The agreement provides for a series of initiatives, including the construction of electric charging hubs with the Shell Recharge solution in eight Brazilian state capital cities over the next three years starting this year (2024).

Fras-le is a leader in friction materials and is a brand of the company, Frasle Mobility. It makes a complete portfolio of brake pads, linings and shoes for cars, motorcycles, heavy vehicles, among other applications, such as railway and industrial, serving OEMs and the aftermarket.

Carese is to take over responsibilities for the cabin frame modules commencing April 15th, replacing Aethra Automotive Systems (which file for bankruptcy), absorbing its activities and also its employees.

In the period January to March 2024, truck production reached 29,327 units, an increase of 19.7% over the 24,497 vehicles manufactured in the same period in 2023 according to the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (ANFAVEA).

Production of bus and coach chassis increased by 61.6% to 6,490 units in the first quarter of 2024 compared with 4,105 in the first quarter of the same period in 2023, according to data supplied by ANFAVEA.

An engineer by training and with MBAs in the areas of Marketing and Business, Susini has extensive experience in the international automotive industry, where he held the position of president of Yamaha in Brazil.

“The supply to Expresso Nordeste confirms the brand's growth potential," said Danilo Fetzner, director of IVECO BUS for Latin America.

Investment is for initiatives in two primary locations: The Randon branded semi-trailer and railway wagon assembly plant in Caxias do Sul and the Motion Control manufacturing facility, also in Caxais do Sul, which operates under the Frasle Mobility brand name.

The new factory, construction of which is expected to be completed by the end of the year for start of operations in the first quarter of 2025, is to supply driveline components to the truck and bus chassis produced by Mercedes-Benz do Brasil.

Higer imports buses to South America via a JV in Brazil.

February saw PepsiCo take delivery of its first electric heavy-duty truck in Brazil; a semi-heavy rigid (15t ≤ gvw up to 40 tons) P25 6x2 Scania truck, produced in Sweden, which is to be used for internal logistics goods distribution operations between PepsiCo’s four factories* in the state of São Paulo.

Another city in Brazil, this time a city with hot temperatures of up to 41 deg. C, Cuiabá of Mato Grosso State, has begun testing China’s Higer electric 12m low floor bus, the Azure A12BR e-bus.