After the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the NIKO group of companies, which has been successfully operating in Ukraine and the EU for over 30 years, expanded its activities. NIKO SpetsAvto LLC has launched a new business line – certified production of armored specialized military pickup trucks.
The new pickup truck, called NIKO, is designed as a universal vehicle platform based on the Isuzu D-Max and is equipped with armored protection.
Denis Fomenko, CEO of NIKO SpetsAvto, said: “Outwardly, our pickup truck looks no different from an ordinary car, but each copy is the result of a symbiosis of advanced armor technology, perfect design and high quality. Every detail is created with maximum attention to safety and technological progress. Despite the increased weight, the car has retained its maneuverability and safety.”
Denis Fomenko also added that the company plans to produce about 30 such pickups by the end of 2024 to meet the needs of individual structures performing specialized tasks.
According to the company, the carrying capacity of the NIKO pickup truck is 1100 kg, which is 35% higher than the carrying capacity of analogues in the same class and price range, such as Toyota Hilux and SsangYong Musso. This allows the vehicle to be used as efficiently as possible for cargo transportation and other specialized tasks.
The vehicle is also equipped with a 7620 kg (16,800 LBS) winch for off-road lifting and towing, which makes it indispensable for search and rescue operations and expeditions.
The technical characteristics, maneuverability, off-road capabilities, the ability to install additional equipment, as well as the cost make the NIKO pickup truck ideal for tasks of any complexity.
On May 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine announced a tender for voluntary insurance of motor vehicles and compulsory insurance of civil liability of owners of land vehicles, according to the electronic state procurement system Prozorro.
The expected cost of purchase of services is UAH 342,898 thousand.
The deadline for submission of tender documents is May 29.
AUTO, INSURANCE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TENDER, UKRAINE
U.S. car sales in the first quarter increased by 7.5 percent year-on-year, MarketWatch wrote.
In January-March 2023, automakers sold 3.59 million cars compared to 3.34 million cars a year earlier.
General Motors sales were up 17.6%, Nissan sales were up 17.3%, Honda Motor Co. sales were up 11.7%, Hyundai sales were up 15.5% and Kia sales were up 21.8%. Stellantis and Toyota worsened by 9.1% and 8.8%, respectively.
The average car loan interest rate reached a 15-year high of 7%, and the average monthly payment for a new car was a record $730.
In 2022, automakers couldn’t meet demand due to a chip shortage and sold only 13.9 million cars. Previously, about 17 million cars were sold in a year. This year, sales will total 14.8 million cars, analyst firm Edmunds predicts.
U.S. auto sales in 2022 are down 8% to 13.7 million, data from research firm Wards Intelligence show.
This is the worst figure since 2011, writes The Wall Street Journal. Sales exceeded the 17 million car mark for five consecutive years before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.
A number of auto executives were encouraged by the relatively strong fourth-quarter sales volume amid an improving parts supply situation. Now, however, some experts fear there could be demand problems amid rising interest rates and high inflation putting negative pressure on potential buyers.
“Things are going to get a lot tougher in 2023,” said Hyundai U.S. head Randy Parker, referring to rising interest rates. His company reported a slight decline in sales last year.
“At the beginning of last year, the industry as a whole was planning to sell more than 16 million vehicles,” notes Toyota Motor’s North American sales director Jack Hollis. But companies quickly retracted their projections as companies were forced to suspend or reduce production because of shortages of parts, and primarily chips.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Hollis believes. He said there are early signs that parts shortages and rising raw material prices are easing. Many automakers reported improved sales near the end of last year as chip supplies began to improve.
Toyota’s Hollis predicts that 15 million cars will be sold in the U.S. in 2023. Edmunds analysts estimate the figure will be 14.8 million.
Nissan Motor’s sales fell about 25 percent last year, but declined only 2 percent in the fourth quarter amid increased availability of semiconductors. “The situation has definitely gotten better,” said Judy Wheeler, who oversees Nissan’s U.S. sales.
Electric cars in the country accounted for about 6 percent of the market in 2022, up from about 3 percent a year earlier, according to J.D. Power.
That included Tesla increasing production of electric cars by 47% to 1.37 million in 2022. The company’s deliveries rose 40% to 1.31 million.
As reported, General Motors regained leadership in the U.S. market last year, overtaking Japan’s Toyota in sales.
GM sales rose 3% to 2,274,088,000 vehicles. Sales of electric cars jumped 58% to 39,179,000, the company said.
Toyota sold 2 million 108,458,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year, 10% less than in 2021. At the same time, sales of cars with electric motors, including hybrids, decreased 14% to 504,016 thousand, according to the automaker.
In 2021, Toyota for the first time became the sales leader in the U.S. market, surpassing GM, which has retained the first position since 1931.
British-Ukrainian Aid (British-Ukrainian Aid) and volunteers donated two ambulances and medicines to Ukraine.
On April 17, volunteers-citizens of Ukraine and the public organization British-Ukrainian Aid (British-Ukrainian Aid) handed over two ambulances to Ukraine and representatives of the Armed Forces. In addition, medicines were handed over from English friends. Now such cars are one of the most necessary types of transport both at the front and at the rear, because minimizing damage to citizens and timely medical care will save lives.
The organizer of the delivery of cars Valery Polshkov, Alexander Bobylev and the construction company “Liko-Holding”. According to Valeriy Polshkov, prompt delivery of the car from Britain became possible thanks to the joint efforts of volunteers and the well-coordinated work of the state bodies of Ukraine.
“I am grateful to the State Border Service and the State Customs Service for their efficient work. The cars crossed the border in 20 minutes and have already been handed over to representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” V. Polshkov emphasized.
Also, Oleg Chomko and his company “Badzinger Auto” were directly involved in the escort and transfer of cars from Britain to Ukraine.
British-Ukrainian Aid, bringing together the efforts of the UK and Ukraine, offers humanitarian and medical assistance to the wounded, veterans, orphans, the elderly, internally displaced persons, refugees and families who have lost their military breadwinner. All members of the group are volunteers and work on charitable projects after their main work.
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UvhN6AEOQwhttps://youtu.be/GBuvOMz-nH
#BADZINGER AUTO, AMBULANCE, AUTO, BOBYLEV, POLSHKOV, VOLUNTEER, ЛИКО-ХОЛДИНГ
The sales of new trucks weighing over 3.5 tonnes in January-July this year increased by 72.6% compared to the same period in 2020, to 2,746 units, according to AUTO-Consulting.
According to information on its website, 521 trucks were sold in July, which is 30.9% more than in the same month last year.
“Road construction continues to be the market driver. Dump trucks are bought like “hotcakes,” and it was the supply of equipment for road workers in July that changed the balance of power in the market,” analysts say.
Leadership in July 2021, as in the previous year, was retained by Belarusian-based MAZ with a market share of 15% and the sale of 78 vehicles (five more than in July 2020).
German-based MAN, which came in second with a margin of three vehicles, became the leader in the heavy-duty truck segment at the same time.
Scania maintained its third position, adding 30% in sales, to 70 vehicles and taking 13.4% of the market, and in the heavy segment it ranked second.
“In July, these three manufacturers managed to break away from competitors in terms of supplies and each sold more than 70 units of equipment,” the experts state.
The fourth was Ford Trucks with 55 vehicles sold and an increase of 72%, and Volvo ranked fifth in July (compared to the ninth place a year earlier) with the largest growth of 2.7 times, to 38 units.
A year earlier, the third and fourth lines of the July rating were occupied by Renault and Mercedes-Benz (in July this year – the eighth and sixth lines of the rating, respectively).
