By the end of 2024, Idealease forecasts a positive advance of between 18 and 20% in the number of units under its management, derived from the strategies of renewing vehicles in its short-term rental fleet, so that it reaches an average age of three years. Another factor that stimulates progress is the growth of the active fleet and the pre-purchase of units before the entry into force of NOM-044 (which establishes the maximum limits of pollutant emissions from diesel engines) in January of next year.

The company currently has a fleet of approximately five thousand units, of which 45% are intended for short-term rental and 55% are leased with maintenance included with plans of three to six years.

Although the vast majority of Idealease’s fleet runs on diesel engines, for some years now it has been committed to adding vehicles with sustainable energy, with its Idealease electric fleet program to test last-mile vehicles , learn about market developments and find out how products respond to the country’s topography and loading conditions, explained Fernando Noriega, CEO of Idealease, in an interview.

“As far as electric vehicles are concerned, one of the biggest challenges is the charging infrastructure and the availability of energy. On the other hand, the autonomy of the vehicles is also a key factor. We are analyzing and testing the vehicles, but we are doing so with caution, taking into account that the industry itself is taking different directions. We know that change will eventually come, but it will take time,” said Noriega.

The director explained that although the path to reducing polluting emissions is complex and requires a complete ecosystem, in the case of electric vehicles, it is also true that diesel vehicles that comply with the Euro 6 regulations and which are normally those that will be sold from January of next year, are much cleaner, since the exhaust gases are much cleaner.

Given this scenario, Noriega explains that it is necessary to have a clear understanding of where the industry is going to move, and above all to consider the country’s infrastructure capacity to supply the energy required by vehicles, since  there is still not 100% availability of ultra-low sulfur diesel , which at some point could complicate the operation.

The director also explained that a high-sulphur diesel would affect the performance of the new engines and could present mechanical risks, which in the long run would cause vehicles to stop. Therefore, it is necessary to speed up the pace to cover the areas that do not have adequate fuel.

For next year, and based on dialogue with its clients, Idealease predicts a 10% growth in the volume of its fleet, “the mood in the industry is one of work, but also of many challenges that are being presented, we have to be aware of what is going to happen so that the world of logistics is not affected by decisions made in the country, however, we see a positive mood about what is happening,” he said.

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El cargo Idealease leverages growth in fleet renewal and pre-purchase before NOM-044 apareció primero en T21.

The potential dissolution of the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) and the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) as Autonomous Constitutional Bodies (OCA), with a proposal to transfer their functions to the Ministry of Energy (Sener), has created a climate of uncertainty in the energy sector. This situation is particularly concerning given the imminent review of the CRE’s NOM-016 and the upcoming enforcement of NOM-044.

NOM-044-SEMARNAT-2017, which will take effect on January 1, 2025, mandates that only cargo vehicles meeting Euro VI / EPA 10 standards can be sold. These standards require the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel (DUBA). However, Mexico’s national production capacity for petroleum products is limited, leading to a reliance on fuel imports, primarily from the United States. In the context of nearshoring, this situation is further complicated by the lack of DUBA availability across the country, as noted by Carlos Vallejo, founding partner of QUA Energy Consulting, in an interview.

This combination of factors presents a significant challenge for the industry, which must comply with stringent regulations in an environment of regulatory uncertainty and limitations in fuel supply.

Vallejo explained that, although there is an appetite for acquiring new units that comply with the regulation, the fact that engine specifications are more demanding in terms of fuel supply presents a challenge due to the uncertainty surrounding the distribution of ultra-low sulfur diesel (DUBA). He also highlighted the need for the authorities, specifically the Ministry of Energy (Sener), to properly monitor and address the relevant reviews of the CRE’s NOM-016 (Quality Specifications for Petroleum Products).

“We see that PEMEX is unable to supply service stations with DUBA. Over the past five years, we have witnessed a series of extensions that reflect the lack of necessary infrastructure in the six refineries, and the modernization processes remain incomplete. This prevents the state-owned company from producing fuel that meets the required sulfur specifications in parts per million. It is unlikely that they will complete the necessary adjustments in the coming months to effectively supply the fuel,” Vallejo detailed.

Given the possible reconfiguration of authorities and the dissolution of the CRE, the specialist mentioned that there could be another extension of NOM-016 until all related legal and regulatory bodies have been modified. Although these processes would take time, one option is for the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) to step in and prioritize the issue, ensuring that the necessary reviews are conducted.

On the other hand, Vallejo pointed out that even if the CRE is not dissolved, the problem of clean diesel distribution will persist because PEMEX is not prepared. In this context, a joint importation effort between the state-owned company and fuel importers could meet the demand. “That’s why it’s important to open up new permits to ensure that the necessary volumes can be supplied,” he stated.

Finally, Vallejo emphasized that given the potential variation in operational costs for transport and logistics companies, and considering that fuel expenses are among the highest, it is crucial to create a climate of certainty because the costs associated with transporting goods ultimately affect everyone.

In this regard, “It is urgent for the authorities to take effective action to make the necessary adjustments, including reviewing NOM-016 and opening new service stations that supply DUBA,” concluded the founding partner of QUA Energy Consulting.

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El cargo Extinction of CRE Sparks Uncertainty with the Implementation of NOM-044 apareció primero en T21.

Technology updates in diesel engines with a focus on being less polluting require the use of automotive urea (Diesel Exhaust Fluid – DEF), which aims to reduce nitrogen oxide (Nox) emissions emitted by these equipment.

In recent months it was announced that starting in January 2025 in Mexico, in accordance with the Official Mexican Standard for diesel engine emissions (NOM-044), only vehicles that comply with EURO VI and EPA technologies can be imported and produced. 10.

In this context, the DEF MX alliance was created from various automotive urea producers in different regions of the country, with the objective of addressing the lack of knowledge that exists regarding the use of this product for the correct use of technologies in diesel engines. “We must even begin by making service stations and transporters aware of the conditions, quality and certifications that must be reviewed,” commented Gerardo Medina Díaz, general director of Maya Blue , a member of the alliance, in an interview with T21.

For the operation of the engines of the technological binomials EURO V / EPA 07 and EURO VI / EPA 10, the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel (DUBA ) is required, while the use of urea is also necessary.

“We have found that the lack of knowledge about urea is great, the transporter does not know what it is for or where to get it, they are usually linked to the same distributors that sell the units,” said Alejandro Escobar, general director of Maxi Blue.

DEF MX is made up of Mayan Blue, Maxi Blue, Tecno Urea , 1Blue and UltraBlue , who have automotive urea production plants in Monterrey (Nuevo León), Torreón (Coahuila), Los Mochis (Sinaloa), Guadalajara (Jalisco), Querétaro (Querétaro), Veracruz (Veracruz) and Mérida (Yucatán).

One of the points on which the members of DEF MX work is to disseminate the advantages of using urea correctly , how efficiency is lost by traveling at lower speeds, as well as achieving lower performance.

For Gerardo Medina, the fact that urea is integrated as a complementary product to the DUBA sale would favor the efficiency of transporters, instead of looking for a spare parts factory to refuel the urea tank.

In the case of the members of this alliance, the product complies with the American Petroleum Institute (API) certifications, which is why they recommend to transporters that the purchased product have this certification to guarantee the correct operation of their units, Alejandro Escobar emphasized.

Gerardo Medina stressed that transporters must be aware of using the appropriate product to avoid damage to the equipment, which can range from filters to catalysts or other components.

“In addition to the impact we have on the benefits of lower polluting emissions, we also have an effect on society in general,” added Medina Díaz.

At DEF MX, in addition to the production plants, they have distribution centers in Manzanillo (Colima), Tlalnepantla (State of Mexico), Hermosillo (Sonora), Chihuahua (Chihuahua) and Altamira (Tamaulipas)

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El cargo DEF MX, Focused on Better Urea Adoption with Transporters and Service Stations apareció primero en T21.