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.

Just over a year after the resumption of production and sales of trucks in the main countries of South America, the markets are showing signs of strong and sustained growth. Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Colombia in the first half of this year grew by more than 50% compared with the same period last year and, most importantly, the performance was also better than the previous semester in 2019.

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.

Scania Latin America Ltda and Comgás, the largest natural gas distributor in Brazil, have announced they are cooperating to initiate several joint actions to accelerate the development of the gas-powered commercial vehicles (natural gas and biomethane) in Brazil.