Concept, Congress and IDEA

Daimler Trucks’ FUSO introduces eCanter SensorCollect concept refuse truck

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 13, 2020

Daimler Trucks’ Japan-based subsidiary FUSO recently introduced the eCanter SensorCollect concept truck with a demonstration run at its Kawasaki headquarters. The FUSO eCanter SensorCollect is a concept garbage collection truck based on the all-electric eCanter. Through these events, more than 100 ideas to date have been generated.

Concept

Concept Ireland Portugal Denmark

Airflow and Pipistrel partner on electric propulsion system for Airflow’s proof-of-concept eSTOL aircraft

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2021

an aerospace startup building a next-generation electric Short Takeoff and Landing (eSTOL) aircraft, and Pipistrel, a world-leading small aircraft designer and manufacturer, announced a partnership through which Pipistrel will supply motors, motor controllers, and batteries for Airflow’s proof-of-concept aircraft. Airflow.aero, Inc.,

Concept

Concept Electrical Electric Motors

Polestar unveils O2 concept electric roadster

Green Car Congress

MARCH 7, 2022

Polestar, the pure-play electric performance car brand, revealed the Polestar O 2 concept car, a hard-top convertible roadster. Developed in collaboration with Aerofugia’s consumer electronics brand Hoco Flow, the concept drone can be deployed while the car is moving, to record the perfect driving sequence.

Concept

Concept Electrical Electric Light

Toyota Connected’s ‘Cabin Awareness’ concept uses new tech to detect occupants

Green Car Congress

JUNE 1, 2022

Toyota Connected North America (TCNA), an independent software and innovation center of excellence, has introduced its Cabin Awareness concept technology that uses millimeter-wave, high-resolution 4D imaging radar to help detect occupants (including certain pets) in cars and has the potential to detect them if ever they’re left behind.

Concept

Concept Toyota Connect Connected

Toyota and Clemson showcase Gen-Z focused EV concept at SAE World Congress

Green Car Congress

APRIL 13, 2016

At the 2016 SAE World Congress, Toyota and Clemson University unveiled an innovative, flexible concept called uBox that is intended to appeal to the next generation of car buyers: Gen-Z. The roof pultrusion was something unexpected and very interesting when they first started talking about the concept. —Craig Payne.

Congress

Congress Toyota Concept Carbon Fiber

Scania unveils modular battery-electric self-driving urban concept vehicle

Green Car Congress

JUNE 11, 2019

Scania, a member of the Volkswagen Group, has developed a new modular battery-electric self-driving urban concept vehicle–NXT—designed with the flexibility to shift from ferrying commuters to and from work in mornings and evenings, delivering goods during the day and collecting refuse at night.

Concept

Concept Battery Batteries Vehicles

Congress finally agrees on electric bike bill – but not the one everyone wanted

Baua Electric

JANUARY 30, 2024

The concept was similar to the tax credits already available for buying electric cars, except that instead of helping people with disposable income save more money on massive city-clogging vehicles, the EBIKE Act was designed to help lower-income Americans afford smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient electric bicycles.

Congress

Congress Tax Credit Electrical Electric

Hyundai describes Metamobility concept, introduces Mobility of Things

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 5, 2022

Hyundai Motor used CES in Las Vegas as the platform to describe its new “Metamobility concept”, which will incorporate the use of robotics in both the real world and the metaverse to allow “unlimited freedom of mobility” unconstrained by the physical limitations of movement in time and space.

Hyundai

Hyundai Concept Las Vegas Connect

National Ignition Facility achieves fusion ignition

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 14, 2022

Led by physicist John Nuckolls, who later served as LLNL director from 1988 to 1994, this idea became inertial confinement fusion, kicking off more than 60 years of research and development in lasers, optics, diagnostics, target fabrication, computer modeling and simulation and experimental design.

Fusion

Fusion Massachusetts Nevada Universal

New concept with anthraquinone-based organic cathode advances aluminum battery technology

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 1, 2019

Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and the National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia, have developed a new concept for an aluminum battery delivering twice the energy density as previous versions, made of abundant materials, and with the potential to reduce production costs and environmental impact. 2019.07.033.

Concept

Concept Slovenia Lithium Ion Battery

KIT concept for simultaneous coasting and drying of two-layered electrodes could speed production and lower costs

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed and successfully tested an innovative concept for simultaneous coating and drying of two-layered electrodes. With the help of this concept, lithium-ion batteries could be produced more rapidly and at lower cost.

Kits

Kits Concept Lithium Ion Production

Sumitomo Rubber and Sumitomo Electric to join Sumitomo Riko, LanzaTech project

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 8, 2023

This will accelerate Sumitomo efforts to create a sustainable society characterized by carbon neutrality and a circular economy—the goals of its circular economy concept, “TOWANOWA.” The partners are also contemplating the idea of recycling the metals recovered during the gasifying process and reusing them as raw materials.

Waste

Waste Economy Gas-Electric IDEA

President Obama calls on Congress to establish $2B Energy Security Trust for advanced transportation research, funded by oil and gas royalty revenues

Green Car Congress

MARCH 15, 2013

In an speech at Argonne National Laboratory today, President Obama called on Congress to establish a new Energy Security Trust (EST) to invest in critical, breakthrough research focused on developing cost-effective transportation alternatives. This is not a Democratic idea or a Republican idea, it’s just a smart idea.”

Obama

Obama Congress Oil Transportation

Nissan unveils Ariya Concept electric crossover at Tokyo Motor Show

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 23, 2019

Nissan unveiled the Ariya Concept, a crossover EV with twin electric motors, powerful acceleration, award-winning driver assistance technology and a look that signals a complete reinvention of the brand’s design. The Ariya Concept features the latest version of Nissan’s award-winning driver assistance system, ProPILOT 2.0.

Nissan

Nissan Concept Motor Motors

BMW presents two concept electric two-wheelers at IAA Mobility: BMW i Vision AMBY and BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

BMW is presenting two concept electric two-wheelers at IAA Mobility: BMW i Vision AMBY , a high-speed pedelec and BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY, combining the benefits of a motorcycle with those of a bicycle. AMBY stands for “Adaptive Mobility”. Both vehicles are electrically powered with three speed levels for different types of road.

BMW

BMW Concept Motorcycles Store

Volkswagen Group introduces first Group autonomous driving concept: Sedric

Green Car Congress

MARCH 7, 2017

At the Geneva Motor Show, the Volkswagen Group is introducing Sedric (self-driving car)—an SAE Level 5 autonomous battery-electric vehicle concept. Sedric is the first concept car from the Volkswagen Group (as opposed to being a concept car developed by one of the Group brands). That is something our brands excel in.

Concept

Concept Automobile Future IDEA

Volkswagen to put MEB-based electric I.D. BUZZ microbus concept into production; Cargo variant too

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 19, 2017

BUZZ microbus concept into production. Volkswagen presented the concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Just like the concept car that was shown in Detroit, the production model will also have its batteries mounted in the vehicle floor. Volkswagen announced it will put the battery-electric I.D. Earlier post.)

Concept

Concept Detroit Production North America

Ohio workshop seeks ideas for National Network for Manufacturing Innovation

Green Car Congress

JUNE 13, 2012

NASA and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) are sponsoring the second in a series of regional public workshops to gather ideas and suggestions on the design of the proposed National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). The workshop will be held 9 July at the Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland.

Ohio

Ohio IDEA Manufacturer Cleveland

INFINITI developing all-new electric vehicle platform influenced by Q Inspiration concept

Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2018

In Beijing, INFINITI Motor Company announced it is developing an all-new electrified vehicle platform influenced by the Q Inspiration concept car. When INFINITI unveiled the Q Inspiration at NAIAS this January, the concept was powered by a VC-Turbo variable compression ratio engine powertrain. Earlier post.).

Infinity

Infinity Concept All-Electric Tribute

Honda unveils Urban EV Concept, production version in 2019; electrified technology for every new model launched in Europe

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

President and CEO, Takahiro Hachigo unveiled Honda’s new electric vehicle, the Urban EV Concept, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Urban EV Concept is built on a completely new platform, and sets the direction for the technology and design that will appear on a future battery electric Honda production model. Honda Motor Co.

Honda

Honda Concept Europe 2019

Subaru to introduce updated VIZIV plug-in hybrid concept at Tokyo Motor Show

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 30, 2013

At the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, Subaru will debut the Subaru VIZIV Evolution Concept plug-in hybrid—an advanced form of the future-generation crossover concept VIZIV CONCEPT exhibited at the 2013 Geneva International Motor Show. The earlier VIZIV concept featured a 2.0-liter Earlier post.).

Plug-in

Plug-in Concept Plug Motors

Nissan introduces series-hybrid Gripz Concept leveraging LEAF platform

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Nissan unveiled a new compact crossover concept, the Nissan Gripz Concept, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Gripz Concept is a series-hybrid system in which a small efficient gasoline engine is used to power the electric motor found in the Nissan LEAF. Nissan calls the series-hybrid system “Pure Drive e-Power”.

Nissan

Nissan Concept Hybrid London

California ARB releases concept paper for public review on reducing short-lived climate pollutants

Green Car Congress

MAY 8, 2015

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has released , for public review, a concept paper to initiate discussion on the development of a Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy. The intent of the paper is to elicit new ideas and refine strategies to reduce emissions of SLCPs throughout the state.

Pollution

Pollution Climate Concept California

Toyota showing two new fuel cell concepts at Tokyo Motor Show: bus and car

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 18, 2017

Toyota has launched two new fuel cell vehicle concepts: the Sora fuel cell bus and the Fine Comfort Ride fuel cell car. Toyota developed the Sora concept model guided by two ideas: to make best use of the characteristics of the FC unit; and to enhance the comfort of passengers traveling on bus routes.

Concept

Concept Toyota Motors Motoring

DLR fuel cell power pack gives cargo bikes added power; spin-off to provide technology and logistics concept

Green Car Congress

JULY 9, 2018

DLR researchers are organising a spin-off project to deploy the technology alongside an innovative logistics concept that is faster and more flexible than a car or van, while also ensuring quiet and emissions-free operation. The modular structure of the Fuel Cell Power Pack means it can be easily integrated in current bicycle concepts.

Concept

Concept Power Powered Fuel

MIT proof-of-concept demo of ionic wind propulsion for aircraft

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 22, 2018

The researchers describe their proof of concept for electroaerodynamic (EAD) airplane propulsion in a paper in the journal Nature. This was the simplest possible plane we could design that could prove the concept that an ion plane could fly. Sped up 2x. Credit: Steven Barrett. Click on image to see the flight. —Steven Barrett.

MIT

MIT Wind Concept Convert

MIT researchers use neural networks to speed materials design; 5 weeks vs 50 years for flow battery proof-of-concept

Green Car Congress

MARCH 27, 2020

The challenge they chose for the proof-of-concept trial was materials for use in redox flow batteries, a type of battery that holds promise for large, grid-scale batteries that could play a significant role in enabling clean, renewable energy. —Heather Kulik. —Heather Kulik.

MIT

MIT Design Concept Battery

DLR fuel cell power pack gives cargo bikes added power; spin-off to provide technology and logistics concept

Green Car Congress

JULY 9, 2018

DLR researchers are organising a spin-off project to deploy the technology alongside an innovative logistics concept that is faster and more flexible than a car or van, while also ensuring quiet and emissions-free operation. The modular structure of the Fuel Cell Power Pack means it can be easily integrated in current bicycle concepts.

Concept

Concept Power Powered Fuel

Cadillac unveils Escala Concept, previewing future design direction; 4.2L twin-turbo V-8 with Active Fuel Management

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 19, 2016

Cadillac revealed the Escala Concept, introducing the next evolution of Cadillac design and previewing the craftsmanship and technology being developed for many future models. The Escala Concept previews the design and technical ideas driving the next phase of Cadillac’s ongoing expansion. Escala uses a new 4.2-liter

Cadillac

Cadillac Concept Design Future

Zetsche to keynote at 2015 International CES with focus on autonomous vehicle technology and debut of new car concept

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 6, 2014

They keynote will also feature the world-debut of a new car concept. Dr. Zetsche will discuss autonomous vehicle technology and its impact on society, mobility and environment, as well as raise ideas and questions for the future. His address is slated for 8 PM Monday, 5 January at the Chelsea Theater within the Cosmopolitan.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas 2015 International Concept

MINI to present MINI Electric Concept design study at the IAA; all-electric production model in 2019

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 30, 2017

MINI will present the new MINI Electric Concept design study at the IAA Cars 2017 show in Frankfurt am Main. Designed for use in urban areas, this concept car offers a window into how pure-electric day-to-day mobility might look in the years ahead. MINI will present an all-electric series-production model in 2019.

All-Electric

All-Electric Mini E Concept 2019

Toyota expands Concept-i series; advanced AI learns from and aims to grow with the driver

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 16, 2017

Toyota Motor Corporation is expanding its “Toyota Concept-i” electric concept car into a series that embodies the future vision of a mobility society through which artificial intelligence (AI) enables cars to understand the driver, effectively allowing people and cars to become partners. Toyota Concept-i series.

Concept

Concept Toyota Conversion Three Wheeled

Bright Automotives Plug-in IDEA Debuts on Tuesday

Green Car Congress

APRIL 19, 2009

Bright Automotive will unveil its IDEA plug-in hybrid concept on Tuesday in Washington, DC. Bright will then take the IDEA will to Norway in May 2009 for the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS24).

Bright Automotive

Bright Automotive IDEA Plug-in Plug

Cadillac Converj extended range EV concept officially headed for production

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 17, 2011

GM announced that the Cadillac Converj extended range electric vehicle concept ( earlier post ) is moving forward as a production car that will be called the Cadillac ELR. The Converj Concept sparked the idea of combining the desirability of a grand touring coupe with electrification, said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, Global Design.

Extended Range

Extended Range Cadillac Concept Range

New split-cycle concept to control diesel HCCI combustion

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 25, 2010

A team from Universita degli Studi di Pisa (Italy) and Rolf Reitz at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are proposing a novel combustion concept—Homogenous Charge Progressive Combustion (HCPC)—based on a split-cycle principle to control HCCI combustion in diesel-fueled engines. Tamagna, D., Gentili, R. ICEF2007-1743 (2007).

Concept

Concept Diesel San Diego 2010

Honda introduces “Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem” at CES 2017; Honda Riding Assist, NeuV concept w/ AI emotion engine

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 6, 2017

Honda unveiled its Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem concept at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, connecting artificial intelligence, robotics and big data to transform the mobility experience of the future. The company also introduced Honda Riding Assist, a concept motorcycle that applies Honda’s robotics technology to maintain balance.

Honda

Honda Concept 2017 Engine

Toyota goes all hybrid for Frankfurt Motor Show; Yaris Hybrid-R concept, fuel cell update

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 19, 2013

Teaser sketch of Yaris Hybrid-R concept. Yaris Hybrid-R concept. The Yaris Hybrid-R is a concept car created as a showcase of possible ideas for the development of hybrid technology for maximum performance and increased driving pleasure, Toyota says. Click to enlarge.

Hybrid

Hybrid Toyota Concept Motors

ARPA-E announces up to $10M in funding to identify and support new energy technologies; CREATE

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 18, 2023

CREATE will collect outside-the-box ideas from businesses, laboratories, and universities for a wide range of energy technologies, so we can pursue as many energy solutions as possible. ARPA-E’s mission is to support high-impact, potentially transformative energy solutions, and we like to look at a variety of options to solve a problem.

Energy

Energy IDEA Concept Universal

European HEFT project seeks lower-cost, more efficient and power-dense PM emotor for EVs

Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2023

HEFT plans 8 work packages (WPs) to implement these concepts, where 5 research partners will be essential for developing innovative ideas around the design-to-x approach, while strong companies (GKN, MAGNETI, VYNCOLIT) will ensure that HEFT results have a clear market orientation and fulfil the industry needs.

Power

Power Powered Motors Motoring

Volkswagen using AR to design new production lines in Chattanooga

Green Car Congress

MARCH 13, 2020

The original concept for the system was sketched out in two weeks by Volkswagen’s Advanced Technologies group. It’s really a communications platform, and people can use it to share ideas quickly. Once you see an idea in AR, you really believe it. —Steffan Nunn, digital factory specialist at Volkswagen Chattanooga.

Design

Design Production Tennessee IDEA

Argonne white paper outlines battery and R&D requirements for electric aviation

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

The paper explores four aircraft concepts: air taxis; 20-passenger commuter aircrafts; 50-passenger regional jets; and 150-passenger, single-aisle 737-class aircraft. For each concept, the paper describes a research area where DOE and NASA could help spur innovation in electric aviation batteries.

Battery

Battery Batteries Lithium Ion Li-ion

Glencore orders full fleet of Epiroc battery-electric mining equipment for Onaping Depth nickel and copper mine in Canada

Green Car Congress

JULY 9, 2022

Onaping Depth is intended to be a complete break from the traditional idea of underground mining. Earlier, Caterpillar tested the proof-of-concept battery electric R1300 at Sudbury INO with the machine running in trials alongside its diesel equivalent. Real-time remote management, monitoring, and control will be done from the surface.

Canada

Canada Fleet Battery Batteries

Lexus LF-Gh Hybrid Concept to debut at 2011 New York International Auto Show

Green Car Congress

APRIL 5, 2011

Lexus announced that the LF-Gh hybrid concept will make its world debut at the 2011 New York International Auto Show. The LF-Gh concept conveys original thoughts and ideas that may migrate to future Lexus vehicles on a global scale.

New York

New York Lexus 2011 International

Renault and TheArsenale unveil AIR4 electric flying showcar

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 27, 2021

The rigidity has been completely revised to include new concepts such as thrust or lift, which required hours of calculations and tests.

Carbon Fiber

Carbon Fiber France Electrical Electric

Daimler Trucks’ FUSO introduces eCanter SensorCollect concept refuse truck

Airflow and Pipistrel partner on electric propulsion system for Airflow’s proof-of-concept eSTOL aircraft

Polestar unveils O2 concept electric roadster

Toyota Connected’s ‘Cabin Awareness’ concept uses new tech to detect occupants

Toyota and Clemson showcase Gen-Z focused EV concept at SAE World Congress

Scania unveils modular battery-electric self-driving urban concept vehicle

Congress finally agrees on electric bike bill – but not the one everyone wanted

Hyundai describes Metamobility concept, introduces Mobility of Things

National Ignition Facility achieves fusion ignition

New concept with anthraquinone-based organic cathode advances aluminum battery technology

KIT concept for simultaneous coasting and drying of two-layered electrodes could speed production and lower costs

Sumitomo Rubber and Sumitomo Electric to join Sumitomo Riko, LanzaTech project

President Obama calls on Congress to establish $2B Energy Security Trust for advanced transportation research, funded by oil and gas royalty revenues

Nissan unveils Ariya Concept electric crossover at Tokyo Motor Show

BMW presents two concept electric two-wheelers at IAA Mobility: BMW i Vision AMBY and BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY

Volkswagen Group introduces first Group autonomous driving concept: Sedric

Volkswagen to put MEB-based electric I.D. BUZZ microbus concept into production; Cargo variant too

Ohio workshop seeks ideas for National Network for Manufacturing Innovation

INFINITI developing all-new electric vehicle platform influenced by Q Inspiration concept

Honda unveils Urban EV Concept, production version in 2019; electrified technology for every new model launched in Europe

Subaru to introduce updated VIZIV plug-in hybrid concept at Tokyo Motor Show

Nissan introduces series-hybrid Gripz Concept leveraging LEAF platform

California ARB releases concept paper for public review on reducing short-lived climate pollutants

Toyota showing two new fuel cell concepts at Tokyo Motor Show: bus and car

DLR fuel cell power pack gives cargo bikes added power; spin-off to provide technology and logistics concept

MIT proof-of-concept demo of ionic wind propulsion for aircraft

MIT researchers use neural networks to speed materials design; 5 weeks vs 50 years for flow battery proof-of-concept

DLR fuel cell power pack gives cargo bikes added power; spin-off to provide technology and logistics concept

Cadillac unveils Escala Concept, previewing future design direction; 4.2L twin-turbo V-8 with Active Fuel Management

Zetsche to keynote at 2015 International CES with focus on autonomous vehicle technology and debut of new car concept

MINI to present MINI Electric Concept design study at the IAA; all-electric production model in 2019

Toyota expands Concept-i series; advanced AI learns from and aims to grow with the driver

Bright Automotives Plug-in IDEA Debuts on Tuesday

Cadillac Converj extended range EV concept officially headed for production

New split-cycle concept to control diesel HCCI combustion

Honda introduces “Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem” at CES 2017; Honda Riding Assist, NeuV concept w/ AI emotion engine

Toyota goes all hybrid for Frankfurt Motor Show; Yaris Hybrid-R concept, fuel cell update

ARPA-E announces up to $10M in funding to identify and support new energy technologies; CREATE

European HEFT project seeks lower-cost, more efficient and power-dense PM emotor for EVs

Volkswagen using AR to design new production lines in Chattanooga

Argonne white paper outlines battery and R&D requirements for electric aviation

Glencore orders full fleet of Epiroc battery-electric mining equipment for Onaping Depth nickel and copper mine in Canada

Lexus LF-Gh Hybrid Concept to debut at 2011 New York International Auto Show

Renault and TheArsenale unveil AIR4 electric flying showcar

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