AfMA Fleetdrive Issue 16 | Page 19

FLEETDRIVE TRADING TURNAROUND Mexico’s government has reached an agreement with Brazil on the free trade of light vehicles, subject to a 40 percent regional content requirement, paving the way for more open commerce between Latin America’s two biggest economies. Free trade with Brazil began on March 19 with both the government of Mexico and the South American nation working on a new formula for the definition of regional content of 40 percent, the agency said. As for Argentina, the car trade will made over the next three years through quotas, which will rise 10 percent in the first year, 5 percent in the second and another 5 percent in the third. Once concluded this period, free trade would come into force. Mexico has been looking to diversify its trading partners since US President Donald Trump warned of a possible death of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has sustained the country’s economy for a quarter of a century. FUEL CELL FUTURE TELEMATICS TRIUMPH Our Japanese friends are still pushing their efforts into the hydrogen fuel cell market as an alternative solution to EVs due to ongoing charging concerns within the region. MiX Telematics, a global provider of fleet and mobile asset management solutions, will be providing a South African earthmoving equipment provider with a telematics solution to help improve the efficiency of their vehicles and the safety of their customers’ drivers. While there are far more battery electric vehicles on the road today than hydrogen cars – over 5 million plug- in cars worldwide at last check - in countries like Japan many people live in apartment buildings without a place to easily charge a car. As such it’s here where companies like Toyota are banking on the convenience of hydrogen fuel cell, and a recent partnership is set to increase production within the next couple of years. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s thermal power generation unit said it will team up with a subsidiary of JXTG Holdings Inc. to start producing zero- emission fuel in 2020. Under the 2015 Paris climate accord, Japan is aiming for a 26 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 2013 levels. Operating across the African nation, this company required 418 of its costly earthmoving vehicles to be fitted with a reputable telematics solution so that their customers could have an accurate view of driver behaviour. The vehicles and equipment are spread across the country, often in very remote areas, so MiX’s solution provides much needed visibility and control to accurately monitor the whereabouts and driving style of their drivers. “We’re delighted that this leading company in its field has adopted our telematics solutions so that they can provide their customers with the best possible value,” says Gert Pretorius, MD of MiX Telematics Africa. “Our strong relationship with the company was formed over months of negotiation and sets the foundation for a strong partnership going forward.” ISSUE 16 2019 / WWW.AFMA.NET.AU 19