Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 4, 2012

SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC Motor) is launching the battery-electric Roewe E50 on the market in China. The company expects to sell 1,000 of them within the first year. The E50 is based on a newly developed electric vehicle platform. Roewe E50. Click to enlarge. With a 47 kW motor and a battery pack from A123 Systems ( earlier post ), the E50 has a range of 180 km (112 miles) and a top speed of up to 120 km/h (75 mph).

Electric Vehicles 359

Electric Vehicles China Vehicles MPH 359

Green Car Reports

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

Fewer Chevrolet Volt owners would buy another this year than at the same time last year, Consumer Reports has discovered.Of course, when that figure is still 92 percent (down from 93) and the Volt has topped Consumer Reports' consumer satisfaction survey for the second year running, perhaps a drop isn't so bad. Unsurprisingly, the Volt is.

Volt 147

Volt Electric Cars Chevrolet Buy 147

National Green Transportation

NOVEMBER 27, 2012

On Tuesday, ahead of the 2012 LA Auto Show, GM unveiled specifications and other details about the 2014 Chevy Spark EV, GM's first all electric car since the now-crushed GM EV1. The Spark EV, first shown.

2014 110

2014 EV1 Electric Cars GM 110

Green Cars News

NOVEMBER 27, 2012

London homeowners aren’t just offering their driveways as somewhere for commuters to park, but are now also offering them up as somewhere for EV drivers to charge their cars. A new partnerships between Parkatmyhouse.com, energy company, SSE, Chargemaster and Source London means that for the first time, drivers entering the capital will be able to [.].

London 82

London Charging Electric Electrical 82

Advertisement

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

Norway

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Ford has developed EV+, a patent-pending feature that helps hybrids and plug-in hybrids learn frequent destinations, and then deliver more driving time in electric-only mode. EV+ is part of SmartGauge and is a standard feature on the Ford plug-in hybrids, C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi, along with the hybrid versions of Fusion and C-MAX. EV+ combines the built-in GPS of Ford SYNC with proprietary software algorithms developed by Ford engineers to learn frequent destinations.

Hybrid 334

Hybrid Fusion Ford Plug-in 334

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 27, 2012

Early next year, the Chevrolet Spark (1LT, 2LT) and Sonic LTZ and RS will integrate Apple’s Siri “Eyes Free” voice recognition technology; GM is the first automaker to implement the technology in production vehicles. Apple had announced in June that it was working with automakers to integrate Siri (which officially still is in Beta) into select voice control systems.

Connect 326

Connect Connected Chevrolet Light 326

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 10, 2012

Honda is launching a Civic model equipped with a new 1.6-liter diesel i-DTEC engine in Europe. The i-DTEC Civic, which will arrive in dealerships early next year, delivers fuel economy of 65 mpg US (3.6 l/100 km) with CO 2 emissions of 94 g/km (down one gram from the 95 g/km level announced by Honda Motor Europe’s President, Manabu Nishimae, earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show). ( Earlier post.).

MPG 317

MPG Europe Diesel Honda 317

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Diesel engine torque output as a function of the engine speed (rpm) for the tested fuels. Credit: ACS, Wahlen et al. Click to enlarge. Biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester) derived from oleaginous microbes—microalgae, yeast, and bacteria—can effectively displace both petroleum diesel and biodiesel produced from plant oils, according to the findings of a new study by a team from Utah State University.

Diesel 316

Diesel Oil Fuel Exhaust 316

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 9, 2012

Overview of the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid. Click to enlarge. Ford began production of the 2013 C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicle ( earlier post ) at Michigan Assembly in October, and the vehicles are heading for showrooms. Ford has tripled to more than 200 the number of dealers certified to sell its lineup of plug-in electrified vehicles, including the C-MAX Energi that is on sale now. ( Earlier post.).

Plug-in 312

Plug-in Plug Ford Hybrid 312

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) led by Dr. Lorne Whitehead in the Sustainability Solutions Applied Physics Laboratory have developed a low-frequency wireless power transfer (WPT) technology based on the magneto-dynamic coupling (MDC) of two rotating permanent magnets in transmitter and receiver, rather than on resonant inductive technology.

Power 310

Power Powered Fleet Canada 310

Advertisement

Brief

Connect

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is [link] about $11 million to 20 new projects to help states and local governments to develop the infrastructure, training, and regional planning needed to help meet the demand for alternative fuel cars and trucks, including vehicles that run on natural gas, electricity, and propane. Through the Department’s Clean Cities initiative, these projects address a range of community infrastructure and training needs, such as providing safety and technical training for

Clean 308

Clean Cleaning Alternative Fuels Fuel 308

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 16, 2012

Honda’s 1.6L i-DTEC engine. Click to enlarge. The new 1.6-liter i-DTEC diesel engine to be applied first in the Civic is the first engine from Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology series to be launched in Europe. This new engine offers 88 kW (120 PS, 118 hp) of power and 300 N·m (221 lb-ft) of torque at 2000 rpm with CO 2 emissions of 94 g/km (equivalent to 65 mpg US, 3.6 l/100 km). ( Earlier post.).

Diesel 306

Diesel Engine 2000 Emissions 306

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 1, 2012

Voltage profiles (A) and initial cycling behavior (B) of the Li x Si-O 2 -C cell. Cycling current: 200 mA g ?1 carbon. Credit: ACS, Hassoun et al. Click to enlarge. Researchers from University of Rome Sapienza (Italy), Hanyang University (Korea) and the Argonne National Laboratory (US) have shown that the highly reactive lithium metal anode typically projected for use in Li-air batteries can be replaced with a lithiated silicon-carbon anode.

Li-ion 306

Li-ion Batteries Battery Lithium Air 306

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Toyota has notified their dealer network that some 2012 RAV4 EV customers may complain of a “Check EV System” warning message after they try to charge their vehicle at a public Level 2 electric vehicle charging station. “Level 2” refers to a 240V AC electric vehicle charging station, or EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment). Toyota uses Leviton Manufacturing as its Level 2 EVSE supplier.

Toyota 304

Toyota Eaton Charging 2012 304

Advertisement

Oil

Guyana

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Micro Commuter Prototype Click to enlarge. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. unveiled the Micro Commuter Prototype, a micro-sized short distance EV commuter. This vehicle was developed in consideration of the vehicle categories for micro-sized mobility products that are currently being discussed under the initiative of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan as well as for the regulations for the L7 category in Europe.

Honda 301

Honda Design Li-ion Japan 301

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 16, 2012

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has not found evidence to support a finding of severe “economic harm” that would warrant granting a waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The decision is based on economic analyses and modeling done in conjunction with the US Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE). In August, in light of drought conditions affecting the country, governors from several states requested a waiver of the national volume requirements f

EPA 300

EPA Renewable Standards Fuel 300

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 27, 2012

Researchers from UC San Diego and Sapphire Energy, Inc. have demonstrated for the first time that genetically engineered marine algae can be just as capable as fresh water algae in producing industrially relevant products such as enzymes or biofuels. The scientists engineered marine algae to produce five different kinds of industrially important enzymes; they suggest the same process could be used to enhance the yield of petroleum-like compounds from these salt water algae.

San Diego 299

San Diego Water Mariner Engine 299

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Biocrude from Nannochloropsis. Credit: Savage Lab. Click to enlarge. A team led by Prof. Phillip Savage at the University of Michigan has found that with appropriate parameters, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) can convert 65% of wet algae (a Nannochloropsis species) into biocrude in one minute. The team, which has been investigating HTL processing of algae to biocrude—along with techniques for dexoygenating the product for subsequent refining—for several years, presented its latest r

Convert 297

Convert Oil-Sands 2012 2011 297

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

The three Honda SPORT HYBRID systems. Click to enlarge. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has developed a new lightweight and compact one-motor hybrid system optimized for small-sized vehicles: the Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive system. This new hybrid system will be the latest addition to the Earth Dreams Technology series of next-generation powertrain technology (replacing the current IMA hybrid system), and was previewed by Honda Motor Co.

Motor 294

Motor Motors Motoring Honda 294

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) announced that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved a settlement agreement that will bring more than $100 million in electric vehicle charging infrastructure to California, including at least 200 public fast-charging stations and the infrastructure for 10,000 plug-in units at 1,000 diverse locations across the state. ( Earlier post.).

San Diego 294

San Diego California Charging San Francisco 294

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Ford’s new C-MAX Hybrid ( earlier post ) sold 3,182 units in October in its first full month of sales, outselling the Prius v’s 2,769 units. (Sales of the entire Prius family were 16,774 units, with the sedan accounting for 8,788 of those.) The C-MAX Hybrid also led Ford in achieving its best October hybrid sales month ever with a total of 4,612 sales, up 142% over October 2011.

Prius 294

Prius Ford Sale Hybrid 294

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

A team at the Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt led by Prof. Dr. Eckhard Boles, has developed a new synthesis pathway for engineering the industrial yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to improve the production of isobutanol via fermentation. The work, noted Boles, is being done for the Swiss biofuels and biochemical company Butalco, of which he is a co-founder. ( Earlier post.).

Engine 294

Engine Production Conversion 2012 294

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 5, 2012

Increasing complexity of vehicle design is driving the need for better simulation and more powerful computers. Wagner and Pannala. Click to enlarge. The complexity of new and future vehicles—driven by the need for increasing fuel efficiency and decreasing emissions with ever-changing drive-cycle demands and environmental conditions—is adding unprecedented flexibility in design and driving the need for better simulation and more powerful computers, observed Dr.

Engine 291

Engine 2001 2012 Fuel Economy 291

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is a member of a team that was recently awarded a $7-million contract from the US Army Corps of Engineers to demonstrate integration of electric vehicles, generators and solar arrays to supply emergency power for Fort Carson, Colo. The project is part of a Joint Capability Technology. Demonstration (JCTD) called the Smart Power Infrastructure.

Parts 290

Parts Electric Vehicles Power Powered 290

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Extended charge?discharge cycling of PPYT in LiNTf 2 /G4 at 45 °C, 1 C rate). Credit: ACS, Nokami et al. Click to enlarge. Researchers from Kyoto University and Panasonic have developed a rechargeable Li-ion battery using a new organic cathode material that exhibits “ remarkable ” charge–discharge properties with a high specific capacity of 231 mAh/g, excellent rechargeability (83% of the capacity retained after 500 cycles), and charge–discharge ability (90% of the capacity at 30 C as compared t

Li-ion 287

Li-ion Charging Batteries Battery 287

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Peugeot has further lowered the fuel consumption of its 1.6 HDi and 1.6 e-HDi diesel engine through a variety of technologies, including: New variable delivery oil pump, making it possible to adjust effort taken from the engine to just what is strictly necessary; new low viscosity engine and gearbox oils so as to reduce the mechanical losses resulting from friction; new generation crankshaft oil seals, allowing reduced sealing load and so of friction; redesigned alternator drive belt pulley for

Engine 287

Engine Fuel Kits Oil 287

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Exide Technologies and Maxwell Technologies have formed a strategic alliance. The two companies will work together in the development and marketing of advanced, integrated, battery-ultracapacitor energy storage solutions to be used in a wide array of transportation and industrial applications. Principal elements of the strategic alliance include: Joint identification and evaluation of market opportunities for integrated products; Collaborative product development and testing; and.

Lead Acid 287

Lead Acid Market Deep Cycle Batteries 287

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 28, 2012

Map of Arctic Alaska Province (outlined in black) showing boundaries of the platform and fold-and-thrust belt assessment units in red. Source: USGS. Click to enlarge. The US Arctic Alaska Petroleum Province holds mean estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources of nearly 30 billion barrels of oil, about 179 trillion cubic feet of nonassociated gas, and 40 trillion cubic feet of associated gas, according to a new assessment published by the US Geological Survey (USGS)

Oil 286

Oil Alaska Gas Canada 286

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

GE’s MicroLNG plant can liquefy natural gas at any point along a gas distribution network. Click to enlarge. GE and Clean Energy Fuels are collaborating to expand the infrastructure for natural gas transportation in the United States. The agreement supports Clean Energy’s efforts in developing “America’s Natural Gas Highway,” ( earlier post )—a fueling network spanning the contiguous US that will enable trucks to operate on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) coast to coast and border to border.

Clean 286

Clean Cleaning Fuel Energy 286

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Model of a Rotating Wave-Detonation Engine. Head end (fuel input) is at the bottom, nozzle is at the top. The detonation wave travels around the cylinder. Source: NRL. Click to enlarge. Scientists at the US Naval Research Laboratory are computationally studying the complex physics of Rotating Detonation-Wave Engines (RDEs or RDWEs) as a potential means to reduce fuel consumption in the gas-turbine engines upon which the Navy is highly dependent for propulsion.

Engine 286

Engine Gas Fuel Power 286

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 19, 2012

A new report commissioned by the World Bank, and prepared by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Climate Analytics, provides a snapshot of recent scientific literature and new analyses of likely impacts and risks that would be associated with a 4 °C global warming within this century. The report— Turn Down the Heat —attempts to outline a range of risks, focusing on developing countries and especially the poor.

Climate Change 285

Climate Change Global Climate Africa 285

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

BorgWarner is supplying the three-stage turbocharging technology for BMW’s M Performance diesel engine. ( Earlier post.) Exclusively developed for BMW M Performance automobiles, the engine powers the M550d xDrive Sedan and Touring, X5 M50d Touring, and X6 M50d models. The diesel delivers maximum output of 280 kW (381 hp) and a maximum torque of 740 N·m (546 lb-ft).

BMW 285

BMW Diesel Fuel Economy Exhaust 285

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 28, 2012

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Smith Electric Vehicles announced that Smith will open an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Chicago. Smith said its decision to locate a facility in Chicago was influenced by the Mayor’s innovative voucher system created to accelerate the conversion from diesel to zero-emission, all-electric commercial vehicles, the large number of fleets interested in vehicle electrification, and the development incentives made available to Smith.

Chicago 281

Chicago Electric Vehicles Manufacturer Kansas City 281

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Renault Trucks, a member of the Volvo Group, is exploring the use of a Rankine-cycle-based waste-heat-recovery system for its long-haul trucks. The Rankine cycle is a simple closed thermodynamic cycle that converts heat from an external source into work. With the system, enthalpy of the vehicle’s exhaust gases is recovered and then converted into electricity by a generator incorporated into the turbine.

Waste 281

Waste Exhaust Convert Volvo 281