Truck and bus registrations above 6 tons gvw during the first quarter of 2024 in Argentina fell by more than 1,000 units.

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.

The TransMilenio system in the city of Bogotá, Colombia, claims to have an electric bus fleet of over 1,600 vehicles, the second largest in South America behind Santiago in Chile.

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.

Volvo NA has not divulged the location of the newly announced plant in Mexico, but it will reportedly cover 1.7m square feet when it is opened for production in two years’ time.

The facility, which is at full-scale production, manufactures drive belts for the North American market to fulfil increased aftermarket and light vehicle demand.