In Chile, 11,780 trucks were sold from January to September, an increase of 68.3%, while bus sales totaled 1,279, down 38.6%, according to ANAC.

VWCO has started delivery of 281 trucks to Mexican brewery company, Grupo Modelo, including 107 Delivery trucks, marking the first order for the range from Mexico.

The International eMV is a battery-electric version of the MV range which will be produced in Mexico and in Texas.

According to statistics collated by the National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea) based in Sao Paulo, production of bus and coach chassis in the first half of 2021, increased by 15% to 10,324 units compared with 8,974 units in the same period last year.

According to data from Anfavea, sales of both truck and bus+coach chassis in the Brazilian market grew in the first half of this year. The truck segment increased by 54.4% to 55,865 units, against 36,153 units in the same period last year. The bus+coach chassis segment registered an increase of 31.9%, with 7,538 units, against 5,716 units in 2020.

According to the Automotive Association of Peru (AAP), based in Lima, during the first six months of 2021, a total of 8,426 commercial vehicles were sold in Peru, some 138.6% higher than the same period in 2020 (3,532 units).

Truck sales in Colombia rebounded strongly during the first half of 2021. According to data from the National Association for Sustainable Mobility (ANDEMOS) in Bogotá, the market registered 14,258 trucks for January to June 2021, an increase of 115.2% on the 6,626 units registered in the same period of 2020.

According to data from the National Automotive Association of Chile (ANAC) in Santiago, the Chilean truck market grew in the first half of 2021 to 7,389 units, an increase of 69.3% compared with 4,364 units in the same period in 2020. The sector, ANAC says, maintained its pace of recovery for the tenth month in a row.

Volvo do Brasil Veículos Ltda of São José dos Pinhais has launched its new range of heavy trucks in Brazil, just over a year after their launch on European market.

According to Luiz Carlos Moraes, the president of the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (ANFAVEA) of Sao Paulo, is expecting the Brazilian truck sector to continue to be positive and to perform better than any other vehicle categories in Brazil, even despite the pandemic and the economic crisis.

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.