Trailer and truck body builders in Brazil are warning the price increases in raw materials will impact economic recovery and their businesses this year. In particular, the impact the increase in the price of steel – still the main building commodity – is likely to have a negative impact on sales and the ability of the manufacturers to supply customers in 2021.

Electric vehicle maker, BYD Co Ltd of Shenzhen, China, which has been actively working for more than seven years in Brazil demonstrating the benefits of 100% electric vehicles for society and the environment has now achieved sales of more than 50 all-electric vehicles (minibuses and city buses) supplied to different operators and cities in Brazil.

With sales of Scania CNG (natural and/or biomethane) trucks heading northwards of 150 units, one operator on its own now accounts for 50 of these sales.

According to the National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea) based in São Paulo, Brazil, truck production in the first half of 2021 totalled 74,700 units, an increase of 115.1% over the same period last year (34,738 units); which is the highest volume in seven years, since the first half of 2014.

Marcopolo SA, with a 51.6% market share amongst the body builders, this month launched its Generation 8 luxury coach model.

Iveco Latin America Ltda recorded growth of 42% in the first quarter of 2021 in the Brazilian commercial vehicle market.

Light and medium-duty engine builder, MWM Motores Diesel, says it has reached a milestone of manufacturing 4.5 million engines over its 68 year-history.

Scania Latin America Ltda in May completed delivery of 562 Scania F340HA 8x2 CNG Euro VI bi-articulated chassis as part of the largest fleet renewal programme at the TransMilenio Integrated Public Transport System in Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia.

VW Caminhões e Ônibus Resende Ltda recorded a 133.1% increase in exports of trucks and bus chassis produced in the first four months of 2021 in Brazil compared with the same period last year.

Carbuss Indústria e Comércio de Carrocerias Ltda has sold 266 coaches to the JCA group of Niterói city, Rio de Janeiro state.

The number of buses operating in Brazil in 2020 fell by 0.5% to 388,900 units in circulation as compared with 391,000 units in 2019, according to the National Union of the Automotive Vehicle Component Industry (Sindipeças) with the average age of buses in Brazil having lengthened to ten years and nine months, two months more than in the previous year, ie 10 years and seven months.

Following the same path adopted by drinks company, Ambev, which in April announced it was converting 102 diesel trucks to electric, another Brazilian operator is following suit.