Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Bosch is developing a new cloud-based solution that quickly alerts drivers—within 10 seconds or so—to the presence of a wrong-way driver. Wrong-way driver incidents—some 2,000 warnings about these are broadcast on German radio alone each year—can lead to serious accidents. According to statistics, nearly every third of such incidents end—fatally, in the worst case—before the vehicle has traveled just 500 meters.

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Green Car Reports

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

The appearance of an online configurator is usually a good indication that a new model is about to go on sale. So the launch of the Tesla Model X online configurator will likely be viewed as a welcome sight indeed by those anticipating the much-delayed launch of the electric crossover. That includes the 20,000 or so customers Tesla says have made.

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National Green Transportation

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

On Wednesday a video was posted to YouTube showing a Nissan Leaf fully engulfed in fire. The video description claims it was taken in "North Texas" Over on the My Nissan Leaf forum a discussion says.

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Nissan Texas Cars 70

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

FCA has significantly its 3.6-liter Pentastar engine for MY 2016. The 3.6L Pentastar, first introduced in 2009 ( earlier post ), was the first of an all-new line of V-6 engines intended to improve fuel efficiency across the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge lineup. More than 5 million Penetastar engines are now on the road. Depending on the application, the redesigned V-6 delivers fuel-economy improvements of more than 6% while increasing torque more than 14.9%.

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Fuel Economy Economy Fuel 2016 224

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

BMW is using the upcoming IAA in Frankfurt to showcase four production BMW brand plug-in hybrid models from different vehicle segments—one newly announced. BMW eDrive is the new drive system technology used in all the electrically powered vehicles from BMW i and the plug-in hybrid models from BMW. Alongside BMW TwinPower Turbo technology for combustion engines, intelligent lightweight design and optimized aerodynamics, BMW eDrive technology is therefore one of the most important elements i

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has selected eight projects to receive almost $25 million in funding to construct small- and large-scale pilots for reducing the cost of CO 2 capture and compression through DOE’s Carbon Capture Program. More than half of the funding ($15 million) will go to FuelCell Energy for a pilot scale project using one of the company’s Direct Fuel Cells for carbon capture and compression.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) will be investing approximately $50 million over the next 5 years to establish joint research centers at Stanford and MIT, focused on the research and development of intelligent vehicle and mobility technologies. Additionally Dr. Gill Pratt, former Program Manager at DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and leader of its recent Robotics Challenge, has joined Toyota to direct and accelerate these research activities and their application to intellig

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

BlueIndy has placed into service in Indianapolis, Indiana the first 50 of an eventual 500 electric vehicles (Bluecars) that provide convenient, cleaner transportation with the swipe of a membership card. This is the France-based Bolloré Group’s first electric car sharing service in the US. Bolloré Group already operates car sharing services in several other cities, including the world’s largest EV sharing service—Autolib—in Paris.

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Indianapolis Electric Cars Indiana Cars 218

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 31, 2015

The global biofuels industry averaged 68% in utilization rate from 2005 to 2014, reached a high of 80.9% in 2007, dropped to a low of 56.9% in 2012, and climbed slightly back to 60.4% in 2014. Despite the still apparent softness in capacity utilization, and the on-going softness in fossil fuel prices, global biofuels capacity will continue to grow from 55.1 billion gallons per year (BGY) to 61.4 BGY in 2018, according to a forecast by Lux Research.

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2018 Global Fuel 2014 218

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

International Truck today plans to offer over-the-air (OTA) reprogramming of engine control modules (ECM) for International trucks powered by its N9, N10 and N13 proprietary engines. The company has completed its initial testing in its International Truck test fleets and will finalize testing in customer fleets this fall. The official launch of two-way connected vehicle technology in new International models will come early next year.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart have developed a film-based panel heater for electric vehicles. The panel is—particularly on short journeys—more effective than conventional electric heaters. (Electric cars generate little heat as opposed to conventional passenger vehicles, which produce more than enough engine heat to heat the interior.

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Carbon Engine Environment Concept 209

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

The European NEMESIS 2+ consortium has and successfully tested a pre-commercial on-site system for the production of hydrogen from diesel and biodiesel. The prototype system—the size of a shipping container—can be integrated into existing infrastructure with relative ease. The prototype, built by the Dutch project partner HyGear, produces 4.4 kilograms of hydrogen from 20 liters of biodiesel per hour—this roughly corresponds to the fuel tank of a B-Class F-cell vehicle.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

As of 1 September, all new cars sold in Europe must meet the Euro 6 emissions requirements. To mark this occasion the automotive and motor trading industries have launched an online clean diesel campaign to raise awareness among consumers and policy makers about clean diesel—a three-part solution comprising cleaner diesel fuel, advanced engines and effective emissions control technology.

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 31, 2015

Saft America Inc. has received a competitively bid, $6.13-million award from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC ( USABC ) in collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) for 12-volt stop-start battery technology development. The contract includes a 50% cost-share by Saft. The 30-month contract will focus on the development and delivery of lithium-ion 12-volt modules for vehicle stop-start battery applications consistent with USABC goals based on Saft’s advanced lithium-ion

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Lithium Ion America Batteries Battery 207

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Guyana

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Federal-Mogul Powertrain has developed a new premium diesel piston aluminium alloy: DuraForm-G91. In benchmarking tests, the new alloy—which will be on display at the IAA show later this month—provides between three and five times the component life of established as-cast materials in modern, highly loaded, diesel engines. The increased strength of the new material also supports higher mechanical loads, allowing engines to operate at higher specific power and more efficiently.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

DEINOVE, a biotech company developing innovative processes for producing biofuels and bio-based chemicals by using Deinococcus bacteria, has produced muconic acid in their laboratory using second-generation substrates. ( Earlier post.). DEINOVE recently announced that it had deployed a new R&D platform dedicated to the production of muconic acid, a versatile chemical intermediate the derivatives of which—caprolactam, terephthalic acid (a precursor to PET) and adipic acid—are widely u

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Concept Industrial Industry Carbon 203

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Westport Innovations Inc. and Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. have entered into a merger agreement to create a premier alternative fuel vehicle and engine company. The transaction will result in a combined equity value of $351 million based on the closing trading prices for the shares of both companies on 31 August 2015 and combined annual revenues ranging from $380 to $405 million projected for 2015.

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 31, 2015

Schlumberger and IBM today have teamed up to provide integrated services to upstream oil and gas customers that will improve the business impact of production operations projects. The offering combines Schlumberger’s production optimization services, upstream expertise, and Avocet production operations software platform with IBM’s enterprise asset management and enterprise services to deliver an end-to-end service for optimizing integrated production operations.

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Oil Gas Production Maintenance 203

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Results from the recently released 2015 Harris Poll AutoTECHCAST suggest that the deluge of infotainment features and connected services coming from the automotive industry may do little to accelerate consumer adoption. Survey results suggest that redefining car design success with a focus on familiarity, usage, satisfaction and loyalty between users and brands—rather than on the sheer number of features offered—may better serve the industry.

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Connect Connected 2015 Purchase 199

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance broke ground for their joint-venture manufacturing complex, COMPAS (Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes), in Aguascalientes in central Mexico, which will build next-generation premium compact vehicles for the brands Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti. COMPAS is 50:50 owned by Daimler and Nissan. The partners will invest a total of US$1 billion in the joint venture, which will oversee the construction and operation of the state-of-the-art manufacturing p

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

by Dalan McEndree for Oilprice.com. “If you are the world’s leading energy economy, you produce energy, that’s what you do.”. “A government can stay irrational longer than it can stay solvent.”. “Even in the short term, you’re dead, if you commit suicide.”. The first quote modifies a GEICO commercial describing a free-range chicken (If you’re a free range chicken, you roam free, that’s what you do), the second, the famous John Maynard Keynes quote about markets (The market can stay irrational lo

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Oil Saudi Arabia UAE 2015 199

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Tesla Motors has made the promised battery upgrade for its Roadster available via its online shop. For a price of $29,000, with a $5,000 downpayment, customers will receive an new battery pack that Tesla says stores roughly 40% more energy than the original battery, with an increase in total range of more than 35%. Since the original Roadster featured a 56 kWh pack and 245 miles of range, presumably the new pack is ~78 kWh with a resulting range of ~331 miles (533 km).

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Miles Batteries Battery Kits 197

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded Iteris a $5.8-million task order for continued support and evolution of the National Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Architecture and the Connected Vehicle Reference Implementation Architecture (CVRIA) through 2018. This award extends Iteris’ working relationship with the USDOT to more than 20 years.

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Connect Connected Vehicles Environment 197

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Land Rover is developing a “see-through” trailer concept that would completely remove the blind spot created when towing a caravan or trailer. This transparent view would allow the driver to clearly see vehicles coming up behind and help driver confidence by improving visibility while maneuvering. The prototype Transparent Trailer system combines the video feed from the vehicle’s existing surround camera system—which includes the reversing camera and a camera on each wing mirror—with

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 31, 2015

Lionano Inc. announced an agreement with Cornell University’s Center for Technology Licensing ( CTL ) for the development and production of an innovative drop-in anode material for use in lithium-ion batteries. The drop-in consists of a hollow structured metal oxide material that can substantially reduce the volumetric expansion of a conventional anode, according to the company.

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 31, 2015

Lockheed Martin has joined a $17-million investment round in Peloton Technology , a developer of truck platooning systems, co-led by DENSO International America and Intel Capital ( earlier post ). The Peloton Truck Platooning System electronically couples pairs of trucks through a combination of vehicle-to-vehicle communications, radar-based active braking systems and proprietary vehicle-control algorithms.

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 29, 2015

The California Air Resources Board has awarded 2,000 Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Vouchers. Since its launch in 2010, the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) has provided more than $63 million to help California fleets statewide purchase more than 430 zero-emission trucks and buses and 1,800 hybrid trucks and buses.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Audi is further expanding its range of S models, with the new SQ5 TDI plus arriving at German dealerships in October. The 3.0L biturbo V6 TDI diesel produces 250 kW (340 hp) by way of increased injection pressure, resulting in 20 kW/27 hp more power compared to the SQ5 TDI. Peak torque is increased by 50 (36.9 lb-ft) to 700 N·m (516.3 lb-ft).

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Bosch is developing a 48V entry-level hybrid system that will be production-ready by 2017. “ The boost recuperation system is the hybrid for everyone ,” says Dr. Rolf Bulander, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH and chairman of the Mobility Solutions business sector. Bosch says that the low-cost system, which enables start-stop functionality and braking energy recuperation, will deliver about a 15% improvement in fuel consumption, not only in controlled tests, but also in eve

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Mazda Motor Corporation and OJSC Sollers have agreed with the Government of the Russian Federation to begin assessing the establishment of an engine production plant at their joint venture Mazda Sollers Manufacturing Rus (MSMR), located in Vladivostok in the Primorsky region of Russia’s Far Eastern Federal District, and signed an memorandum of understanding to that affect.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

Toshiba has developed a prototype of a highly efficient molecular catalyst that converts carbon dioxide into ethylene glycol, a useful industrial raw material, without producing other and unwanted by-products. The new catalyst can be used in artificial photosynthesis powered by solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbon compounds. Most artificial photosynthesis technologies use a two-electron reduction conversion process, producing carbon monoxide and formic acid.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

BMW is showcasing new solutions for the “connected car” under the BMW ConnectedDrive banner at the IFA 2015 show in Berlin (4–9 September 2015), one of the world’s leading consumer electronics and home appliance fairs. One of the company’s focal points at the IFA are a pair of apps designed for operating functions inside connected houses. The Smart Home app from Deutsche Telekom is an Apple iOS-based application which can be integrated into a BMW i3 or any other BMW vehicle with BMW ConnectedDri

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is soliciting applications for $10 million in competitive grant funding available to states to improve highway-rail grade crossings and track along routes that transport energy products such as crude oil and ethanol. The guidelines for the grant applications set by the FRA encourage states to include innovative solutions to improve safety, especially at highway-rail grade crossings.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Lightweight metals leader Alcoa is expanding its R&D center in Pennsylvania to accelerate the development of advanced 3D-printing materials and processes. Alcoa will produce materials designed specifically for a range of additive technologies to meet increasing demand for complex, high-performance 3D-printed parts for aerospace and other high-growth markets such as automotive, medical and building and construction.

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