The World Opinion

Tag: Daimler Truck Holding AG

  • Elon Musk promised so much with the Tesla Semi. This is the way it stacks up now that it is after all right here

    First introduced through Elon Musk in 2017, the Tesla Semi has been probably the most longest-delayed merchandise within the corporate’s historical past. However the brand new electrical truck is after all right here, with PepsiCo being the primary buyer to obtain one of the vital 100 automobiles it pre-ordered.

    “PepsiCo owns probably the most greatest non-public fleets in North The us, and that’s the reason probably the most causes now we have partnered with Tesla,” stated Mike O’Connell, vp of provide chain for Pepsi. “We’ve got the 15 in Modesto that we are launching … after which now we have 21 in Sacramento.” 

    To begin, Pepsi is the use of the vans to ship Frito-Lay merchandise from its Modesto, California, facility as much as 425 miles on a unmarried rate. It’s also handing over Pepsi out of its Sacramento warehouse on 100-mile day-to-day routes, going without delay to shops, and making 300- to 400-mile runs to different warehouses. Pepsi declined to mention whether or not it had pressed the vans to check if they have got the total 500-mile vary Musk promised.

    CNBC visited Frito-Lay Modesto the place PepsiCo has been remodeling the power in partnership with the California Air Assets Board to display the sustainability advantages of 0 and near-zero emissions applied sciences. The Tesla Semis there are the most recent additions to the corporate’s fleet of greater than 80,000 automobiles.

    “This challenge has delivered a 91% relief in greenhouse fuel, and we are the use of this as a show off to then cascade to our different operations,” O’Connell stated.

    Watch the video to be told extra about PepsiCo’s Tesla Semis and whether or not they are living as much as the hype.

  • Tesla CEO Elon Musk kicks off first Semi truck deliveries

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk kicks off deliveries of the corporate’s heavy-duty truck, the Semi, on the Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada.

    Tesla Inc.

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk kicked off deliveries of the corporate’s first few manufacturing Semi vehicles on Thursday, talking on degree on the corporate’s manufacturing facility in Sparks, Nevada, with Dan Priestly, the corporate’s senior supervisor for Semi truck engineering.

    As CNBC up to now reported, Tesla arrange traces and began manufacturing of the Semi out of doors of Reno this 12 months on the web site the place it basically makes the battery cells, power gadgets, and battery packs that energy its automobiles. Musk and Tesla didn’t say on Thursday what number of Semis it’s turning in.

    Tesla initially confirmed off the Semi design in Dec. 2017. Manufacturing were given behind schedule by way of the Covid pandemic and battery cellular provide problems, amongst different issues.

    All the way through the deliveries kick-off match, Musk in brief alluded to the tumult of the previous 5 years and quipped, “Sorry for the extend.”

    He later thanked and the passed the mic to representatives from PepsiCo Frito Lay, which is Tesla’s first buyer to obtain and use manufacturing Semi vehicles.

    One primary distinction between Tesla’s Elegance 8 providing and different heavy-duty vehicles is the site of the steerage wheel and the driving force’s seat. Reasonably than the use of the left aspect (or proper aspect in Europe), Tesla designed the Semi with the steerage wheel within the heart of the cab with touchscreens situated on all sides of the driving force.

    Whilst the Tesla Semi used to be in construction, different absolutely electrical heavy-duty vehicles introduced into the marketplace.

    Volvo-owned Renault Vans and Daimler haveproduced and delivered electrical heavy-duty vehicles to shoppers ahead of Tesla Even beleaguered Nikola — whose founder used to be ousted and convicted of fraud in contemporary months — began manufacturing of a battery electrical truck in March.

    However Tesla boasts some high-tech options no longer to be had somewhere else, together with a brand new, fast-charging device, and a battery with higher vary than competition. The DC fast-charging device delivers as much as 1MW, and employs a water-based coolant to make sure it is secure in turning in that energy. Tesla says that the Semi can shuttle 500 miles on a unmarried rate whilst absolutely loaded.

    The brand new fast-charging tech will in the end be put in at Tesla SuperCharging stations and used to energy up Cybertrucks, the patron pickup truck Tesla is making plans, Musk printed. The corporate plans quantity manufacturing of the sharp-edged heavy pickup at its new manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas.

    A go back to shape

    The Tesla Semi match would possibly supply aid to enthusiasts frightened about his dedication to and concentrate on the electrical car industry.

    Musk has lately taken on new obligations as proprietor and CEO of Twitter, the social media large, which he received in a leveraged buyout for $44 billion in October. He offered a few of his substantial Tesla stocks to finance that deal. Since taking on Twitter, he has been embroiled in a couple of conflicts and controversies round that platorm.

    Musk returned to shape on Thursday, talking to Tesla’s environmental venture and the corporate’s car tech.

    Within the U.S., he mentioned, there are one thing like 15 million passenger cars and round 200,000 heavy obligation vehicles. “It kind of feels like a small share,” he mentioned, however the semi vehicles constitute a big portion of damaging car emissions on account of their measurement, weight, and the reality they’re pushed across the clock.

    The ones emissions will have dastardly well being results on individuals who reside close to warehouses, ports, and different roadways with numerous trucking process.

    In keeping with transportation and air high quality analysis by way of the American Lung Affiliation, medium- and heavy-duty cars (reminiscent of supply trucks, short- and long-haul vehicles) represented about 6% of the on-road fleet within the U.S. as of 2020. Those cars generate an oversized quantity of air pollution, together with 59% of ozone and particle-forming nitrogen oxide emissions, and 26% of the greenhouse fuel emissions from transportation.

    Musk mentioned that the Semi would no longer simplest lend a hand battle local weather exchange, however “It is also quiet, will fortify the standard of your air, and can fortify the well being of other folks residing close to freeways.”

    The similar will also be mentioned of alternative electrical, heavy-duty vehicles that displace diesel vehicles.

    Musk and different professionals didn’t talk about Tesla’s motive force help methods, that are advertised as Autopilot and Complete Self-Riding Capacity, on the Semi deliveries match. In 2017, when Musk debuted the Semi, he touted a driverless trucking long run.

    Nor did they talk about what number of vehicles they plan to provide within the subsequent 12 months, nor how they are going to download the extra battery cells and uncooked fabrics to provide the ones.

    Stocks in Elon Musk’s auto industry closed flat forward of the development, at $194.70, and didn’t transfer appreciably in after-hours buying and selling.

    Watch the whole deliveries match right here.

  • Volvo begins collection manufacturing of professional quality electrical vehicles, objectives 50% of gross sales via 2030

    This symbol displays employees at Volvo Vehicles’ plant in Sweden.

    Volvo Vehicles

    Volvo Vehicles stated Wednesday that manufacturing of 3 heavy responsibility electrical truck fashions was once now underway, with its president telling CNBC that the inside track represented “a large second” for the company.

    In a observation, Volvo Vehicles stated the electrified Volvo FM, Volvo FMX and Volvo FH automobiles may run at a weight totaling 44 metric lots.

    In step with the corporate, the variability for the electrical FM is as much as 380 kilometers, or simply over 236 miles. Levels for the FMX and FH are as much as 320 km and 300 km, respectively.

    The corporate stated manufacturing was once starting at a facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. Subsequent yr will see manufacturing begin at a web page in Ghent, Belgium.

    Batteries might be equipped via a Volvo Vehicles plant in Ghent. Volvo Vehicles, which is a part of the Volvo Staff, stated it now had “six electrical truck fashions in collection manufacturing globally.”

    Learn extra about electrical automobiles from CNBC Professional

    Talking to CNBC on Wednesday morning, Volvo Vehicles President Roger Alm was once bullish concerning the corporate’s potentialities going ahead.

    “We have now in fact already bought 1,000 gadgets of those heavy-duty electric vehicles earlier than the manufacturing get started,” he stated. Elm went on so as to add that the industry noticed “an expanding call for coming forward folks as neatly.”

    In remarks revealed on his company’s site, Elm stated that, via the yr 2030, “no less than 50 p.c of the vehicles we promote globally will have to be electrical.”

    For vehicles in addition to automobiles, ok charging choices might be necessary on the subject of dispelling issues about “vary anxiousness,” a time period which refers to the concept that electrical automobiles are not ready to adopt lengthy trips with out shedding energy and getting stranded.

    All the way through his interview with CNBC, Volvo Vehicles’ Alm was once requested about charging infrastructure. “In fact, we wish to … construct out the infrastructure of the of the charging community, that is essential,” he stated.

    Hydrogen hopes

    Previous this yr, Volvo Vehicles stated it had begun to check automobiles that use “gasoline cells powered via hydrogen,” with the Swedish company claiming their vary may lengthen to up to 1,000 kilometers, or just a little over 621 miles.

    In a observation, the corporate stated refueling of the automobiles would take underneath quarter-hour. Buyer pilots are set to start out in the following couple of years, with commercialization “deliberate for the latter a part of this decade.”

    Volvo Vehicles’ focal point on zero-emission applied sciences places it in festival with firms like Tesla and Daimler Truck, that are each growing electrical vehicles.

    Like Volvo Vehicles, Daimler Truck is specializing in each battery-electric and hydrogen automobiles. In March 2021, Daimler Truck and the Volvo Staff arrange cellcentric, a 50:50 three way partnership focused across the manufacturing of gasoline cells.

  • Self-driving start-up Pony.ai plans to mass produce robotrucks in China

    Self-driving tech start-up Pony.ai introduced Thursday it plans to mass produce self reliant riding vans with apparatus production massive Sany Heavy Trade.

    Pony.ai

    BEIJING — Self-driving tech start-up Pony.ai introduced Thursday it plans to mass produce self reliant riding vans in China with apparatus production massive Sany Heavy Trade.

    Annual manufacturing is ready to achieve about 10,000 vans “inside of a couple of years,” consistent with a press unencumber. Small-scale deliveries are set to start out this 12 months and subsequent, with mass manufacturing because of birth in 2024.

    The vans are slated to come back with “Stage 4” self reliant riding generation, which might permit complete self-driving on highways and concrete roads, consistent with Pony.ai. “L4” is a part of an trade classification machine that designates complete self-driving beneath particular stipulations.

    Underneath present laws in China, the robotrucks will not be able to function totally autonomously.

    Pony.ai stated it most effective has trying out allows in Beijing and Guangzhou for self reliant vans. However the corporate stated it expects to function L4 vans in China as rules increase.

    Pony.ai’s self reliant riding machine makes use of the Nvidia Force Orin chip, very similar to a number of Chinese language electrical automotive corporations that supply drivers assisted-driving generation.

    Some, however no longer all, of the deliberate vans might be “new power cars,” a class that incorporates electrical cars.

    Pony.ai declined Thursday to proportion further details about value consistent with truck and whether or not the vans would most effective be to be had in China.

    Sany has workplaces globally, whilst Pony.ai additionally operates within the U.S. The robotruck mass manufacturing deal is a part of a strategic three way partnership between Pony.ai and Sany Heavy Truck, a Sany subsidiary.

    Analysts in most cases be expecting robotrucks to take off extra temporarily than robotaxis because of the extra uniform nature of truck routes alongside highways. Day-to-day truck drives generally ultimate for hours as opposed to a ways shorter taxi rides.

    Learn extra about electrical cars from CNBC Professional

  • UK-based startup Tevva launches hydrogen-electric truck with 310-mile vary

    U.Okay.-based startup Tevva on Thursday introduced a hydrogen-electric heavy items automobile, turning into the newest corporate to make a play in a sector attracting hobby from multinationals like Daimler Truck and Volvo.

    In step with Tevva, which says it has raised $140 million in investment, its automobile can have a variety of up to 310 miles, or somewhat below 500 kilometers.

    Refilling the hydrogen tanks will take 10 mins whilst charging the battery “from absolutely depleted to 100%” will take 5 to 6 hours.

    The corporate’s first hydrogen-electric truck will weigh 7.5 metric lots, with later variations deliberate to weigh 12 and 19 metric lots.

    In a commentary, Tevva sought to provide an explanation for the explanation in the back of combining a gasoline mobile and battery. “The gasoline mobile machine tops up the battery, extending the automobile’s vary and permitting the truck to hold heavier rather a lot over longer distances.”

    Along its hydrogen-electric truck, the trade has additionally evolved an electrical truck that it says has a variety of as much as 160 miles. Main points of each the electrical and hydrogen-electric vans were prior to now introduced through Tevva.

    Learn extra about electrical automobiles from CNBC Professional

    In an interview with CNBC’s “Boulevard Indicators Europe” on Thursday, Tevva CEO Asher Bennett used to be requested whether or not his corporate used to be having a look to diversify into smaller automobiles.

    “We aren’t concerned about growing the smaller trucks or the pickup vans,” Bennett mentioned. “The ones are, in lots of cases, very equivalent era to the bigger EV sedans, which paintings really well,” he added.

    “We are very centered at the heavy items vans and we are slowly going heavier and heavier as a result of the ones are the segments which are a lot tougher to affect.”

    With governments world wide having a look to cut back the environmental footprint of transportation, various corporations within the trucking sector are exploring tactics to broaden low and zero-emission automobiles, together with ones that use hydrogen.

    Remaining month, Volvo Vans mentioned it all started to check automobiles that use “gasoline cells powered through hydrogen,” with the Swedish company claiming their vary may lengthen to up to 1,000 kilometers, or somewhat over 621 miles.

    Gothenburg-headquartered Volvo Vans mentioned refueling of the automobiles would take below quarter-hour. Buyer pilots are set to start in the following few years, with commercialization “deliberate for the latter a part of this decade.”

    Along hydrogen gasoline mobile automobiles, Volvo Vans — which is a part of the Volvo Workforce — has additionally evolved battery-electric vans.

    Like Volvo Vans and Tevva, Daimler Truck is specializing in each battery-electric automobiles and ones that use hydrogen.

    In an interview with CNBC ultimate 12 months, Martin Daum, chairman of the board of control at Daimler Truck, used to be requested concerning the debate between battery-electric and hydrogen gasoline cells.

    “We opt for each as a result of each … make sense,” he spoke back, ahead of explaining how other applied sciences can be suitable in numerous eventualities.

    Whilst there may be pleasure in some quarters about the possibility of hydrogen-powered automobiles, there are hurdles in terms of increasing the field, no longer least in terms of the advance of ok refueling infrastructure. The best way hydrogen is produced could also be a subject.

    Either one of those issues have been stated through Volvo Vans in June when it pointed to demanding situations together with the “large-scale provide of inexperienced hydrogen” in addition to “the truth that refueling infrastructure for heavy automobiles is but to be evolved.”

    Hydrogen may also be produced in various tactics. One means contains the use of electrolysis, with an electrical present splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.

    If the electrical energy used on this procedure comes from a renewable supply reminiscent of wind or sun then some name it “inexperienced” or “renewable” hydrogen. These days, the majority of hydrogen technology is in line with fossil fuels.

    For its section, Tevva mentioned it will assist its consumers “get admission to sustainable and reasonably priced hydrogen provides safely and very easily, along their acquire or hire of Tevva Hydrogen Vans.”

  • Global’s biggest truckmaker says it is going through huge provide chain force

    Provide chain disruptions are nonetheless rippling around the globe, and the top of the arena’s biggest truckmaker has warned that portions shortages are slowing the manufacturing of hundreds of its cars.

    Daimler Truck CEO Martin Daum advised CNBC Wednesday that the present provide chain squeeze is one of the worst he is observed in his greater than 25-year profession, leading to main bottlenecks around the corporate’s suite of manufacturers.

    “We face huge force at the provide chain,” stated Daum, whose vehicles are used for different essential industries reminiscent of logistics and building.

    “I might say it is probably the most worst years ever in my lengthy profession in trucking, the place we occasionally have to the touch a truck 3, 4 occasions so as to add the lacking portions,” he added.

    The Mercedes-Benz Truck maker stated previous this month that there have been indicators {that a} extended chip scarcity seemed to be easing. Microchips, or semiconductors, are a important part of recent auto production, and so they fell into brief provide all over the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant manufacturing facility closures.

    However Daum stated that shortages of different portions also are proceeding to sluggish the manufacturing of hundreds of vehicles throughout its global community of factories.

    “Now we have, in a few factories, greater than 10,000 vehicles the place one or two portions are lacking and we desperately seek the arena for the ones portions,” he stated.

    Provide chain disruptions are inflicting a manufacturing backlog on the international’s biggest truckmaker, Daimler Vans.

    Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

    Inflationary pressures, too, are weighing closely on Daimler Truck’s manufacturing, as the prices of power and uncooked fabrics are actually considerably upper — with some value hikes more uncomplicated to cross on than others.

    “We’re, these days, pushing the ones value will increase at the uncooked fabrics facet thru, so we will a minimum of dangle our margins in that trade,” he stated. The corporate could also be in negotiations over worker pay raises.

    Nonetheless, the truck producer, whose different manufacturers come with Freightliner, Western Megastar and Fuso, famous some vivid spots. In america by myself, Daum stated, it sees pent-up call for for some 200,000 vehicles because it continues to meet up with provide shortfalls thru 2020 and 2021.

    “That, individually, makes me positive that we can see a now not too unhealthy 2023. And now not too unhealthy is a German expression for it generally is a just right 2023,” he stated.

    Daimler Truck remaining month reported an 8% year-on-year build up in first quarter gross sales, with team income up 17% over the similar duration.

  • Volvo says it has began checking out vans with gasoline cells powered via hydrogen

    In keeping with Volvo Vans, gasoline cells for the cars can be supplied via cellcentric, a three way partnership with Daimler Truck that was once established in March 2021.

    Tomohiro Ohsumi | Bloomberg | Getty Photographs

    Volvo Vans mentioned Monday that it had begun to check cars that use “gasoline cells powered via hydrogen,” with the Swedish company claiming their vary may just lengthen to up to 1,000 kilometers, or just a little over 621 miles.

    In a remark, Gothenburg-headquartered Volvo Vans mentioned refueling of the cars would take beneath quarter-hour. Buyer pilots are set to start out in the following couple of years, with commercialization “deliberate for the latter a part of this decade.”

    Gasoline cells for the cars can be supplied via cellcentric, a three way partnership with Daimler Truck that was once established in March 2021.

    “Hydrogen-powered gasoline mobile electrical vans can be particularly appropriate for lengthy distances and heavy, energy-demanding assignments,” Roger Alm, president of Volvo Vans, mentioned.

    Along hydrogen gasoline mobile cars, Volvo Vans — which is a part of the Volvo Staff — has additionally advanced battery-electric vans.

    Learn extra about electrical cars from CNBC Professional

    The electrification of long-haul, heavy-duty vans poses its personal distinctive set of demanding situations. The Global Power Company’s International EV Outlook for 2021 has described long-haul trucking as desiring “complicated applied sciences for top energy charging and/or broad batteries.”

    Festival throughout the sector has higher lately. Volvo Vans’ focal point on zero-emission applied sciences will put it in pageant with firms like Tesla and JV spouse Daimler Truck, that are each growing electrical vans.

    Like Volvo Vans, Daimler Truck is specializing in each battery-electric and hydrogen cars.

    In an interview with CNBC remaining 12 months Martin Daum, chairman of the board of control at Daimler Truck, was once requested concerning the debate between battery-electric and hydrogen gasoline mobile.

    “We opt for each as a result of each … make sense,” he answered, earlier than explaining how other applied sciences could be suitable in numerous eventualities.

    “Typically, you’ll be able to say: In case you pass to town supply the place you wish to have decrease quantities of calories in there, you’ll be able to rate in a single day in a depot, then it is for sure battery electrical,” he mentioned.

    “However the second you might be at the highway, the instant you pass from Stockholm to Barcelona … for my part, you wish to have one thing which you’ll be able to shipping higher and the place you’ll be able to refuel higher and that’s in the long run H2.”

    “The ruling isn’t out, however I believe it is too dangerous for a corporation our dimension to head with only one generation.”

    Learn extra about calories from CNBC Professional

    Whilst there’s pleasure in some quarters about the possibility of hydrogen-powered cars, there are hurdles relating to increasing the field, some degree said via Volvo Vans on Monday.

    It pointed to demanding situations together with the “large-scale provide of inexperienced hydrogen” in addition to “the truth that refueling infrastructure for heavy cars is but to be advanced.”

    Described via the IEA as a “flexible calories provider,” hydrogen has a various vary of programs and will also be deployed in quite a lot of industries.

    It may be produced in quite a lot of tactics. One approach contains the usage of electrolysis, with an electrical present splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.

    If the electrical energy used on this procedure comes from a renewable supply corresponding to wind or sun then some name it “inexperienced” or “renewable” hydrogen. Lately, nearly all of hydrogen technology is in line with fossil fuels.

    Ultimate week, Volvo Building Apparatus, which may be a part of the Volvo Staff, mentioned it had commenced checking out of a “gasoline mobile articulated hauler prototype.”

  • Chip provide problems are nonetheless giving a few of global’s greatest firms a significant headache

    Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner

    Brooks Kraft/Apple Inc/Handout by way of Reuters

    An ongoing scarcity of chips and different fundamental fabrics is forcing probably the most global’s greatest tech and automobile firms to cut back their goals this 12 months.

    Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner warned Thursday that the corporate used to be “now not immune” to offer chain demanding situations, noting that the iPad trade had “very important provide constraints” all the way through the newest quarter. 

    The iPhone maker’s leader monetary officer, Luca Maestri, mentioned there are a number of demanding situations that wish to be triumph over within the present quarter, together with provide constraints associated with Covid-19 that would harm gross sales by way of between $4 billion and $8 billion. Apple stocks fell about 3.7% Friday following its income document.

    Semiconductors are an very important piece of generation that let a rising vary of goods to accomplish duties they in a different way would not be capable to. They are in the whole thing from toasters and kettles to fighter jets and Nintendo Transfer consoles.

    Somewhere else, Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark instructed CNBC’s Julianna Tatelbaum Thursday that the Finnish telco would have grown sooner within the ultimate quarter had it now not been for provide chain problems.

    “The location has stabilized however it remains to be somewhat tight,” he mentioned.

    “Once we discuss semiconductors, we’re seeing enhancements right here and there. It is slightly supplier-specific this present day but if we have a look at the total 12 months and the second one part of the 12 months, we proceed to be hopeful that issues will get started having a look higher in opposition to the tip of the 12 months.”

    Automobile firms, which have a tendency to make use of much less complex chips, proceed to really feel the affects of the continued chip crunch.

    The worldwide chip scarcity wreaked havoc at the automotive business in 2021 as lots of them struggled to seek out the items of silicon they wish to energy options comparable to cruise keep watch over and parking sensors.

    Daimler CEO Ola Källenius instructed CNBC’s Annette Weisbach Friday that ongoing provide shortages, in particular in relation to semiconductors, are one of the vital 3 primary demanding situations within the present trade atmosphere.

    Källenius added that the brand new Covid lockdowns in China, one among Daimler’s greatest markets, may impact provide chains world wide.

    The lockdowns in China are including to non permanent uncertainty, Lundmark mentioned in connection with Nokia’s chip provide chain.

    Volvo Automobiles CEO Jim Rowan instructed CNBC’s “Squawk Field Europe” Thursday that Volvo does not lately have sufficient of 1 specific chipset.

    He added that the corporate will likely be suffering from the problem in its 2nd quarter however mentioned the corporate has “secured provide” that are supposed to lend a hand it in the second one part of the 12 months.

    In a analysis be aware ultimate month having a look on the euro zone, Berenberg economists Kallum Pickering and Salomon Fiedler mentioned the manufacturing of vehicles nonetheless lags some distance at the back of orders.

    They mentioned that chip gross sales have been improving, however important value will increase intended the rebound in actual phrases used to be more likely to be lower than the gross sales price steered.

    “The method of catching up with the backlog of orders will take time. Corporations will wish to paintings additional time for some time,” they mentioned within the be aware.