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Brazil's EV sales hit record high in 2024

  • Spanish Market: Electricity, Emissions, Metals
  • 06/01/25

Brazil's sales of electric vehicles (EVs) increased by 90pc to a record 177,360 units in 2024, according to the electric vehicle association ABVE.

EV sales last year rose from 93,930 units in 2023. That includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), micro hybrid and mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and flex HEVs.

Disregarding micro hybrid units, which are not considered fully electrical, EV sales reached 173,530 last year, an 85pc increase from 2023.

Plug-in market rising

Sales of plug-in vehicles — including PHEVs and BVEs — totaled almost 125,625 in 2024, representing a 71pc of total EV sales and more than double from the 52,360 units sold in 2023.

The expansion of the recharging infrastructure in Brazil drove the plug-in market growth, reducing concerns about the utilization of EVs in long-distance travels.

There were more than 12,000 charging stations in the country as of early December, according to charging station management platform Tupi Mobilidade.

Hybrid vehicles without external chargers — such as HEVs, flex HEVs and MHEVs — accounted for 29pc of total sales in 2024, with around 51,735 units, a 24pc hike from 2023.

Sao Paulo keeps leading the way

Southeastern Sao Paulo state remained the leader of EV sales in Brazil, with nearly 56,820 units sold and accounting for 32pc of total sales, followed by federal district Brasilia, with 9pc.

Rio de Janeiro, Parana and Santa Catarina states represented 7.2pc, 6.8pc and 6.5pc, respectively, of Brazil's EVs sales.


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13/05/25

Australia’s Macquarie unwinds coking coal funding ban

Australia’s Macquarie unwinds coking coal funding ban

Sydney, 13 May (Argus) — Australian investment bank Macquarie has changed its investment rules to fund coking coal mines, in a partial reversal of its 2021 coal financing ban. The bank made the change in November 2024, it said in its annual report for the year ended 31 March, released last week. It will now make short-term funding deals lasting less than 12 months for coking coal developments, to help producers buy, expand, or run coking coal mines. Macquarie's rule change still bans long-term investments in coking coal projects. There are few viable alternatives to coking coal for the steel and industrial sectors, Macquarie said. The company has maintained its ban on thermal coal financing, apart from specific emissions reduction projects. It is also working on supporting emissions reduction projects in the Australian oil and gas sectors, although it did not disclose which projects. Macquarie is not the only bank moving away from fossil fuel financing. Australian bank ANZ will stop lending capital to companies heavily involved in the thermal coal sector by 2030. It reduced its lending to thermal coal mining firms by 85pc between 2015 and July 2024,it said in July last year. It also stopped [funding new upstream oil and gas projects](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2566501), with limited exceptions, in May 2024. Macquarie has expanded its climate finance role over recent years. The bank set up a renewable energy business to fund utility-scale projects in Australia and New Zealand in November 2023. Macquarie is also involved in carbon markets. The company is continuing to help clients with compliance and voluntary carbon markets, including in newer locations like China, the company said, without disclosing further details. It has also purchased and retired 59,164t of CO2 equivalent of Australian Carbon Credit Units and other voluntary offsets to cover business travel in its 2024-25 financial year ended 31 March. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Russia urges decision on Bolivia Li deal


12/05/25
12/05/25

Russia urges decision on Bolivia Li deal

Sao Paulo, 12 May (Argus) — The Russian ambassador to Bolivia today criticized what he described as Bolivian government stalling of a $970mn lithium concession deal with Russian-backed Uranium One Group. Dmitry Verchenko, in an interview with Bolivian state outlet Agencia Boliviana de Información, said the Bolivian congress is taking an "excessive" amount of time to reach a decision on the $970mn lithium concession deal signed in September 2024. The concession deal included the production of 14,000 metric tonnes (t)/yr of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) from the Uyuni salt flat — the largest lithium reserve in the world at 23mn t. Verchenko said that Uranium One, a subsidiary of state-owned atomic energy agency Rosatom, will build a pilot plant capable of producing 1,000t/yr LCE as soon as possible and follow up with gradual expansions. The project — which is still unnamed — will be the country's first direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant, a brine processing method that reduces LCE production time and water usage. Bolivian energy minister Alejandro Gallardo last month urged congress to approve both Russia's and China's CBC concession deals , but still no progress has been made. Congress in February said that it would only discuss the two deals after a nationwide round of public consultations that remains unscheduled. Political uncertainty delays Bolivia's Li hopes There is no forecast of when or if the concessions may be approved because Bolivia's congress is deeply divided between allies and political opponents of Luis Arce, the current president. Neither faction has the required majority for the bills to pass. The country will hold a presidential election in August and market participants expect a congressional vote on the matter may be pushed to next year because of uncertainty in the current polling ahead of the election. Russia looks further afield Verchenko added that Russian and Uranium One are waiting on the approval of the concession deal despite neighboring Argentina and Chile rapidly developing their lithium markets. Given the delay, Russia is already looking for alternative lithium solutions in Latin America with Brazil emerging as a potential partner . Following an in-person meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin on 10 May, Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirmed that Brazil is actively seeking to collaborate with Russia to extract spodumene from the country's so-called Lithium Valley, a lithium-rich region located in the state of Minas Gerais. Bolivia's 2024 lithium carbonate output stood at 1,832t . By Pedro Consoli Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Tata UK lambasts importers' TRA submissions


12/05/25
12/05/25

Tata UK lambasts importers' TRA submissions

London, 12 May (Argus) — Claims by the International Steel Trade Association and importers in the Trade Remedies Authority's (TRA) safeguard review are "factually incorrect", Tata Steel UK has said Importers have stated — accurately — that Tata does not produce 2m-wide hot-rolled coil, or material with a tensile strength of over 500 megapascal, so these products should not be under the scope of the safeguard. In a rebuttal submission released by the TRA today, Tata said such specifications "constitute a small proportion of the overall market", and that current quotas are more than sufficient to provide import choice. Should these grades be excluded from the safeguard, Tata — which is effectively a re-roller until its electric arc furnace becomes operational — said importers could circumvent the safeguard, importing higher grades "at much lower prices" to compete with material produced and sold by Tata. Tata said wider coil is "often imported only to be slit into narrower cuts", meaning it is not fundamentally different from material it sells domestically. Some applications do require decoiled 2m-wide material, but Tata suggests this is a small proportion of the overall market. No end-users have raised concerns regarding supply of such material, Tata said, adding that sufficient tonnes could be imported from the EU or Turkey, origins with quotas that are "consistently underutilised quarter after quarter". Buyers just want such products to be excluded so they can "access significantly lower-priced imports", it said. Tata has requested quotas be amended in line with the demand reduction seen in recent years, and that caps are implemented on other countries' quota for hot-dip galvanised. Should a cap of 25pc be imposed, which is what the market anticipates, some traders said material currently on route to the UK could still be clearing in January 2026. The TRA is expected to release its initial findings this week. By Colin Richardson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Australian PM reaffirms climate priority in new cabinet


12/05/25
12/05/25

Australian PM reaffirms climate priority in new cabinet

Sydney, 12 May (Argus) — Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed renewable energy commitments with cabinet picks after the Labor party's election victory on 3 May. Chris Bowen, who led key changes to the safeguard mechanism , the capacity investment scheme (CIS) and fuel efficiency standards for new passenger and light commercial vehicles, remains minister for climate change and energy. Madeleine King, the minister for resources and northern Australia, retains her cabinet position, while Tanya Plibersek, previously the minister for environment, is now the minister for social services and is replaced by Murray Watt, formerly the minister for workplace relations. In the previous term, Plibersek failed to establish an environment protection authority and reform the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which was an election promise in 2022, after intervention from Western Australian state minister Roger Cook. Environmental lobby group the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has welcomed Watt, who was also the minister for agriculture for two years to 2024, into his new role. "Having a former agriculture minister in environment increases the opportunities for co-operation on the shared challenges facing nature protection and sustainable agriculture," the ACF said. The ACF also welcomed Chris Bowen in returning to his role as environment minister for his "clear mandate" to continue the energy transition. Josh Wilson remains assistant minister for climate change and energy. Participants in the renewable energy carbon credit industry are urging the new Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to speed up the creation of new Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) methods in the new government term. They are also seeking greater transparency in ACCU data base , which requires legislative change. And renewable energy companies and lobby groups will be closely following a review of Australia's National Electricity Market wholesale market settings , which will need to be changed following the conclusion of the CIS tenders in 2027 and as Australia transitions to more renewables from its ageing coal-fired plants. By Grace Dudley Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Ford pauses production at Chicago plant


09/05/25
09/05/25

Ford pauses production at Chicago plant

Houston, 9 May (Argus) — Automaker Ford temporarily shut down production at its Chicago, Illinois, assembly plant following a supply chain disruption. The company said it moved a planned downtime week ahead of schedule and expects to resume production by 19 May. Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-Indiana) in a US House appropriations hearing on 7 May said the shutdown was due to a shortage of critical minerals needed to produce the company's braking systems. The company did not respond to the specific elements driving the shutdown. The plant manufactures the Ford Explorer, Police Interceptor Utility and Lincoln Aviator. By Jenna Baer Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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