subsequently be leased by Fraikin to Geodis. On top of this, reports autoactu, some ten electric microbuses for use by the Autolib service, will be equipped by Gruau with Bolloré electric units. Patrick Gruau, MD of the company, explains that it is convenient for clients to have this work done at the same time as the particular bodywork they require is being constructed...
