Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2012

Mercedes-Benz and Glympse, the mobile technology company that pioneered temporary real-time location sharing, are teaming up to provide real-time location sharing to their drivers by integrating Glympse into the new Mercedes-Benz Digital DriveStyle application, set to launch in the new A-Class in September. Glympse allows GPS-enabled mobile phone users to share their location for a pre-set period of time with anyone they choose.

Mercedes 281

Mercedes Detroit Universal Companies 281

Green Car Congress

JUNE 2, 2012

In an address at the 2012 Mackinac Policy Conference, Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford said that “ Michigan must become the Silicon Valley of the mobility revolution ” and outlined key public policy areas to help improve the state’s competitiveness and ensure that the state realizes the full benefit of that impending revolution. Ford told the delegates that the trends emerging in manufacturing, green technology and mobility demonstrate a great opportunity for Michigan to create a

Michigan 271

Michigan Ford Green Automobile 271

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

The Coca-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, H.J. Heinz Company, NIKE, Inc. and Procter & Gamble have formed the Plant PET Technology Collaborative (PTC), a strategic working group focused on accelerating the development and use of 100% plant-based PET (polyethylene terephthalate) materials and fiber in their products. PET is a durable, lightweight plastic that is used by all member companies in a variety of products and materials including plastic bottles, apparel, footwear and automotive fabric

Ford 262

Ford Canada Climate Oil 262

Green Car Congress

JUNE 4, 2012

Isomerization/dimerization of β-pinene. Source: Meylemans et al. Click to enlarge. Researchers at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at China Lake have developed a process for the synthesis of high energy density renewable fuels through the selective dimerization of α-pinene, camphene, limonene and crude turpentine using the heterogeneous catalysts Nafion, Nafion SAC-13, and Montmorillonite K-10.

Renewable 261

Renewable Fuel Diesel Cheap 261

Green Car Congress

JUNE 4, 2012

Verizon Communications Inc. will acquire Hughes Telematics , Inc. (HTI) for $12.00 per share in cash, or a total of $612 million. The transaction will expand Verizon's capabilities in the automotive and fleet telematics marketplace and accelerate growth in key vertical segments, including emerging machine-to-machine (M2M) services applications driven by consumer trends and increasingly connected lifestyles.

Fleet 255

Fleet Atlanta Connect Connected 255

Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2012

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected nine universities for awards for research projects that will continue to support innovation and development of advanced, lower emission coal technologies. The projects at the nine universities will each receive approximately $300,000 to focus on the development of high-temperature, high-pressure corrosion-resistant alloys; protective coatings; and structural materials for advanced coal-fired power plants and gas turbines.

Coal 250

Coal Universal Indiana Tennessee 250

Green Car Congress

JUNE 4, 2012

The team of the University of Maryland is the winner of the 2012 Hydrogen Student Design Contest, announced on Sunday by the US Department of Energy at the Young Scientist Symposium of the World Hydrogen Energy Conference 2012 in Toronto, Canada. For the 2012 Contest, students were challenged to plan and design a tri-generation system that produces electricity, heat, and hydrogen for their university campus.

Maryland 247

Maryland Universal 2012 Hydrogen 247

Green Car Congress

JUNE 4, 2012

BIOX Corporation, Canada’s largest biodiesel producer, signed definitive agreements with International-Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT) to secure the site and related infrastructure for the construction of its second biodiesel production facility. BIOX’s second facility will have a 100 million liter annual capacity (26.4 million gallons US)—50% larger than its existing facility in Hamilton, Ontario—and will be located within the IMTT terminal in Bayonne, New Jersey, at New York Harbor.

New York 246

New York Production Building New Jersey 246

Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2012

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released a “Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving” that offers a strategy to address the growing and dangerous practice of driver’s use of handheld cell phones behind the wheel. While unveiling the plan, Secretary LaHood also announced $2.4 million in federal support for California and Delaware that will expand DOT’s “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” pilot enforcement campaign to reduce distracted driving.

Delaware 244

Delaware Virgin Islands District of Columbia California 244

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

By 2025, ExxonMobil predicts natural gas will overtake coal to become the second most widely used source of energy worldwide. This historic shift of global energy markets toward increased use of natural gas will create new opportunities for economic growth and environmental progress, said Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation in a speech at the 25 th World Gas Conference in Malaysia.

Coal 244

Coal Gas North America Energy 244

Green Car Congress

JUNE 3, 2012

Projected changes in summer mean usable capacity of power plants in the US and Europe for the SRES A2 emissions scenario for the 2040s (2031–2060) relative to the control period (1971–2000). Source: van Vliet et al. Click to enlarge. A study published in Nature Climate Change suggests that thermoelectric power plants (i.e., nuclear and fossil-fueled generating units) in Europe and the United States are vulnerable to climate change due to the combined impacts of lower summer river flows and highe

Climate Change 244

Climate Change Water Climate Europe 244

Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

Shell and its affiliates have signed a memorandum of understanding with TravelCenters of America LLC (TA) to sell liquefied natural gas (LNG) to heavy-duty road transport customers in the US through TA’s existing nationwide network of full-service fueling centers. Pending final agreements, the proposed plans include constructing more than 200 LNG fuel lanes at about 100 TA sites and Petro Stopping Centers throughout the US interstate highway system.

America 240

America North America Fleet Mariner 240

Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

Enerkem Inc., a waste-to-biofuels and chemicals company, has begun initial production of cellulosic ethanol from waste materials at its demonstration facility in Westbury, Québec. ( Earlier post.). The start of ethanol production at our Westbury facility is a significant milestone. Enerkem has already produced cellulosic ethanol at its smaller scale pilot laboratory facility in Sherbrooke.

Waste 240

Waste Production Canada Conversion 240

Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

Following an investigation into the cause of a sodium-sulfur battery fire on 21 September 2011 at Mitsubishi Materials Corp.’s Tsukuba, NGK Insulators Ltd. will begin collecting its existing sodium-sulfur (NaS) batteries from customers to make safety modifications. In the aftermath of the fire, NGK had ceased production of the NaS batteries. The investigation concluded that the fire was caused by a manufacturing defect in one of the cells (384 cells per module, 40 50 kW modules per 2,000 kW syst

Sodium 240

Sodium Batteries Battery Production 240

Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2012

The city of Schiermonnikoog in the province of Friesland, Netherlands is acquiring six new, long-range, all-electric BYD buses to launch in early 2013. In a European legal tender and open bid supported by four major bus manufacturers, BYD came out on top. BYD scored the highest in meeting program goals and won not only an order for the six electric buses, but also a 15-year maintenance contract.

Netherlands 240

Netherlands BYD Legal Maintenance 240

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

UQM Technologies, Inc. has begun supplying the recently introduced PowerPhase HD 220 electric drive systems ( earlier post ) to Boulder EV to build delivery vans for FedEx Express. Boulder EV will use the PowerPhase HD 220 systems in its composite delivery van designed specifically as an all-electric vehicle. Delivering a maximum output of 220 kW, and 120 kW on a continuous basis, the PowerPhase HD 220 offers commercial trucks and buses an efficient path to the adoption of electric propulsion te

Power 240

Power Powered All-Electric Electric 240

Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

Verizon announced the formation of the 4G Venture Forum for Connected Cars, a group of leading global automotive companies brought together by Verizon to accelerate the pace of innovation across the automotive and telematics 4G LTE ecosystem. BMW, Honda, Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. are joining Verizon as the initial members of the Forum.

Connect 236

Connect Connected Companies Auto 236

Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

Nissan will make it “Easy-Fill Tire Alert” system available on all future models it brings to market beginning in 2013. This safety feature, which also bolsters fuel economy, currently comes standard on all 2013 Nissan Altima, 2012 Nissan LEAF and 2012 Nissan Quest models, with standard or optional availability on more products to follow later this year.

Fuel Economy 236

Fuel Economy 2013 Nissan Economy 236

Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2012

Bridgestone Corporation has successfully polymerized high-cis polyisoprene synthetic rubber from Ajinomoto’s bio-isoprene, produced from biomass using a fermentation pathway. Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is a global manufacturer of high-quality seasonings, processed foods, beverages, amino acids, pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. The partners aim to commercialize synthetic rubber for tires using bio-based isoprene and are proceeding with the research.

Polymer 236

Polymer Automobile 2013 2011 236

Green Car Congress

JUNE 5, 2012

The Purdue University-developed fast-hydropyrolysis-hydrodeoxygenation process for creating biofuels—H 2 Bioil ( earlier post )—could be cost-competitive when crude oil prices range from $99 to $116 per barrel, depending upon the source of hydrogen, the cost of biomass and the presence or absence of a federal carbon tax, according to a new study by the Purdue team.

Oil Prices 236

Oil Prices Tax Coal Hydrogen 236

Green Car Congress

JUNE 2, 2012

Researchers at the South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, have developed a method for a two-step carbon coating method of lithium vanadium phosphate Li 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 to produce a high-rate cathode for Li-ion batteries. In a paper in the Journal of Power Sources , they sugests that the method can be easily transplanted to prepare other lithiated vanadium-based phosphates.

Carbon 236

Carbon Li-ion Lithium Ion 2012 236

Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

The average temperature for the contiguous US during May was 64.3°F (17.9 °C), 3.3 °F above the long-term average, making it the second warmest May on record, according to the May/Spring Monthly Climate Report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The month’s high temperatures also contributed to the warmest spring, warmest year-to-date, and warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since record keeping began in 1895.

2000 231

2000 United States 2011 2012 231

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

Johnson Controls, Inc. will build a $200-million automotive battery plant in Tianjin, China, pending final approval. The facility will supply automakers and the aftermarket in China with high quality maintenance-free lead-acid starter batteries and advanced batteries for start-stop vehicles. Construction for the Tianjin plant will begin between 2012 and the first half of 2013 with production expected to start in late 2014.

China 231

China Lead Acid Batteries Battery 231

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Coordinator for Health Information Technology announced a nationwide challenge called My Air, My Health (MAMH). The MAMH challenge offers awards for the development of a personal, portable, near-real-time, location-specific system to monitor and report air pollutants and a person’s physiological response to pollution.

Pollution 231

Pollution Personal EPA Available 231

Green Car Congress

JUNE 5, 2012

Shell Canada Limited (Shell) and its partners have selected TransCanada Corporation to design, build, own and operate the proposed Coastal GasLink project, an estimated $4-billion pipeline that will transport natural gas from the Montney gas-producing region near Dawson Creek, British Columbia (BC) to the recently-announced LNG Canada liquefied natural gas export facility near Kitimat, BC.

Gas 231

Gas Canada Corporation Mitsubishi 231

Green Car Congress

JUNE 5, 2012

Public transportation ridership rose 5% to nearly 2.7 billion trips in the first quarter of 2012 over the first quarter of last year, according to a report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). This was the fifth consecutive quarter of US public transit ridership increase, as 125.7 million more trips were taken than the first quarter of 2011.

2012 231

2012 Transportation Cleveland Los Angeles 231

Green Car Congress

JUNE 2, 2012

As part of an extensive structural and management realignment, the Volkswagen Group is adding a new Board of Management function for China, emphasizing the significance of the largest sales market in the world. The Volkswagen Group delivered some 2.3 million vehicles in the China region in the 2011 fiscal year and reported a pro rata operating profit there of €2.6 billion (US$3.23 billion).

Parts 231

Parts China Bentley Audi 231

Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

New Flyer Industries Inc. has delivered the first dedicated Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) public transit buses using the new Xcelsior Platform to Culver City Bus in California. The Xcelsior buses are lighter-weight, more fuel-efficient and quieter than their predecessors. The order for twenty low-floor Xcelsior (XN40) buses was placed using options from another US transit agency for a total purchase price of approximately US$11 million.

Los Angeles 225

Los Angeles Purchase 2009 Gas-Electric 225

Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2012

A new study based on deep-sea sediment cores, published in the journal Nature , has found that during the Miocene period ~12–5 million years ago, climate was decoupled from atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. During that time, temperatures across a broad swath of the North Pacific were 9–14 °F warmer than today, while atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations remained low—200–350?

Water 225

Water CO2 Climate San Francisco 225

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

Luxoft, a global provider of advanced application and product development services, announced at the Telematics Detroit 2012 Conference & Exhibition a technology preview of its open source iviLink connectivity platform. This preview allows developers to dive into iviLink’s symmetric architecture, understand its working model along with the wide range of usage models it supports. iviLink, a free-to-download software, enables connectivity between mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablet PCs,

Connect 225

Connect Connected 2012 Detroit 225

Green Car Congress

JUNE 4, 2012

Panasonic Corporation will begin mass- production this month of a compact, secure and long-life lithium-ion battery system the company has developed for European homes. This marks the first time for the company to produce in volume such a system designed for Europe. The lithium-ion battery system consists of the Panasonic battery module with nominal capacity of 1.35 kWh and a battery management system designed to control charge and discharge of the battery in accordance with customer needs.

Solar 225

Solar Li-ion Lithium Ion Europe 225

Green Car Congress

JUNE 3, 2012

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc., a clean water company that recovers phosphorus and nitrogen from industrial and municipal wastewaters to create premium fertilizers, completed a US$14.5-million private equity financing. Led by VantagePoint Capital Partners, a global investor in energy innovation and efficiency, the financing also included existing Ostara investor, London-based Frog Capital and a group of new investors including Waste Resources Fund L.P., a fund managed by FourWinds Ca

Water 225

Water Clean Cleaning Companies 225

Green Car Congress

JUNE 7, 2012

Ford’s China passenger car joint venture, Changan Ford Mazda Automotive Ltd. (CFMA) posted record sales of 34,550 wholesale Ford-brand cars in May 2012, a 23% increase compared to May 2011. Results were driven by the popularity of the new Focus, with almost 13,000 units sold. Ford China sold 48,608 combined wholesale units of passenger car and commercial vehicles in May, an 8% increase from May 2011.

Ford 218

Ford China Mazda 2012 218

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

NEC Corporation and GS Yuasa Corporation concluded an agreement to supply components for the lithium-ion battery field. Initially, the companies aim to determine the conditions under which NEC will provide its lithium-ion battery electrodes to GS Yuasa by the end of October 2012. The companies then seek to expand their cooperation in the energy storage field through areas such as lithium-ion batteries for energy storage systems.

Lithium Ion 218

Lithium Ion Supplies Energy Storage Batteries 218

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

The GENIVI Alliance, an automotive and consumer electronics industry association driving the development and adoption of an open in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) reference platform, announced that six new products have been approved compliant to the recently updated GENIVI Compliance 2.0 specification. GENIVI Compliance 2.0 increases strictness by specifying more required components and moving some optional components to “required status.

Production 218

Production Vehicles Wind 2013 218

Green Car Congress

JUNE 6, 2012

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin led by Dr. James Dumesic report on the use of a biphasic reaction system using γ-valerolactone (GVL) as a solvent for the deconstruction of cellulose to produce levulinic and formic acids, which can be later converted to biofuels. Their paper is published in the RSC journal Energy & Environmental Science.

Production 218

Production Wisconsin Convert Conversion 218

Green Car Congress

JUNE 5, 2012

General Motors and its joint ventures sold a May record 231,183 vehicles in China. Demand was up 21.3% from the same month in 2011 and 1.7% from April of this year. Shanghai GM’s domestic sales rose 7.1% from May 2011 to 99,113 units. SAIC-GM-Wuling sold 127,749 vehicles in China, an increase of 35.9% year on year. FAW-GM sold 3,756 vehicles in the domestic market last month, down 0.7% from last May.

GM 218

GM China Sale Minivan 218