Green Car Congress

JULY 30, 2012

Schematic view of artificial photosynthesis system. Click to enlarge. Panasonic has developed an artificial photosynthesis system using a gallium nitride photoelectrode and a metal catalyst which uses sunlight to convert CO 2 mainly to formic acid (an important intermediate in chemical synthesis) at an efficiency (solar energy to chemical energy) of 0.2%—a comparable level to that of plants.

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Conversion CO2 Solar Light 374

Electric Cars are for Girls

JULY 20, 2012

Maybe there's something even better for EVs than lithium ion batteries. These have never been very robust, but maybe that's all changing now.

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Lithium Air Lithium Ion Batteries Battery 229

Green Car Reports

JULY 20, 2012

Man-made carbon dioxide might be something we're trying to reduce, but on its own, carbon is an abundant and rather useful element. It's also been central to two of the most important scientific materials discoveries of recent years--graphene, and carbon nanotubes. The latter involves rolling the former--a one atom thick sheet of carbon.

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Electric Cars Carbon Batteries Battery 166

National Green Transportation

JULY 20, 2012

Ford Motors today released partial specifications for the eagerly awaited C-MAX Energi Plug-in Hybrid. The C-MAX Energi is the plug-in twin to the C-MAX Hybrid, both of which together are Ford's first.

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Plug-in Plug Ford Hybrid 102

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Green Cars News

JULY 4, 2012

The hybrid car market is becoming increasingly competitive – as is emphasised by Ford openly boasting that it’s new C-MAX Hybrid (pictured) will topple the Toyota Prius V in terms of fuel economy and will come with a lower price. The Ford C-MAX Hybrid is set to return 47mpg highway, compared to the Toyota Prius [.].

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Fuel Economy Prius Economy Toyota 88

Green Car Congress

JULY 25, 2012

A prototype plug-in hybrid retrofit kit is applied to a research vehicle’s rear wheels. After switching on the traction motors, the vehicle fuel economy increased from 50–100%. Click to enlarge. A group at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), led by Dr. Charles Perry, who holds the Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence, has developed and demonstrated a proof-of-concept for a wheel motor plug-in hybrid retrofit kit for almost any car.

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Kits Plug-in Plug Motor 338

Green Car Congress

JULY 9, 2012

China’s State Council has published a plan to develop the domestic energy-saving and new energy vehicle industry, which includes battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. The central government’s plan, posted on its website, is targeting the production of 500,000 plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles by 2015, with output to grow to 2 million units of those types by 2020.

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Auto Industry Industrial Industry 2015 334

Green Car Congress

JULY 12, 2012

The interaction of battery and fuel costs will determine the size of the market for electric vehicles. Source: McKinsey, Hensley et al. Click to enlarge. A new analysis by the consultancy McKinsey & Company indicates that the price of a complete automotive lithium-ion battery pack could fall from the current $500–$600/kWh to about $200/kWh by 2020 and to about $160/kWh by 2025 (in real dollars, indexed to 2011).

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Li-ion Price Engine Vehicles 329

Green Car Congress

JULY 23, 2012

CNOOC Limited—China’s largest producer of offshore crude oil and natural gas and one of the largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the world—is acquiring all of the Common Shares of Canada-based energy company Nexen Inc. for US$15.1 billion cash. The price represents a premium of. 61% relative to the closing price of the Common Shares on the NYSE on. 20 July 2012 and a premium of 66% relative to the volume-weighted average price of the Common Shares o

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Oil-Sands Oil Canada Gas 325

Green Car Congress

JULY 20, 2012

Eaton Corporation will develop an affordable home refueling station for natural gas vehicles, utilizing existing natural gas sources in the home and innovative compressor technology. The effort is funded in part by a $3.4-million grant from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) MOVE project. ( Earlier post.).

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Eaton Affordable Gas Milwaukee 322

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Green Car Congress

JULY 25, 2012

Federal subsidies and policies to encourage plug-in vehicle adoption would produce more benefits at lower cost by targeting the purchase of vehicles with small battery packs, according to Jeremy J. Michalek, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University and his colleagues Mikhail Chester, an assistant professor at Arizona State University; and Constantine Samaras, an engineer at the RAND Corporation.

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Plug-in Plug Batteries Battery 319

Green Car Congress

JULY 6, 2012

The global market for light-duty (LD) natural gas vehicles (NGVs)—including passenger cars, light-duty trucks and commercial vehicles—will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% between 2012 and 2019, reaching 3.2 million vehicles sold in 2019, according to a new forecast by Pike Research. This level of sales results in a cumulative total of 25.4 million LD NGVs on the road by 2019.

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2019 Light Gas Global 311

Green Car Congress

JULY 25, 2012

American Sands Energy Corp., an oil sands exploration and development company operating in the state of Utah, announced the successful operation of its oil sand recovery pilot facility. As a result, CEO William Gibbs said that the company is now ready to submit a mine permit application and begin development of a 5,000 barrel per day facility at its Utah property.

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Oil-Sands Utah Oil Energy 306

Green Car Congress

JULY 29, 2012

Vehicle efficiency improvements via effective standards and policies could reduce annual CO 2 e emissions from the US, China, and the EU by 1.3 Gt at a savings of about $135 billion per year by 2030. Source: McKinsey & Co., ICCT-ClimateWorks. Click to enlarge. The US, China, and the EU could reduce their combined annual CO 2 emissions by 1.3 Gt in 2030 by implementing well-designed vehicle performance standards and fuel fees, according to a new analysis by a team from the International Council o

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Standards Economy Emissions China 300

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Green Car Congress

JULY 16, 2012

TCDB plot of projected total cost of battery-electric vehicles to manufacturers. Click to enlarge. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released a new public database featuring cost and performance estimates for electric generation, advanced vehicle, and renewable fuel technologies. The Transparent Cost Database (TCDB) provides technology cost estimates for companies, utilities, policy makers, consumers, and academics, and can be used to benchmark company costs, model energy scenarios, and info

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Renewable Fuel Vehicles Electric 295

Green Car Congress

JULY 10, 2012

Protean Electric, developer of in-wheel electric drive systems ( earlier post ), received $84 million in new funding from GSR Ventures, New Times Group, Oak Investment Partners and the city of Liyang, Jiangsu Province, China. This capital will be used to bring Protean’s electric drive technology to production by establishing manufacturing facilities in Liyang.

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China Building Companies Production 294

Green Car Congress

JULY 18, 2012

Sketch of the targeted at-home unit. Click to enlarge. GE researchers, in partnership with Chart Industries—a global manufacturer of standard and custom-engineered products and systems for cryogenic and heat transfer applications—and scientists at the University of Missouri, have been awarded $1.8 million by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) ( earlier post ) to develop an affordable at-home refueling station that would meet ARPA-E’s target of $500 per station

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Gas Missouri Vehicles Universal 294

Green Car Congress

JULY 7, 2012

Well-to-wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas emissions for in situ SAGD and surface mining pathways generated employing GHOST/TIAX/ GHGenius combination and comparison with SAGD, mining and conventional crude oil literature pathways (all results are on a HHV basis). Xs show comparative results from literature. Credit: ACS, Bergerson et al. Click to enlarge. A new well-to-wheel (WTW) lifecycle analysis (LCA) by a team from the University of Calgary and the University of Toronto of greenhouse gas (GHG) emis

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Oil-Sands Oil Gas-Electric Emissions 287

Green Car Congress

JULY 26, 2012

The Nikkei reports that Toyota Motor Corp. will launch a car-sharing service through affiliated auto-rental shops across Japan. Toyota is already operating a pilot program at some locations. Plans call for a full launch under a new brand, starting with about 10 affiliated car-rental locations in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Aichi Prefecture and elsewhere, including the facilities participating in the pilot program.

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Toyota Cars Japan Auto 286

Green Car Congress

JULY 18, 2012

Nestlé Switzerland and Renault Trucks (part of the Volvo Group) recently introduced an experimental all-electric refrigerated truck—nicknamed the e-Truck—that combines an all-electric 13t Renault Midlum developed by Renault Trucks with a refrigerated body that is also entirely powered by electricity. A second identical vehicle will be joining the Nestlé Switzerland fleet in September.

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Switzerland All-Electric Volvo Li-ion 284

Green Car Congress

JULY 3, 2012

Canada’s federal government is awarding $908,280 through FedDev Ontario’s Investing in Business Innovation initiative to help algal biofuel startup Pond Biofuels accelerate the commercialization of its technology used to capture carbon dioxide from raw stack emissions and produce algae that can subsequently be converted into biofuels. In addition to this investment, $2 million in private-sector funding has been leveraged from a group of accredited angel investors belonging to SG Biomaterial Inve

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Companies Canada Alternative Fuels 2008 284

Green Car Congress

JULY 27, 2012

Renault, LG Chem and CEA (France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) are preparing to sign a three-way agreement in September concerning next-generation battery production. In 2010, Renault and the CEA initiated a strategic partnership in the areas of clean vehicles and mobility. As part of this partnership, they signed several research agreements including a strategic cooperation contract for new battery technologies.

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France Batteries Battery Production 281

Green Car Congress

JULY 7, 2012

2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3. Click to enlarge. BMW’s 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3 will arrive in US showrooms this fall at an MSRP of $50,195 including destination and handling. ( Earlier post.) The ActiveHybrid 3 blends BMW’s TwinPower Turbo 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine and 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission with an electric motor powered by a high-voltage Li-ion battery (cells from A123 systems, earlier post ) housed under the luggage compartment between the wheel arches.

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BMW Energy Lithium Ion Li-ion 281

Green Car Congress

JULY 21, 2012

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., delivered the first all-electric 2013 Honda Fit EV to a couple in Southern California. The 2013 Honda Fit EV carries a combined adjusted Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mile-per-gallon-equivalency rating of 118 MPGe, and a consumption rating of 29 kWh per 100 miles. Ventura County, Calif., residents, Matt and Becky Walton, took delivery of their Honda Fit EV at the Woodland Hills Honda dealership located north of Los Angeles.

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Honda California Los Angeles Commuter Cars 281

Green Car Congress

JULY 24, 2012

Versalis, Eni’s chemicals subsidiary leader in the production of elastomers, together with Genomatica, a leading developer of process technology for renewable chemicals, and Novamont, a leader in biodegradable plastics and pioneer in third-generation integrated biorefineries, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic partnership to enable production of butadiene from renewable feedstocks.

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Polymer 2011 Renewable Africa 279

Green Car Congress

JULY 12, 2012

GE Energy’s Industrial Solutions business has entered a strategic agreement with PayPal enabling drivers to pay for electric vehicle charging fees through the WattStation Connect mobile app and PayPal. With the app, now available at the Apple iTunes Store, users can locate the nearest WattStation EV charger; check the status of the charger; get pricing details and pay with PayPal.

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Charging Energy Store Price 276

Green Car Congress

JULY 11, 2012

The first E15 (15 percent ethanol/85 percent gasoline) blend is now selling at the Zarco 66 station at 1500 E. 23rd Street in Lawrence, KS. In June, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave final approval for the sale and use of E15 ethanol blends in light duty vehicles made since 2001. ( Earlier post.) This represents nearly two-thirds of all vehicles on the road and nearly three-fourths of all miles driven.

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Kansas 2001 Gas Gasoline 275

Green Car Congress

JULY 10, 2012

ROUSH CleanTech has received California Air Resources Board (CARB) approval of its propane autogas (LPG) fuel system for retrofitting 2010 model year 5.4-liter Ford E-150, E-250 and E-350 cargo vans and wagons. This is the first CARB certification awarded since 2000 for a liquefied petroleum gas retrofit system, and the first CARB certification for any alternative fuel system for retrofit installation on 2010 model year vehicles.

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2010 F-150 Alternative Fuels Vehicles 275

Green Car Congress

JULY 10, 2012

Stratasys, a maker of additive manufacturing machines for prototyping and producing plastic parts, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are partnering to develop fused deposition modeling (FDM) additive manufacturing for production use. The project, which builds upon a collaboration that leverages ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) to foster energy-efficient production using additive manufacturing materials and processes, aims to develop FDM additive manufacturing technology t

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Manufacturer Production Carbon Fiber Parts 275

Green Car Congress

JULY 16, 2012

Kandi Technologies Corp., a China-based manufacturer and developer of battery electric vehicles (EVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Zhejiang Kandi Vehicles Co., Ltd. signed a cooperative letter of intent (LOI) with China Aviation Lithium Battery Co., Ltd. (CALB), a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) to promote 20,000 pure electrical vehicles in Hangzhou.

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China Batteries Battery Automobile 274

Green Car Congress

JULY 30, 2012

by Jack Rosebro. The new prototype motor. Click to enlarge. General Electric engineers have successfully tested a prototype hybrid and electric vehicle motor with a peak power level of 55 kW and the ability to operate continuously at up to 105 °C (221 °F), using conventional transmission fluid as the motor’s sole cooling agent. The motor—which GE says is 3 to 5% more efficient than existing motors could potentially extend the range of a plug-in vehicle—was developed as part o

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Motor Motors Motoring Electric Vehicles 273

Green Car Congress

JULY 18, 2012

Components of the emDRIVE MD system. Click to enlarge. Ioxus, Inc., a manufacturer of premium performance ultracapacitor technology ( earlier post ) is providing ultracapacitors to ElectroMotive Design LLC (EMD), an engineering services company and a manufacturer of hybrid electric conversion systems for Class 2 through 8 buses and trucks. Ioxus’ ultracapacitors are used for energy storage in EMD’s emDRIVE systems, which come in a range of sizes. emDRIVE lite is available in two sizes to accommo

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Conversion Hybrid Energy Storage Maintenance 273

Green Car Congress

JULY 11, 2012

TomTom, the leading supplier of in-car location and navigation products and services, launched its first quarterly Congestion Index. The Index accurately identifies and analyzes traffic congestion in 57 major cities across North America and Europe. The Index is uniquely based on real time travel data captured by vehicles driving along the entire road network within the select cities.

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North America Los Angeles America San Francisco 271

Green Car Congress

JULY 8, 2012

BC emission map of China at 0.1° × 0.1° for year 2007. East and West China are separated by a dashed line from Qiqihar, Yinchuan, to Kunming. Major emission areas are marked. Credit: ACS, Wang et al. Click to enlarge. A new black carbon (BC) emissions inventory from China found BC emissions levels in 2007 of 1,957 Gg BC—higher than reported in earlier studies.

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2007 Carbon China Emissions 271