Volvo Buses electromobility global offer

Volvo Buses is expanding its electromobility offer worldwide with the launch of the new Volvo BZL Electric chassis

SEA Electric has announced that Daniel Scarpino de Castro is President for the Asia Pacific Region. Mr Scarpino de Castro comes to SEA Electric with a wealth of executive-level experience to his credit, following roles within the automotive industry, including bus and coach manufacturing, transport electrification, and zero emissions solutions. Having previously worked within Oceania, Southeast Asia, South America and the US, Mr Scarpino de Castro joins SEA Electric from the position of President of Irizar USA, a multifaceted company focused on passenger transport and electromobility.

LocAL low carbon aluminium locally made Capral has released LocAL, a lower-carbon primary aluminium option available across its locally manufactured extruded aluminium products. LocAL provides Australian manufacturers access to cleaner, greener, more sustainable aluminium. The LocAl offer includes two lowercarbon aluminium options: LocAl Green with carbon emissions of 8kgCO2e/kg Al and LocAl Super Green at 4kg CO2e/kg Al (based on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emission ex-smelter) among the lowest-carbon aluminium available globally. LocAl aluminium is available to extrude custom-designed aluminium sections and across Capral’s standard extrusions, including geometrics and transport sections.

Volvo expects a better truck market this year

AB Volvo lifted its outlook for key heavy-duty truck markets in Europe and North America this year as it reported a 32 percent year-on-year rise in order intake for the first quarter.

The maker of vehicles such as Mack Trucks and Renault as well as its own name had already preannounced record operating earnings for the first quarter that were well above market expectations. Volvo forecast 2023 heavy truck sales in Europe and North America of 320,000 for each region. Its previous forecast had been for 300,000 in both regions.

“Disturbances in the European supply chains have not been as extensive as in the autumn and have contributed to increased productivity,” Chief Executive Martin Lundstedt said.

The raised truck outlook sent a strong message that Volvo sees the second-half of 2023 as a good market for its trucks.

“We are committed to leading the transformation of our industry towards a more sustainable future. With the launch of the new Volvo BZL Electric, our ambition is to offer the world’s most responsible electric bus systems. We do it by focusing on sustainability, safety and reliability,” said Anna Westerberg, President of Volvo Buses. The global demand for electromobility solutions in the public transport sector is rising and Volvo Buses expects a rapid increase in the coming years.

“With the new Volvo BZL Electric we offer a global platform for clean, silent, and energy efficient public transport to meet the rising demand on important markets that are ready for the shift to electromobility.”

Nexyad scores drivers of Volta trucks

Volta Trucks announced a partnership with Nexyad to bring the next generation of driving coaching and scoring to aid drivers of the Volta Zero to achieve the safest driving style possible in an urban environment.

Nexyad uses hybrid physicsinformed AI to aggregate various data sources from vehicles in real-time and interprets them. This offers Volta Trucks’ drivers simple and relevant information that can help them develop an increasingly prudent driving style, minimising risk for themselves and other road users.

The real-time data aggregation platform uses vehicle information and driving conditions to provide a maximum speed recommendation, taking into account the legal speed limit, road roughness, topography of the road, weather conditions, and traffic. By recommending a “maximum prudent speed” based on real-time information, the system goes beyond the European requirement ISA (Intelligent Speed Assist).

Nexyad’s safety coach, SafetyNex also acts as a virtual co-pilot in the cabin while driving and provides anticipation guidance when necessary, helping to avoid emergency situations that may lead to an accident. Fleet managers can track and monitor drivers’ performance with greater precision, and insurance companies can accurately assess risk levels and offer tailor-made premiums for every driver’s individual risk profile.