November, 2014

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Audi in new e-fuels project: synthetic diesel from water, air-captured CO2 and green electricity; “Blue Crude”

Green Car Congress

'Audi is active in the development of CO 2 -neutral, synthetic fuels; the company already has projects underway with Joule in the US for the development and testing of synthetic ethanol and synthetic diesel ( earlier post ); has an e-gas project underway in Werlte, Germany ( earlier post ); and has a new partnership with Global Bioenergies on bio-isooctane (bio-gasoline) ( earlier post ).

Audi 400
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Audi Confirms Electric R8 e-Tron, Also 280-Mile Family Electric Car In 2017

Green Car Reports

'The Audi R8 e-tron electric sports car has been cancelled and revived numerous times, but now it appears that not only will the e-tron enter production, it will also be the stepping stone to a more mainstream electric car. At this week''s 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, Audi officials indicated that the carmaker is planning an all-electric family car.

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Via Motors gets EPA certification, starts eREV Van deliveries to utility fleets

National Green Transportation

'On Thursday, plug-in hybrid electric truck maker Via Motors announced having received EPA and CARB certifications allowing the company to proceed with a project to sell over 170 PHEV vans to 50 utility company fleets. The project, in.

EPA 78
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Electric car travels over 400 miles on a single charge

Green Cars News

'Travelling 736km (457 miles) on a single charge is something that sounds far out of the range of even a Tesla Model S - but that''s exactly what one firm has achieved with its converted-to-electric-power Mazda 5. Developed by the Institute Metron, a specialist in electric car conversions based in Sl[.].

Miles 72
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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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Four Siemens 1200 kW electric motors power world’s largest truck; all-wheel drive

Green Car Congress

'The world’s biggest truck—the more than 800-ton GVW BelAZ 75710 mining truck—is powered by an electric drive system comprising four electric traction motors from Siemens, each with an output of 1,200 kilowatts (approximately 1,800 hp). The electricity is provided by two generators, each of which is driven by a 16-cylinder diesel engine with an output of approximately 1,700 kW.

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LiquidPiston unveils 70cc rotary gasoline engine prototype embodying HEHC; power dense, low-vibration

Green Car Congress

'LiquidPiston X1 engine features three separate combustion chambers creating 3 power strokes per revolution for high power density. Source: LPI. Click to enlarge. LiquidPiston, Inc. (LPI) the developer of engines based on its High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC) ( earlier post ), has unveiled the alpha prototype of the X Mini—a power-dense, low-vibration, quiet, 70cc spark-ignited, non-Wankel rotary embodiment of the HEHC.

Gasoline 379

More Trending

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BMW shows prototype of streetlight with integrated EV charging

Green Car Congress

'During the Eurocities conference this week in Munich, the BMW Group presented the prototype of a highly energy efficient street light that is also a charging station for electric vehicles, called “Light and Charge”. The units combine the latest LED technology with a standard connector for EV charging. The charging station, integrated into BMW i''s ChargeNow network, allows the driver to start charging with just one click.

BMW 368
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US sales of BMW i3 EV average almost 5% of BMW car sales, 3.9% of BMW brand sales over last three months

Green Car Congress

'US sales of BMW’s battery-electric i3 ( earlier post ) have averaged almost 5% (4.93%) of BMW US passenger car sales over the past three months, and 3.85% of all BMW brand sales in that country. Deliveries of the i3 began in May, with 336 units. Sales proceeded approximately at that level for the next two months (June, 358; July, 363), then shot up to 1,025 in August; 1,022 units in September, and 1,159 units in October.

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Crazy Diamond Performance receives EPA approval on mono-fuel CNG Cruze and Sonic

Green Car Congress

'Crazy Diamond Performance (CDP) has received EPA approval on two new mono-fuel compressed natural gas small passenger vehicles, the CNG Chevrolet Cruze and CNG Chevrolet Sonic. These new mono-fuel CNG platforms are the first of a series of small and fuel efficient vehicles coming from CDP. Soon to be available are the 1.8 and 1.4L Cruze and Sonic CNG retrofit systems.

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New heterogeneous acid catalyst shows high activity in release of hydrogen from sodium borohydride; lowest activation energy yet reported

Green Car Congress

'A team from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has devised a heterogeneous acid catalyst, silica sulfuric acid, that shows high activity towards releasing hydrogen from sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ), with a hydrolysis rate of 5.5 L min ?1 g ?1. Further, the activation energy of the NaBH 4 hydrolysis reaction in the presence of the catalyst was calculated to be the lowest (17 kJ mol ?

Sodium 343
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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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ETH Zurich team shows vanadate-borate glasses as inexpensive high-capacity cathodes for Li-ion batteries

Green Car Congress

'A team from ETH Zurich in Switzerland has demonstrated the use of vanadate-borate glasses (Li 2 O-B 2 O 3 -V 2 O 5 , referred to as V 2 O 5-LiBO 2 ) as high-capacity cathode materials for rechargeable Li-ion batteries for the first time. The composite electrodes with reduced graphite oxide (RGO) deliver specific energies around 1,000 Wh/kg and retain high specific capacities in the range of ~ 300 mAh/g for the first 100 cycles.

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Volkswagen Group to invest $106 billion over next 5 years in Automotive Division

Green Car Congress

'The Volkswagen Group will invest a total of €85.6 billion (US$106 billion) in new models, innovative technologies and its global presence in its Automotive Division over the coming five years. Around two-thirds of the total investment amount will flow into increasingly efficient vehicles, drives and more environmentally friendly production. Investments in property, plant and equipment, investment property and intangible assets, excluding capitalized development costs (capex) in the Automotive D

Poland 317
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Tritium launches Fast Cities Network charging initiative; Australia’s largest fast charging network for EVs

Green Car Congress

'The Fast Cities Network. Click to enlarge. Brisbane, Australia-based Tritium, developer of the Veefil Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast Charger, has launched a Fast Cities Network initiative to establish Australia’s largest fast-charging network in Australia and the first in Eastern Australia. Located within the SE Queensland region, the proposed 430 km (267-mile) network will create an electric super highway, showcasing intra-city and intercity travel for EVs in Brisbane and the Gold Coast area.

Charging 312
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Lux Research: fuel cell vehicles lag other drivetrains in terms of cost of ownership; ICE and HEV lowest cost

Green Car Congress

'Based on an analysis of various cost of ownership scenarios for various drivetrains, including internal combustion engine (ICE) gasoline and diesel; hybrid (HEV); battery-electric (EV); plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV); and fuel cell vehicles, Lux Research concludes that fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are “ solidly in a laggard position. ”. The Lux analysts ran scenarios associated with operation and ownership, broken out into fuel cost alone; fuel cost plus operation, but excluding purchase or lease;

Cost Of 308
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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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Maxwell enhances 48V ultracapacitor module with DuraBlue Shock and Vibration Technology

Green Car Congress

'Maxwell Technologies has enhanced its 48V ultracapacitor module product, which now includes the benefits of the company’s new DuraBlue Advanced Shock and Vibration Cell Technology. ( Earlier post.). The new module has been tested to meet and exceed the industry’s highest shock (IEC 60068-2-27 and 2-29) and vibration (ISO 16750-3, Tables 12 and 14) ratings for ultracapacitor modules, exceeding the most demanding testing requirements for mass transportation applications, such as in hybrid buses,

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US and China jointly announce GHG reduction targets; US to cut net GHG 26-28% by 2025, China to peak CO2 by ~2030

Green Car Congress

'The US and China jointly announced greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. US President Barack Obama said the US will cut net greenhouse gas emissions in the US by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025. At the same time, President Xi Jinping of China announced targets to peak that country’s CO 2 emissions around 2030, with the intention to try to peak early, and to increase the non-fossil fuel share of all energy to around 20% by 2030.

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Ricardo study finds retrofitted Euro III bus can emit less NOx than newer Euro V hybrid

Green Car Congress

'Measurements by Ricardo found that an older Euro III bus retrofitted with a selective catalytic reduction and continuously regenerating particulate trap system can be cleaner in terms of lower NO x emissions than newer Euro V hybrid buses. The measurements of the retrofitted Euro III bus were an extension of a study of the Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach company fleet in partnership with HORIBA examining the real-world emissions of buses operating through a known pollution hot spot in Brighton ci

Hybrid 299
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Ensyn begins generation & sale of cellulosic biofuel RINs under RFS2

Green Car Congress

'Ensyn has initiated the generation and sale of its first RINs (Renewable Identification Numbers) under the US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) ( earlier post ); Ensyn’s D7 cellulosic RINs have received QAP certification. Ensyn is the first company to generate cellulosic RINs under the US Environmental Protection Agency’s expanded definition of Heating Oil under RFS2, which became effective in December 2013.

Sale 295
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Stanford team develops model and controller for reducing HCCI cycle-to-cycle variation

Green Car Congress

'A team led by researchers from Stanford University has developed a simplified, discrete-time analytical model of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) dynamics. The model forms the basis for the design of a simple controller that reduces combustion timing variations in simulation. Late-phasing homogeneous charge compression ignition operating conditions have the potential to expand the useful operating range of homogeneous charge compression ignition in internal combustion engines.

Exhaust 286
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Daimler to cease production of Li-ion battery cells at Li-Tec

Green Car Congress

'Daimler subsidiary Li-Tec will cease production of Li-ion battery cells in December 2015. As quoted in Der Spiegel Daimler-manager Harald Kröger said that “ Our cells are very good, but at current production figures far too expensive. We have realized that a car manufacturer does not have to produce the cells themselves. ”. Li-Tec will be retained as a research location; the majority of the 280 employees will be transferred to the Deutsche Accumotive—also a wholly owned Daimler subsidiary

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Researchers develop rechargeable hybrid-seawater fuel cell; highly energy density, stable cycling

Green Car Congress

'Schematic illustration of the designed hybrid-seawater fuel cell and a schematic diagram at the charged–discharged state. Kim et al. Click to enlarge. Researchers from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in Korea and Karlsruher Institute of Technology in Germany have developed a novel energy conversion and storage system using seawater as a cathode.

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Honda to provide $13.8M to FirstElement Fuel to support build out of California hydrogen refueling infrastructure

Green Car Congress

'Seeking to expand California’s public hydrogen refueling station network as a means to support the wider introduction of fuel-cell vehicles, Honda will provide $13.8 million in financial assistance to FirstElement Fuel to build additional hydrogen refueling stations around the state. Additional state grants, combined with the Honda financing, could enable FirstElement to add at least 12 stations to its California hydrogen network.

Honda 281
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Air Force tests all plug-in vehicle fleet in California; part of large DoD V2G project

Green Car Congress

'A fleet of plug-in electric vehicles sits ready to roll at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California. (US Air Force photo by Sarah Corrice/RELEASED.) Click to enlarge. The Air Force unveiled the Department of Defense’s first non-tactical vehicle fleet composed entirely of plug-in electric vehicles at Los Angeles Air Force Base today. The 42-vehicle fleet marks a milestone in partnership between federal, state and private energy organizations, as well as in DoD’s demonstration of emer

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Navigant forecasts modest global annual sales growth of e-bicycles, reaching 40.3M units in 2023

Green Car Congress

'In a new report , Navigant Research forecasts that global annual sales of e-bicycles will grow modestly from 31.7 million units in 2014 to 40.3 million units in 2023 under a base scenario—a CAGR of 2.7%. Navigant expects China, the market leader, to reach 28.8 million e-bicycle sales this year under the base scenario, representing 91% of the total global market.

Global 281
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Volkswagen Golf family named “2015 Motor Trend Car of the Year”

Green Car Congress

'Motor Trend named the Volkswagen Golf family—Golf 1.8T, Golf TDI Clean Diesel, Golf GTI and e-Golf models—as the 2015 Motor Trend Car of the Year. The Golf has won COTY only once before, in 1985. For 2015, the Golf was a near-unanimous choice among our judges by virtue of its strong performance in each of our six Car of the Year criteria.

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EPA proposes tightening primary ozone standards to range of 65-70 ppb; final rule by October 2015

Green Car Congress

'Counties where measured ozone is above proposed range of standards, based on 2011-2013 monitoring data. Source: EPA. Click to enlarge. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing tightening the ground-level 8-hour ozone (O 3 ) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to within a range of 65 to 70 parts per billion (ppb), while taking comments on a level as low as 60 ppb.

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Akio Toyoda announces name of Toyota’s new fuel cell sedan in web video: Mirai

Green Car Congress

'Akio Toyoda, President and Member of the Board of Toyota Motor, used a web video to announce the name of the company’s new fuel cell sedan ( earlier post ), to be launched officially on the eve of the Los Angeles Auto Show: “Mirai”. In Japanese, Mirai means “future”, Toyoda said, while expounding on the virtues of the car.

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Platts Report: China oil demand rises 2.9% in October from year ago, YTD up 2%

Green Car Congress

'China’s apparent oil demand in October rose 2.9% year over year to 42.65 million metric tons (mt), or an average 10.09 million barrels per day (b/d), according to a just-released Platts analysis of Chinese government data. The official data has also showed that China’s year-to-date import and export volumes between January and October are at a net balance.

Oil 268
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Next-gen Chevy Volt improves charging experience for users

Green Car Congress

'Chevrolet says it has made the charging system in the next-generation Volt even easier for customers to recharge the battery and to check the charge status. The next-generation Volt debuts in January in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. The new and enhanced features include: GPS location-based charging. Owners will now be able to set their charging preferences exclusively for their “home” charging location and the vehicle will automatically adjust to that setting when it is

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GKN Land Systems ramping up production of electric flywheel hybrid technology for buses

Green Car Congress

'GKN Gyrodrive bus. Click to enlarge. GKN Land Systems is ramping up production of its Gyrodrive electric flywheel hybrid technology for buses following successful trials in London and the start of UK production. ( Earlier post.). Gyrodrive uses a high-speed composite flywheel paired with an innovative GKN EVO electric motor to regenerate the energy normally lost during braking.

Hybrid 268
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With oil prices low, early signs of a pullback in drilling activity

Green Car Congress

'by Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com. With oil prices low and showing no sign of an immediate rebound, the industry is beginning to pull back on spending. Oil prices have dropped around 30 percent since summer highs, raising fears among producers across the globe. Yet, many oil majors are relatively diversified, with large holdings downstream. For example, ExxonMobil and Chevron have been insulated in the third quarter because of their large holdings in refining.

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Researchers in POWERFUL develop new two-stroke diesel featuring low consumption and low criteria emissions

Green Car Congress

'Two-stroke diesel in test car. Click to enlarge. A European project led by Renault, in collaboration with the Czech Technical University in Prague, IFP Energies Nouvelles, Delphi, Le Moteur Moderne (LMM) and Universitat Politècnica de València have developed an advanced two-cylinder, two-stroke compression ignition (CI) engine integrating LTHC (low temperature homogeneous combustion) as part of the European project POWERFUL (POWERtrain for FUture Light-duty vehicles).

Diesel 268
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MHI completes development of next-generation LNG carrier; apple-shaped tanks and hybrid propulsion

Green Car Congress

'Sayaringo STaGE. Click to enlarge. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has completed development of the “Sayaringo STaGE,” a next-generation LNG (liquefied natural gas) carrier. The Sayaringo STaGE was developed as a successor to the Sayaendo ( earlier post ), the company’s LNG carrier evolved from carriers with Moss-type spherical tanks that offer a high level of reliability.

Hybrid 265
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Westinghouse and China, Turkey partners negotiating to develop 4-unit nuclear power plant in Turkey

Green Car Congress

'Westinghouse Electric Company; China’s State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC); and Electricity Generation Company (EÜA?), the largest electric power company in Turkey have agreed to enter into exclusive negotiation to develop and construct a four-unit nuclear power plant site in the Republic of Turkey based on Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology.

Turkey 261