Sat.Jun 28, 2014 - Fri.Jul 04, 2014

article thumbnail

Pilot at BMW Munich plant evaluating use in vehicle assembly of custom orthotic devices produced by 3D printing

Green Car Congress

'A pilot project in BMW’s Munich vehicle assembly plan is exploring the benefits of a new and innovative ergonomic tool—a flexible finger cot, which protects workers against excess strains on the thumb joints while carrying out certain assembly activities. The project is part of a dissertation in cooperation with the Department of Ergonomics at the Technical University of Munich.

BMW 328
article thumbnail

Nissan Leaf New Battery Cost: $5,500 For Replacement With Heat-Resistant Chemistry

Green Car Reports

'Three and a half years after the first Nissan Leaf went on sale, Nissan has announced the cost of a replacement lithium-ion battery pack for its electric car. It''s a surprisingly low $5,499 (after a $1,000 credit for turning in the old pack, which is required), plus installation fees and tax. The installation is estimated at roughly 3 hours of.

Nissan 167
article thumbnail

Electric cars still cheaper to run, no matter what the BBC says

Green Cars News

'It’s very hard not to imagine someone sitting at a desk in the BBC news department tapping a chewed ball point pen on their desk as they mutter, ‘there must be another way we can spin an anti-electric car story, there must!’ Well, they obviously had a good day, the latest is a doozie. ‘Electric Ca[.].

BBC 77
article thumbnail

Mitsubishi takes divisional 1st and 2nd in Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2014; 2nd overall

Green Car Congress

'Mitsubishi Motors’ iMiEV Evolution III all-electric racecars ( earlier post ) took first and second place in the the Electric Modified Division of the 2014 edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. With a time of 9 minutes 08 seconds 188, Greg Tracy won the Electric Modified Division honors and 2 nd overall—just a few seconds shy of taking the overall win.

article thumbnail

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

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

article thumbnail

EDI partners with Greenkraft for parallel-series multi-mode Class-4 CNG-PHEV truck; CEC funding

Green Car Congress

'Greenkraft truck. Click to enlarge. Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI), a producer of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and continuously variable transmission (CVT) solutions ( earlier post ), is partnering with Greenkraft , CALSTART, and the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop a Class-4 vehicle that combines the benefits of compressed natural gas (CNG) and PHEV technology.

PHEV 306
article thumbnail

GM adds 3 acres of solar arrays in Michigan

Green Car Congress

'General Motors is increasing its renewable energy use with 3 acres of new solar arrays at two Michigan facilities. The company’s processing center in Swartz Creek and engine plant in Flint will feature 150 kW ground-mount solar arrays expected to generate a combined 400,000 kWh of renewable energy per year to the facilities’ grids. That is equivalent to the annual energy use of 25 homes.

Solar 265

More Trending

article thumbnail

About 1/3 of Class 3-8 trucks in US equipped with advanced cleaner diesel engines

Green Car Congress

'About one-third of all medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks registered in the United States (2.9 million of 8.8 million trucks)—are now equipped with newer technology clean diesel engines, according to data compiled by IHS Automotive for the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF). The data includes total registration information on Class 3-8 trucks from 2007 through 2013 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

article thumbnail

Audi to use suspension springs of glass fiber-reinforced polymer instead of steel for ~40% weight savings

Green Car Congress

'Audi will introduce new, lightweight suspension springs made of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) in an upper mid-size model before the end of the year. The GFRP spring is some 40% lighter than a steel spring. The GFRP spring (left), which Audi developed in collaboration with an Italian supplier, even looks different than a steel spring (right).

Polymer 257
article thumbnail

EU research partners develop solid state hydrogen storage tank coupled with fuel cell as vehicle APU unit

Green Car Congress

'Partners in a 42-month, €3.5-million (US$4.8-million) EU research project have developed a system comprising a solid state hydrogen storage tank coupled to a fuel cell ( SSH2S ). The unit was fitted for the first time into an Iveco Daily van as an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), and was able to supply electrical energy for air conditioning, auxiliary heating and lighting.

Hydrogen 252
article thumbnail

China iCET releases 2014 Green Car China report ranking mainstream cars by green and health impacts

Green Car Congress

'Only hybrids performed very well on both the green rating and the smog index. Source: iCET. Click to enlarge. China’s Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation (iCET) recently released its 2014 Green Car China Annual Report , an evaluation of mainstream vehicles on sale in China by their lifecycle impacts and their health impacts. Based on the lifecycle impact assessment, every vehicle obtains a green score (0-10).

article thumbnail

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

Brief

article thumbnail

Volkswagen Group taking over BlackBerry’s European R&D center

Green Car Congress

'The Volkswagen Group is taking over BlackBerry''s European research and development center in Bochum (Germany). With the newly founded Volkswagen Infotainment GmbH, the Wolfsburg-based automotive group is further expanding its expertise and capabilities in the field of vehicle connectivity. With its objective of interlinking vehicles and the surrounding world, the field. of connectivity forms a focal point of research and development within the Volkswagen Group that has seen rapid growth in rec

Connect 236
article thumbnail

Audi delivers more than 50,000 cars in China in one month for the first time; 3x US sales

Green Car Congress

'Audi achieved new record figures in the Chinese market in the first half of the year, increasing unit sales in China including Hong Kong and Macau by 17.8% to 268,666 automobiles. In June, the company for the first time passed the mark of 50,000 deliveries in one month (50,756, up 14.1% compared with the 44,479 deliveries in the prior-year month). In comparison, Audi reported June 2014 sales in the US of 16,867 vehicles, a 23.1% improvement that stands as the brand’s 42nd consecutive month of r

Audi 231
article thumbnail

GlobalData: China to replace US as diesel generator set market leader by 2020

Green Car Congress

'China is set to overtake the US as the global diesel generator set (genset) market leader, increasing its share from 26% in 2013 to 33% by 2020, according to a new report from research and consulting firm GlobalData. The report— Diesel Generator Market – Global Market Size, Equipment Share and Competitive Analysis to 2020 —forecasts that while the US, China and India are currently the top diesel genset players, only China and India’s market shares will improve by the end of the fore

2020 230
article thumbnail

Ford introduces new Focus ST with diesel and EcoBoost options

Green Car Congress

'The new Ford Focus ST (in the new dark gray paint option) is offering a choice of an EcoBoost or diesel engine. Click to enlarge. The new Focus ST made its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. The most advanced Focus ST yet offers new chassis control technologies, tuned suspension and steering, and a bespoke tire specification.

Diesel 230
article thumbnail

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

Oil

article thumbnail

DOE: high-temperature, downhole rechargeable energy storage device ready for commercialization

Green Car Congress

'The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced the commercialization of a rechargeable energy storage device capable of operating in the extreme temperatures necessary for geothermal energy production. Industry partner FastCAP Systems has successfully completed third-party validation testing by Sandia National Laboratory of an ultracapacitor that is fully operational in 200 °C conditions, extending the upper limit of high-temperature energy storage and electronics, and engineering a flexible syste

article thumbnail

DENSO and Thai ITS association partner on V2X to ease traffic congestion and reduce CO2 emissions

Green Car Congress

'DENSO Corporation and DENSO International Asia Co. Ltd. (DIAT), a DENSO group company in Thailand, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in February 2014 with Thai Intelligent Transport System (ITS). The goal is to ease traffic congestion through the use of Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2X) communications. This collaboration launched in March 2014 and will continue until March 2015.

Thailand 225
article thumbnail

ExxonMobil to invest >$1B in Antwerp refinery to convert heavy, higher sulfur residual oil into diesel, other products

Green Car Congress

'ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Belgium, a division of ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical B.V.B.A., plans to invest more than $1 billion to install a new delayed coker unit at its Antwerp refinery to convert heavy, higher sulfur residual oils into transportation fuels products such as marine gasoil and diesel fuel. The new unit will expand the refinery’s ability to help meet energy needs throughout northwest Europe, despite what the company calls a challenging industry environment.

Convert 225
article thumbnail

Scania finds driving with two full length trailers cuts fuel consumption by 30%

Green Car Congress

'Based on research conducted over the last six years, Scania Transport Laboratory has shown that by driving with two full-length trailers, Scania reduces fuel consumption by up to 30%. The Swedish Transport Agency has now granted permission to operate tandem truck rigs of 31.5 meters (103.3 feet) in total length—i.e., two full-length trailers—between Södertälje and Helsingborg in Sweden.

Sweden 225
article thumbnail

UK Gov survey finds 5% of people considering buying an EV

Green Car Congress

'A recent UK government survey of public attitudes to electric vehicles found only 5% of respondents said that they were thinking about buying an electric car or van; 56% said that they had not thought about buying one; and 14% saying that they had thought about buying one and decided not to. The study was carried out in February 2014, very shortly after the launch of the Government-industry “Go Ultra Low” Communications campaign which was designed to boost EV uptake.

Buy 225
article thumbnail

Royal Academy of Engineering and Highview create 5-year research chair in liquid air energy storage

Green Car Congress

'The UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering and Highview Power Storage , the UK-based developer of large-scale long duration Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) systems, have teamed up to create and fund a five-year research chair at the research center for Cryogenic Energy Storage at the University of Birmingham to explore the limits of this emerging technology.

article thumbnail

Damen, MTU and Svitzer to launch world’s first reverse stern drive CNG tug in 2016

Green Car Congress

'Damen Shipyards of the Netherlands, German engine manufacturer MTU Friedrichshafen, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, and Denmark’s SVITZER have teamed up to bring the first Reverse Stern Drive (RSD) Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tug to the market, with a planned introduction in 2016. The new RSD CNG tug combines high power with lower fuel costs and a substantial reduction in emissions.

2016 225
article thumbnail

Petrobras reduces pre-salt well drilling time by 55%

Green Car Congress

'Petrobras has been drilling wells in the pre-salt in ever shorter times, leveraging its acquired experience and the introduction of new technologies. The average well drilling time in the pre-salt layer of Lula and Sapinhoá fields has declined by 55%, from 126 days in 2010 to 60 days in 2013. In these areas, the company has already achieved durations of close to 30 days between the first and last meter drilled (“dry hole”).

Brazil 218
article thumbnail

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation to supply global compact sedan to Chrysler de Mexico

Green Car Congress

'Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Chrysler de Mexico (CdM) announced a five-year agreement in which MMC will supply its global compact sedan to CdM, to be sold in Mexico starting November 2014. This car will compete in the B segment, one of the largest in the Mexican market which represented 23% of the Mexican Automotive Industry with sales of more than 250,000 during 2013.

Chrysler 218
article thumbnail

Berkeley Lab/U. Hawaii team provides direct experimental evidence for mechanism for PAH formation in combustion; cleaner fuels could result

Green Car Congress

'Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Berkeley Lab) and the University of Hawaii have provided direct experimental evidence for the validity of a proposed mechanism for the first step in the process that transforms gas-phase molecules into solid particles such as soot and other carbon-based compounds. The finding could help combustion chemists make more-efficient, less-polluting fuels and help materials scientists fine-tune their carbon nanotubes and graphene

Hawaii 218
article thumbnail

TomTom research shows drivers in China lose nine working days per year due to traffic

Green Car Congress

'TomTom released the first edition of its China Traffic Index, which shows that drivers are spending an average of nine working days a year stuck in traffic. China has the world’s fastest growing economy and according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation, as many as 300 million people will move from rural to urban areas by 2030. Rapid urbanization has led to increased car sales across the country.

China 218
article thumbnail

Mermaid Marine launches 100% biodiesel capable marine engines in UK

Green Car Congress

'Mermaid Marine is offering the Citius series of heavy-duty marine engines from AGCO SISU Power—the only common rail engine available approved to run on 100% biodiesel with no compromise in performance. The importance of biodiesel is continuously increasing with biodiesel such as rapeseed accepted as an alternative fuel for use in engines. The fuel—either 100% biodiesel alone, or in any mixture ratio with diesel fuel according to EN 590 or ASTM D975—can be used in all the engin

Mariner 218
article thumbnail

Jordanian cabinet OKs $2.4B oil shale project with Enefit; largest in region and world

Green Car Congress

'Jordan’s Council of Ministers on Sunday endorsed all agreements prepared by the national electricity company with Estonian company Enefit which will carry out a mega oil shale energy project in the Kingdom. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Mohammad Hamed briefed the cabinet on the project to produce electricity through direct burning of oil shale.

Oil 218
article thumbnail

Ballard signs fuel cell licensing & engineering services agreement with M-Field in Europe

Green Car Congress

'Ballard Power Systems signed a definitive agreement for the sub-license of intellectual property (IP) to M-Field Energy Corporation, a sustainable energy company, for material handling systems to be deployed in Europe. Ballard will also provide M-Field with engineering services support into early-2015 through Dantherm Power A/S, the company’s subsidiary in Denmark, to assist in optimizing system integration activities utilizing Ballard fuel cell stacks.

Europe 218
article thumbnail

Federal Highway Administration to award up to $2M for assistance in setting up certification environment for connected vehicles

Green Car Congress

'The US Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has issued a request for applications ( RFA DTFH6114RA00014 ) for assistance in establishing a future certification environment for connected vehicle devices and applications. Estimated funding is up to $2 million. DOT currently is assessing applications that realize the full potential of connected vehicles, travelers and infrastructure both to enhance current operational practices and to transform future surface

Connect 218
article thumbnail

BMW Group to build new $1B plant in Mexico; production start in 2019

Green Car Congress

'The BMW Group will invest $1 billion to build a new plant in Mexico in close proximity to the city of San Luis Potosí in the state of the same name. This move is in line with the company’s clear strategic policy of ensuring globally-balanced growth. Production is planned to start in 2019. This decision underscores our commitment to the NAFTA region.

Mexico 210
article thumbnail

Dept. of Interior to auction nearly 80,000 acres offshore Maryland for wind energy development

Green Car Congress

'The US Department of the Interior (DOI) will offer nearly 80,000 acres offshore Maryland for commercial wind energy development in a 19 August 2014 competitive lease sale. Offshore Maryland lease areas. Click to enlarge. To date, the DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has awarded five commercial wind energy leases off the Atlantic coast: two non-competitive leases (Cape Wind in Nantucket Sound off Massachusetts and an area off Delaware) and three competitive leases (two offshore Mas

Maryland 210
article thumbnail

Rice researchers develop 2-D model of gas hydrate formation

Green Car Congress

'A decade of research by Rice University scientists has produced a two-dimensional model to show how gas hydrates—ice-like substances in which gas molecules are encased in cages of water molecules—are formed under the ocean floor. The research was published by the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. Gas hydrates represent a potential source of energy, if they can be extracted and turned into usable form. ( Earlier post.).

Gas 210
article thumbnail

UMTRI: new vehicle average fuel economy fell slightly in June

Green Car Congress

'The average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of new vehicles sold in the US in June was 25.5 mpg (9.23 l/100 km)—down 0.1 mpg from the all-time record high in May, according to the monthly report from Dr. Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). Despite the small dip in June, vehicle fuel economy is up 5.4 mpg since October 2007 (the first month of their monitoring).

article thumbnail

Shanghai GM sells its millionth Sail

Green Car Congress

'Shanghai GM recently sold its one-millionth Chevrolet Sail since the introduction of the current generation of the popular small car in 2010. The Sail offers a choice of 1.2-liter or 1.4-liter gasoline engines. It is targeted at young families who are first-time car buyers. Sixteen variants of the Sail sedan and hatchback are available, with an official starting price of RMB 56,800 (US$9,150).

GM 210