Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

A new Ford Motor Company-sponsored poll of 6,000 people across Europe found that most Europeans remain committed to car ownership, but have growing concerns about traffic congestion, the cost of driving and the environment. Ford commissioned the survey, conducted by the consultancy The Futures Company, to better understand the opinions and attitudes of Europeans across a range of mobility issues—from car sharing to green driving to the future of the internal combustion engine.

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Green Car Reports

NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Crude oil, from which all fossil fuels are made, is a dwindling resource. There will come a point, some time in the future, where the expense of extracting it from deep under the ground becomes too great for the return on investment. While one solution is to wean ourselves off fossil fuels entirely, another is to artificially create them--and.

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Green Cars News

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Lexus introduced a new version of the CT 200h this week, called the Advance. Part of the revived range for the brand’s to-date underwhelming petrol-electric hybrid, it is packed with technology including the oft-underestimated fuel-saving gadget of sat nav: no more wasted fuel in getting lost. The greenest car in the world is still wasting [.].

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Lexus Petrol Waste Hybrid 63

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.).

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MPG Europe Diesel Honda 317

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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.).

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Diesel Engine 2000 Emissions 306

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

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EPA Renewable Standards Fuel 300

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.

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Motor Motors Motoring Honda 294

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.

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Parts Electric Vehicles Power Powered 290

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.

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Lead Acid Market Deep Cycle Batteries 287

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.

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Clean Cleaning Fuel Energy 286

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is providing Coca-Cola with the e-NV200, a battery-electric light commercial vehicle ( earlier post ), for field testing starting in mid-November. Coca-Cola’s regional organization, Coca-Cola Central Japan Co., Ltd., will use Nissan’s multipurpose commercial van as regional sales vehicle in Yokohama, evaluating its performance and practical usability against conventional internal-combustion engine vehicles.

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Japan Nissan Market Recharge 281

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Researchers at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) have developed an insertion-type tin (Sn) anode material for use in a magnesium-ion (Mg-ion) battery ( earlier post ) that shows superior operating voltages and capacity. In a paper accepted for publication in the RSC journal Chemical Communications , they report showing that a Sn anode could attain higher capacities (903 mAh g -1 ) and lower Mg 2+ insertion/extraction voltages (+ 0.15/0.20 V) than previously reported using a

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Li-ion Batteries Battery Toyota 277

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 10, 2012

ABB, the power and automation technology group, announced that it has developed the world’s first circuit breaker for high voltage direct current (HVDC). The hybrid breaker combines ultrafast mechanical actuators with IGBT power electronics, and will be capable of interrupting power flows equivalent to the output of a large power station within 5 milliseconds.

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DC Grid Connect Connected 268

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 10, 2012

Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and SK Innovation have used urea-reduced graphene oxide (URGO) to build lithium ion capacitors (LICs) that deliver a specific energy density of approximately 106?Wh kg total ?1 and a specific power density of approximately 4200?W?kg total ?1 with perfect capacity retention up to 1,000?

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Li-ion Lithium Ion Carbon 2012 261

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Electrovaya Inc. launched its lithium-ion energy storage system for home usage. The battery stores power from the grid or from solar panels and stores it for later household use. For consumers subject to time-of-use charges, the EnergyBlock can be used to store off-peak power to be used later during peak times, lowering the amount of peak-rate costs for the user.

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Energy Storage Li-ion Energy Lithium Ion 257

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

TMC says that its PCS is effective at higher speeds. Click to enlarge. Toyota Motor Corporation has developed and will deploy in select upcoming vehicles three new automated driver assistance/safety systems: a Pre-Collision System (PCS) with collision avoidance that is effective at higher speeds; Intelligent Clearance Sonar that uses sonar to detect obstacles hidden from the driver’s view, automatically applying the brakes if the vehicle is at risk of collision; and Drive-start Control to contro

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Motor Motors Motoring Toyota 257

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Parker Aerospace and GE Aviation reached an agreement to form a joint venture, Advanced Atomization Technologies, LLC, to enhance the development and manufacture of commercial aircraft engine fuel nozzles. The 50-50 joint venture—created specifically to produce fuel nozzles for current and future GE Aviation commercial engine platforms (including aerospace and aero-derivative engines)—will be located in the Parker Gas Turbine Fuel Systems Division facility in Clyde, New York.

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Engine Fuel New York Commercial 252

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc. (TMS), will conduct two safety recalls involving some MY 2004—2009 Prius vehicles; approximately 670,000 Prius vehicles are being recalled in the United States to inspect and in some cases replace the steering intermediate extension shaft. Due to insufficient hardness treatment of some of the extension shafts, the splines that connect the extension shaft to the steering gear box may deform if the steering wheel is frequently and forcefully turned to the full left or

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Prius Toyota Vehicles Dealers 247

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

BASF celebrated the grand opening of its new Li-ion cathode materials production plant in Elyria, Ohio. Construction of the new cathode materials plant required an investment of more than $50 million, which was supported by a $24.6 million grant from the US DOE. In addition, BASF was selected as one of only two licensed suppliers of ANL-patented Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese (NCM) cathode materials, which employ a unique combination of lithium and manganese-rich mixed metal oxides. ( Earlier post.

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Li-ion Ohio Lithium Ion Production 246

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Chevrolet will unveil the plug-in electric version of the Spark mini car at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. The Spark EV ( earlier post ) is one of 13 new or significantly redesigned products that Chevrolet will be launching in 2013. Chevrolet will also showcase the expanded functionality of an advanced version of MyLink, which will be available first in the all-new 2014 Impala full-size sedan.

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Chevrolet Los Angeles Auto Production 240

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil and bioproducts company, and Bunge Global Innovation LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bunge Limited, a leading global agribusiness and food company, signed an agreement expressing their intent to expand their joint venture-owned oil production capacity at Solazyme Bunge Renewable Oils from the current 100,000 metric tons under construction in Brazil to 300,000 metric tons by 2016 at select Bunge owned and operated processing facilities worldwide. ( Earlier post.)

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Oil Renewable Brazil Production 239

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Ballard Power Systems announced successful completion of the first phase of work, and significant progress on the second phase, with Anglo American Platinum Limited under a Product Development Agreement related to fuel cell-powered electric generators for the African rural home market. Under the agreement, Anglo American Platinum has committed to fund development and testing of the planned home generator product, which will be capable of providing primary power to homes in remote African communi

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Market Fuel Grid Low Cost 239

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 11, 2012

BASF is investing approximately €90 million (US114 million) in the first step to build a mobile emissions catalysts production facility in ?roda ?l?ska, a Special Economic Zone near Wroc?aw, Poland. Construction of the new 40,000 square meter facility—BASF’s largest in Europe—will begin before the end of 2012. The plant will start production in the first quarter of 2014.

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Emissions Poland Building Production 236

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 16, 2012

CSA Group, a leading developer of standards, codes and training programs, and the International Performance Assessment Centre for Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide (IPAC-CO 2 Research Inc.), an environmental non-government organization (ENGO), are proposing a bi-national carbon capture and storage (CCS) standard for the geologic storage of carbon dioxide for Canada and the United States.

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Standards CO2 Canada Carbon 231

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 16, 2012

Britain’s largest electricity distributor, UK Power Networks, has bought three new Peugeot iOns to join its fleet. The electric vehicles (EVs) will be driven in London and Kent by engineers and technical staff working on connections, maintenance, upgrades and Low Carbon London business. They have a range of 93 miles and the company has installed specialist charging infrastructure at its offices in Canning Town, Elephant and Castle, Maidstone, Dartford and Eltham.

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Fleet Power Powered London 231

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 16, 2012

In October, the EU market of new passenger cars continued to shrink, although at a slightly slower pace than in the previous months, according to data released by the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA). New registrations totaled 959,412 cars, or 4.8% less than in October last year. From January to October, new car registrations amounted to 10,327,276 units, or 7.3% less in than in the first ten months of 2011.

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Propel Fuels and Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil and bioproducts company, are bringing algae-derived fuel to retail pumps in a month-long pilot program to test consumer response. Solazyme’s algae-based Soladiesel BD will be available to drivers through Propel’s Bay Area network of retail renewable fuel locations. Soladiesel BD is a Fatty Acid Methyl Ester-based (FAME) fuel (i.e., biodiesel).

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San Jose Fuel Oakland Oil 231

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Cycling characteristics of 700 nm 3D(Si,Ni) at 1C showing a reversible specific capacity of 1,650 mAh/g after 120 cycles of charge/discharge. Credit: ACS, Gowda et al. Click to enlarge. Researchers from Rice University and Applied Materials have developed another approach to delivering the theoretically high energy capacity of silicon-based anodes for Li-ion batteries while avoiding the problem of severe capacity fading during cycling associated with the significant volumetric changes resulting

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Li-ion Ni-Li Lithium Ion Batteries 231

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Good fuel models are required for good predictions. Left: modeling using a reduced n-heptane model (34 chemical types) vs. data. Right: mofe accurate n-heptane model (174 chemical types) vs. data. Source: Reaction Design. Click to enlarge. Reaction Design is introducing the first volume of the industry’s most well-validated available Model Fuel Library, the result of seven years of research and validation under the Model Fuels Consortium ( earlier post ).

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Fuel Design Engine Emissions 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Freescale Semiconductor announced the new 32-bit Qorivva MPC5777M multicore microcontroller (MCU), the latest advancement in its Qorivva product line. ( Earlier post.) This advanced MCU family will help automakers worldwide address regional automotive fuel economy and safety trends by enabling a new generation of engine management solutions. Automakers are under increasing pressure from both governments and consumers to improve overall fuel efficiency across their fleet and lower polluting emiss

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Fuel Economy Available Now Engine 2013 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the world’s biggest shipbuilder and a leading marine engine manufacturer, announced the successful completion of a full-scale demonstration test of a ME-GI dual-fuel MAN B&W two-stroke engines in combination with Hi-GAS. HHI’s independent LNG Fuel Gas Supply (FGSS), Hi-GAS system (Hyundai Integrated Gas Supply System) allows marine engines to use diesel and LNG for fuel.

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Mariner Hyundai Gas Supplies 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), together with the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), are developing a new solution (SAMBA) to support a level playing field for the maritime transportation. SAMBA combines space-based, aerial and terrestrial technologies. The technical feasibility as well as the economic viability of SAMBA is being investigated by FMI and KNMI in collaboration with the Integrated Application Promotion (IAP) Programme of the European Space Agency (ESA).

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Emissions Mariner Netherlands Pollution 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

The global energy map is changing significantly, according to the 2012 edition of the Internal Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook ( WEO-2012 ). The IEA said these changes will recast expectations about the role of different countries, regions and fuels in the global energy system over the coming decades. The report also finds that by 2035 global energy savings could be equivalent to nearly 20% of global demand in 2010.

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Global 2012 Energy Oil 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 11, 2012

Researchers at Isfahan University of Technology (Iran) report the efficient production of cellulosic ethanol from rice straw using a new sodium carbonate pretreatment method. In a paper published in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels , they presented results indicating an hydrolysis yield of 97% and the resulting production of 175 g of ethanol per 1 kg of rice straw.

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Sodium Universal Iran Carbon 225