May, 2012

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NOAA predicts a near-normal 2012 Atlantic and Eastern Pacific hurricane season, below-normal in Central Pacific

Green Car Congress

Conditions in the atmosphere and the ocean favor a near-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this season, NOAA forecasts. NOAA’s outlook for the Eastern Pacific basin is for a near-normal hurricane season and the Central Pacific basin is expected to have a below-normal season. For the entire six-month season, which begins 1 June, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says there’s a 70% chance of 9 to 15 named storms (with top winds of 39 mph or higher), of which four to eight will strengthen

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Better Place Electric-Car Battery Swapping: Live Report

Green Car Reports

Electric-car infrastructure firm Better Place has spent the past few years creating some serious waves in the electric car world with grandiose claims that it can make electric cars as convenient to use as gasoline ones. Alongside its fully integrated smart-grid network of charging stations, battery packs and cars, Better Place is best known for.

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Steve Rapp rides and wrecks for Brammo in TTXGP Qualifying round at Infineon

National Green Transportation

Today, in the second day of 2012 TTXGP electric motorcycle race action at the Infineon Raceway, was a dramatic day. The day began with Team Icon Brammo having exited the paddock in order to repair the Empulse RR after.

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Scotland secures first hydrogen fuel cell car trial

Green Cars News

Aberdeen’s car club is to become the first in the UK to trial hydrogen fuel cell cars. The newly-established Commonwheels car club is to take loan of two of Hyundai’s left-hand drive ix35 FCEV, ahead of a renewable energy event arrives in the city. Members of Commonwheels will have the opportunity to drive the Hyundai [.].

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How serious is Norway about climate change? So much that its streetlights self-dim

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

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Audi introduces sport e-bike concept at Wörthersee

Green Car Congress

Audi e-bike Wörthersee. Click to enlarge. One of the highlights on the Audi stand at the 2012 Wörthersee Tour in Austria (an annual gathering of Audi VW, Seat and Skoda enthusiasts) is an electric bicycle technology concept: the Audi e-bike Wörthersee. The prototype cycle—described by Audi as a high-end pedelec made for sport, fun and tricks—combines an electric drive and muscle power.

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Audi A3 launching with new 4-cylinder engines; cylinder-on-demand, supplementary indirect injection, start-stop and modular efficiency technologies

Green Car Congress

1.4 TFSI with cylinder on demand technology. Click to enlarge. When the new A3 is launched ( earlier post ), Audi will be offering one TDI and two TFSI engines, with a 1.4L TFSI with cylinder-on-demand to follow. The initial three four-cylinder engines all make their appearance as new developments. Their engine displacements range from 1.4 to 2.0 liters and their power from 90 kW (122 hp) to 132 kW (180 hp).

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More Trending

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MIT report finds China’s actions on climate change crucial; argues for global economy-wide greenhouse gas tax

Green Car Congress

A new report from the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change shows the importance of all major nations taking part in global efforts to reduce emissions—and in particular, finds China’s role to be crucial. The report—titled “The Role of China in Mitigating Climate Change” and published in the journal Energy Economics , compares the impact of a stringent emissions reduction policy with and without China’s participation.

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The Renault Foundation launches first professional “electric vehicle and electro-mobility” diploma

Green Car Congress

The Renault Foundation is launching a new training course for students with two years’ further education (Bac+2 or professional-experience diploma) in partnership with the IUT technology institute in Mantes (Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin): the first professional diploma (a French licence) in “Electric Vehicle and Electro-mobility”. The objective is to finance a training program for students on work-study programs to enhance their employability and prepare them for mid-manager job positi

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Washington State opens 10 new public charging stations on West Coast Electric Highway; Seattle to Canadian border

Green Car Congress

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), along with electric charging station partner AeroVironment opened 10 new public charging stations—seven along Interstate 5 and three along US Route 2 in northern Washington—that provide EV drivers the ability to travel from Seattle to the Canadian border. Eight of the 10 new charging stations in Washington feature AeroVironment’s DC fast chargers, which deliver a full charge for a nearly-depleted EV battery in less than 30 mi

Seattle 317
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DOE soliciting projects for up to $5M in funding to spur adoption of alternative fuel vehicles

Green Car Congress

The Department of Energy’s (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is seeking applications ( DE-FOA-0000708 ) for up to $5 million in funding to reduce multiple barriers to alternative fuel vehicle—including electric vehicle—adoption and use. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is fuel neutral; applications should focus on one or more identified alternative fuels , depending on what fuels and technologies make the most sense for the proposed geographic a

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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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XL Hybrids, Henley Transmission Services partner to certify AAMCO for hybrid conversion installation, servicing

Green Car Congress

XL Hybrids, Inc., developer of a low-cost hybrid electric powertrain designed specifically for class 1-3 commercial fleet use ( earlier post ), has signed an agreement with Henley Transmission Services, LLC, the largest franchise holder of AAMCO automotive service centers, to certify AAMCO technicians to install and service XL Hybrids’ hybrid-electric conversions.

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Initial details on fiery crash involving BYD e6 that killed 3

Green Car Congress

China Auto Web. Three passengers in a BYD e6 taxicab, including the driver, were killed in an accident in Shenzhen on 26 May. BYD e6 in flames following crash. Click to enlarge. In its microblog on weibo.com, Shenzhen traffic police say the accident happened at about 3:08 in the early morning on Binhai Dadao (Beach Boulevard) near the city’s downtown.

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Toyota introduces new RAV4 EV; 41.8 kWh pack, 100-mile range

Green Car Congress

RAV4 EV. Click to enlarge. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. revealed the all-new Toyota RAV4 EV at the 26 th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles. The battery-electric SUV features a 41.8 kWh Li-ion pack, offering an expected driving range rating of approximately 100 miles (161 km). With a 10 kW charger on-board (SAE J1772 connector), charging time of the large pack is approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger.

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Sustainable Rail International, U of Minnesota partner to develop most powerful carbon-neutral locomotive, using new steam engine and biocoal

Green Car Congress

The Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR)—a collaboration of the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment (IonE) and the nonprofit Sustainable Rail International (SRI)— plans to develop what it calls the most powerful carbon-neutral locomotive to date, proving the viability of solid biofuel and modern steam locomotive technology.

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ExxonMobil announces 6th oil discovery offshore Guyana with Ranger-1; Guyana may move from non-producer to regional powerhouse

Oil

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Oxford team suggests realizing EV revolution will require much better understanding of consumer behavior, policy and industry support

Green Car Congress

Although the energy-saving and emissions reduction potential of battery-electric vehicle (BEV) technology has been shown, the scale of BEV diffusion necessary to decarbonize transport will not be realized without immediate and sustained policy support, industry investment and fundamental changes in consumer behavior, according to a team from the University the Oxford in a new paper.

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A123 Systems 8K filing says substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern; status of grants and incentives

Green Car Congress

In its most recent 8K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Li-ion battery maker A123 Systems said a number of circumstances have raised “ substantial doubt on [its] ability to continue as a going concern.”. On 26 March, A123 launched a field campaign estimated to cost US$51.6 million to replace battery modules and packs that may contain defective prismatic cells produced at A123’s Livonia, Michigan manufacturing facility.

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NIAABB selects Los Alamos ultrasonic algae harvester for Phase II development

Green Car Congress

The National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) has selected Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) Ultrasonic Algae Harvesting technology for Phase II development. The technology is based on LANL’s R&D 100 award-winning Ultrasonic Algal Biofuel Harvester. Research and development to refine the technology at lab-scale has been in progress through NAABB since April 2010.

Water 296
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smart launching escooter in 2014

Green Car Congress

Daimler’s smart will launch the escooter on the market in 2014. For smart, this is the next step in implementing its concept for future urban mobility. smart escooter concept shown at Paris Motor Show in 2010. Click to enlarge. In 2010, smart unveiled a comprehensive portfolio of electric products for urban transport at the Paris Motor Show. In addition to the smart fortwo electric drive as a coupé and a convertible, it included the smart ebike and the escooter.

2014 294
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Sandia researchers develop conceptual model for Low Temperature Combustion

Green Car Congress

Conceptual model for conventional diesel combustion (CDC), left, and LTC combustion, right, for heavy-duty engines. Source: CRF. Click to enlarge. Researchers at the Combustion Research Facility (CRF) at Sandia National Laboratories are proposing a conceptual model based on findings from their work for low temperature combustion (LTC). The LTC model is in review with the journal Progress in Energy and Combustion Science (PECS), with publication pending, according to Mark Musculus of CRF during h

Re-Charge 291
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Google’s technology campaign for autonomous driving

Green Car Congress

by Bill Cooke. Search engine giant Google is looking for partners within in the auto industry to help launch one of the most significant applications of artificial technology over the next several years, the self-driving car. In a keynote address to the SAE 2012 World Congress on 25 April 2012, Anthony Levandowski, Business Lead for Google’s Self Driving Car Project provided an overview of Google’s autonomous vehicle program and requested that the auto industry partner with Google on the impleme

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Nissan begins testing NV200-based EVs with AEON Retail Company in Japan

Green Car Congress

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has begun tests of an electric vehicle (EV) based on the compact commercial vehicle NV200. AEON Retail Co., Ltd. will use the EV test cars as delivery vehicles within the Tokyo metropolitan area for its new online business. The vehicles will be monitored for one month to evaluate their potential for daily business use. Nissan has been carrying out similar tests of a NV200-based EV since last summer in Japan and in Europe.

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Mid-project data from Oak Ridge study suggests hydrogen vehicles could have up to 70% market share by 2050

Green Car Congress

Hydrogen vehicle market penetration under different scenarios. Source: Dr. David Greene. Click to enlarge. Hydrogen vehicles (H 2 V, including H 2 ICE, fuel cell and fuel cell plug-in hybrid vehicles) could achieve a market share ranging from 30% to 70% in 2050, according to preliminary results from a study by Dr. David Greene and colleagues at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) presented at the DOE 2012 Hydrogen and Fuel Cells and Vehicle Technologies Programs Annual Merit Review meetings in

Hydrogen 281
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BNL Researchers develop low-cost, efficient, non-noble metal electrocatalyst to produce hydrogen from water

Green Car Congress

Details of the unexpected nanosheet structure of the nickel-molybdenum-nitride catalyst, seen here as dark, straight lines. Source: BNL. Click to enlarge. A team of researchers led by Dr. James Muckerman at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) have developed a new class of high-activity, low-cost, non-noble metal electrocatalyst that generates hydrogen gas from water.

Low Cost 281
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Fisker reports more than $100M in revenue Jan-Apr 2012; more than $1B in funding since 2007

Green Car Congress

The EVer (Electric Vehicle extended range) powertrain of the Fisker Karma. Click to enlarge. Fisker Automotive published its first business update, announcing that revenues had exceeded $100 million in the first four months of 2012. The company, which began deliveries of the Fisker Karma luxury four-door extended range electric sedan in December 2011, also said that it has delivered 1,000 vehicles to customers in the US and Europe.

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US Senate Armed Services Committee produces markup limiting DoD purchase of biofuels and prohibiting construction of biorefineries

Green Car Congress

The US Senate Committee on Armed Services completed its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. The bill emerging from the Senate committee authorizes $631.4 billion for national defense programs. The bill authorizes $498.0 million more than the President’s request for the base budget of DOD and $301.0 million less than was requested for OCO ( overseas contingency operations, which funds the war in.

Purchase 273
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GraalBio to build $145M cellulosic ethanol plant in Brazil; first in the Southern Hemisphere

Green Car Congress

GraalBio will use the Chemtex PROESA cellulosic ethanol process. Source: Chemtex. Click to enlarge. GraalBio, a biotechnology company of the Graal Group, is planning to build a commercial plant for the production of cellulosic ethanol in Brazil. The company will also install an agricultural station to develop new cane varieties with high fiber content; build a pilot plant to develop new biochemical pathways; and establish a research center to develop genetically modified organisms, which will be

Brazil 268
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Honda unveils UNI-CUB electric personal mobility device; evolution of the UX-3

Green Car Congress

the new UNI-CUB. Click to enlarge. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. unveiled the new battery-electric UNI-CUB personal mobility device. Featuring a compact design and comfortable saddle, UNI-CUB is designed to offer the same freedom of movement in all directions that a person enjoys while walking. Representing the evolution of the U3-X personal mobility device that Honda announced in 2009 ( earlier post ), UNI-CUB features Honda‘s proprietary balance control technology and an omni-directional driving wheel

Personal 268
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Siemens ‘eHighway Of The Future’ envisions electrification of trucks and select highway lanes

Green Car Congress

At EVS26 in Los ANgeles, Siemens described its ‘eHighway of the Future’ concept for the electrification of trucks and select highway lanes via overhead electrified wires similar to how modern day trolleys or streetcars are powered on many city streets. Currently being tested in Germany, pilot projects are already being planned for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to connect to cargo centers.

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ABB launching Terra 51 DC fast charger in US market; Combo charging standard prototype at EVS26

Green Car Congress

ABB has entered the US market for electric vehicle charging solutions with the launch of its Terra 51 direct current (DC) charger. The Terra 51 is CHAdeMO-certified and services all DC fast-charge capable cars that are currently on the market. At EVS26, ABB will also showcase the first prototype of a Terra 51 that supports the Combo charging standard, adopted by US and European carmakers. ( Earlier post.).

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A123 Systems to supply 11MW Grid Battery System to Sempra Generation for the Auwahi Wind project in Hawaii

Green Car Congress

A123 Systems will supply an 11MW Grid Battery System (GBS) to Sempra Generation for the Auwahi Wind project in Maui, Hawaii. The advanced energy storage solution is designed to smooth variable wind power generation, which is expected to help maintain the stability to Maui’s electric grid. When fully operational, the 21MW Auwahi Wind project is expected to be capable of generating enough energy to power the equivalent of 10,000 homes, and the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a 20-y

Hawaii 265
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ElectronVault launches cloud-based rapid prototyping tool for traction batteries

Green Car Congress

ElectronVault Inc., an energy storage startup co-founded and led by Rob Ferber, a former Science Director at Tesla Motors who worked on the Tesla Roadster battery system, has launched a new cloud-based service for traction battery design for electric vehicle manufacturers. The new service is intended to reduce the time spent on traction battery system specification and production prototyping from many months to a few minutes, according to the company.

Batteries 265
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Schneider Electric introduces DC Quick Charger in US

Green Car Congress

Schneider Electric, a global energy management products company operating in more than 100 countries, announced the availability in the US of its EVlink DC Quick Charger. The offering now rounds off Schneider’s charging offerings, said Mike Calise, Director, Electric Vehicles, Power Business for Schneider at EVS 26. The 50 kW, 125A quick charger, which is currently CHAdeMO-compliant, will incorporate the J1772 combo-coupler when the standard is finalized.

DC 265
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BMW Research, EURECOM and Technische Universität München collaborating on connected vehicle research

Green Car Congress

Research project PROTON-PLATA (SDR) platform embedded in the trunk of the BMW X5 Research Prototype. Click to enlarge. BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH and EURECOM, which have been partnering for six years on the integration of intelligent information and communication technologies in vehicles, have expanded their cooperation with a focus on next-generation mobile networks for use in the networked vehicle.

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Tesla says new electric powertrain deal with Daimler will exceed in value sum of all its prior powertrain agreements

Green Car Congress

In its letter to shareholders reporting Q1 2012 results, Tesla Motors Chairman, Product Architect and CEO Elon Musk and Deepak Ahuja, Chief Financial Officer, said that the company had recently signed an agreement with Daimler to create an entire electric powertrain for a new Mercedes-Benz. EV, formalizing a joint effort kicked off in Q4 last year. ( Earlier post.).