Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'A pilot plant in Dresden has started production of the synthetic fuel Audi e-diesel using water, CO 2 and green power—i.e., power-to-liquid (PtL). After a commissioning phase of just four months, the research facility in Dresden started producing its first batches of high‑quality diesel fuel a few days ago. ( Earlier post.). The energy technology company sunfire is Audi’s project partner and the plant operator.

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Green Car Reports

APRIL 24, 2015

Two years ago, the launch of the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid produced the first ostensible large luxury plug-in sedan competitor to the Tesla Model S electric car. The Porsche is a plug-in hybrid, with an electric range of 15 or 16 miles; the Tesla is all-electric, with ranges of 208 to 275 miles. DON'T MISS: 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid: Gas.

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Plug-in Plug Hybrid Porsche 131

Green Car Congress

APRIL 20, 2015

'At Auto Shanghai, Volkswagen is presenting the world premiere of the C Coupé GTE, which illustrates a new design approach for future top-end sedans at Volkswagen. This four-door concept car for the Chinese market—which is more than five meters in length—is powered by a plug-in hybrid drive system, the drive sources of which combine to produce 500 N·m of system torque.

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Plug-in Concept Plug Hybrid 250

Green Car Congress

APRIL 18, 2015

'BMW presented an initial selection of technology highlights for the next generation of the BMW 7 Series model range featuring developments in lightweight design, driving dynamics, comfort, intelligent connectivity and operation. Due to the BMW EfficientLightweight strategy, the new BMW 7 Series line-up will weigh up to 130 kilograms (287 lbs) less than the outgoing generation of models.

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BMW Carbon Concept Standards 244

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 19, 2015

'Cadillac will add a Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) propulsion system to its upcoming range-topping CT6 sedan, to be manufactured at the new Shanghai GM Cadillac plant, Pudong Jinqiao, China. The new PHEV version of the CT6 will be capable of greater than 60 km (32.4 miles) of all-electric range, and pairs with Cadillac’s 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder gas engine to offer estimated fuel efficiency of approximately 2.0L per 100 km (141 mpg US) based on China testing standards.

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Cadillac Plug-in Plug China 228

Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2015

LiquidPiston, Inc. (LPI), the developer of engines based on its High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC) ( earlier post ), has entered into an agreement totaling $991,557 with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to advance the development of its efficient, power-dense rotary internal combustion engine X-Mini ( earlier post ) for portable and small-engine applications.

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Engine Power Powered Diesel 224

Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'At SAE World Congress in Detroit, Siemens introduced VersiCharge Smartgrid (SG), the first Wi-Fi enabled electric vehicle (EV) charging station that allows residential owners to monitor and control usage remotely through a mobile or web app. With this new technology an EV owner can automatically turn charging on or off; schedule charging when rates are lowest; and view past power consumption data including usage and cost in a graphical form.

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Charging Grid Congress Installation 218

Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'Among the offerings at SAE World Congress in Detroit this week are several technical papers covering the advances in hydrogen fuel cell technologies from vehicle manufacturers in the first stage of series production FCEVs. Papers will describe modeling studies and the evaluation of components mainly in PEM fuel cell systems, hydrogen storage and hydrogen fueling.

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Congress Insight Fuel Production 214

Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'Optima is targeting a vehicle-fuels system approach to far exceed the improvements in vehicle energy consumption and the greenhouse gas intensity of the energy source. Source: DOE. Click to enlarge. Researchers at several DOE national laboratories are organizing a new initiative—New Fuels and Vehicle Systems Optima (Optima)—targeting the development and market introduction of co-optimized new fuels and light-, medium- and heavy-duty engines which together could achieve very signific

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Fuel Engine Gasoline Detroit 209

Green Car Congress

APRIL 19, 2015

'In Amsterdam, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented the sixth-generation of its highly successful Transporter model. Updated key technical features offer better safety, improved comfort and convenience and greater driving dynamics in combination with improved fuel economy. Volkswagen’s T-series has been the number one light commercial vehicle in Germany for decades.

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Transportation Fuel Fuel Economy Standards 209

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2015

Researchers led by a team at the US Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory have created a new lower-cost magnetic alloy that is an alternative to conventional NdFeB-based permanent magnets. The new alloy—a potential replacement for high-performance permanent magnets found in EV motors and wind turbines—replaces dysprosium (Dy), one of the scarcest and costliest rare earth elements.

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F-150 Miami Low Cost Wind 207

Green Car Congress

APRIL 23, 2015

'Eguana Technologies, a supplier of power control and conversion solutions for distributed energy storage systems and Li-ion manufacturer LG Chem have combined their technologies under a multi-year agreement to deliver a certified, fully integrated energy storage system (ESS) Eguana calls “AC Battery”. The modular system is targeted as a residential product, but also has the potential to be aggregated for small commercial and industrial (C&I) end-users.

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Li-ion Energy Storage North America Energy 207

Green Car Congress

APRIL 18, 2015

'Audi is providing 40 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) ( earlier post ) to support three different projects in the German government’s “Electric Mobility Showcase” program. The first time we were involved in the Electric Mobility Showcase in 2012, we gleaned valuable insights into how purely electric driving copes in everyday operation.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'Continental will launch its third generation of power electronics for hybrid and electric vehicles in August 2015. Continental currently is producing the second generation of power electronics for five European automotive manufacturers. The next generation is more compact and more powerful. In addition to the functionality and efficiency of the power electronics, the space requirements and weight are important criteria for automotive manufacturers.

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Hybrid Power Powered DC 200

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2015

TEGA GmbH, a subsidiary of The Linde Group, has signed an agreement with A. S. Trust & Holdings, Inc. to blend the low global warming potential, ASHRAE-listed hydrocarbon refrigerants HCR188C/R441A (a replacement for R134A) and HCR188C/R443A (a replacement for R22). TEGA, based in Wurzburg, Germany, will have exclusive blending rights within the European Union.

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Global Hawaii Ozone Germany 197

Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'For the first time in China, Johnson Controls unveiled its Lithium-ion automotive battery for Advanced Start-Stop vehicles at Auto Shanghai 2015. Johnson Controls says the new technology can increase fuel efficiency by up to 8%. The Johnson Controls Advanced Start-Stop system solution has two batteries. First, a 12-volt Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) or Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB), which will start the engine and supply power to accessories such as lights, navigation systems and radios.

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Lithium Ion China Batteries Battery 197

Green Car Congress

APRIL 20, 2015

'Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, announced that cumulative sales of Subaru models equipped with the EyeSight advanced driver assist system ( earlier post ) surpassed 300,000 units (308,333 units) in Japan at the end of March 2015. EyeSight’s pre-collision braking control works to avoid or limit frontal impact by detecting other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists and slowing or stopping the car when necessary.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2015

According to a new report from Navigant Research, worldwide revenue from connected vehicle systems is expected to grow from $96.3 million annually in 2016 to $36.6 billion by 2025. Vehicle connectivity for this report includes vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V); vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I); vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P); vehicle-to-cyclist (V2C); and other combinations of communicating with vehicles.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 23, 2015

'The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a multidisciplinary team at the University of Michigan $1.2 million to investigate further highly promising metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that the team had identified earlier as more efficient materials for high-density on-board hydrogen storage for fuel cell vehicles. ( Earlier post.). The U-M team’s efforts to develop such materials began in 2012 with researchers from multiple disciplines: Mike Cafarella, assistant professor of computer science

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Hydrogen 2017 2013 Michigan 195

Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2015

'Maxwell Technologies, Inc. is introducing two 24-volt versions of its ultracapacitor-based Engine Start Module (ESM). ( Earlier post.) The new higher voltage ESM is suited for improving equipment uptime and power reliability in buses and industrial vehicles such as cranes, backhoes, bulldozers, graders, pavers, off-road trucks, portable compressors and others with diesel engines.

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Industrial Industry Engine Volt 195

Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2015

'The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $5 million in grant funding for 4 clean diesel projects at ports in California, Oregon, New Jersey and Texas. The DERA grant recipients are: The City of Los Angeles Harbor Department will replace a diesel-powered crane with an all-electric crane that produces zero emissions at the San Pedro Bay. The NJ Department of Environmental Protection will replace Tier 1 engines on marine vessels with Tier 4 certified engines significantly reducing part

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Grant EPA Clean Cleaning 195

Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2015

'The Nikkei reports that Toyota wants a 30% take-rate for hybrids out of the vehicles it will sell in China in 2020, citing remarks by Hiroji Onishi, Toyota’s top executive in the country. Toyota will begin building hybrids in China this fall. The company also plans to release an electric vehicle in China—unique to the Chinese market—this year through its joint venture with GAC Group.

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2020 Toyota China Hybrid 195

Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'Toshiba Corporation has received an order to supply a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) for a power frequency regulation project in Hamilton, Ohio. The project will be carried out by Sumitomo Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas and Renewable Energy Systems Americas, a US renewable energy developer. Toshiba’s BESS, integrating an array of 6MW-2MWh SCiB lithium-ion batteries, will be delivered in November, and the system is scheduled to start operation in December.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 20, 2015

'Chevrolet unveiled the Chevrolet-FNR autonomous electric concept vehicle at Shanghai GM Gala Night. The concept was joined by the all-new Malibu, Bolt EV concept and the 2015 Captiva, which made their China debut. The Chevrolet-FNR was developed in Shanghai by GM’s Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) joint venture. The FNR engineering, design and electrification teams drew on their past experience developing electric concept vehicles.

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Chevrolet Concept Vehicles China 195

Green Car Congress

APRIL 20, 2015

'Toshiba Corporation has started demonstration operation of H2One, an independent energy supply system based on renewable energy and use of hydrogen as a fuel for power generation. Kawasaki City and Toshiba have installed the system at the Kawasaki Marien public facility and Higashi-Ogishima-Naka Park in the Kawasaki Port area. Click to enlarge. H2One combines photovoltaic installations, storage batteries, hydrogen-producing water electrolysis equipment, hydrogen and water tanks, and fuel cells.

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Power Powered Solar Water 195

Green Car Congress

APRIL 23, 2015

'A group of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE) have captured 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide—the equivalent of removing more than 2 million passenger vehicles from US roads for one year. The projects contributing to the 10 million ton milestone are part of DOE’s Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) Initiative and the Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage (ICCS) Major Demonstrations programs.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 23, 2015

'Audi has completed the development of an integrated V2X roof antenna. The series-production ready smart antenna contains an entire V2X solution, including radio and modem, GNSS antenna and receiver, V2X protocol stack and security, vehicle connectivity and V2X application matching Car-to-Car Communication Consortium (C2C-CC) Day-1 profile. Antenna development was done jointly by Kathrein Automotive GmbH and Autotalks Ltd., who designed the antenna PCB.

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Audi Connect Connected Installation 190

Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2015

'PSA Peugeot Citroën and IBM announced a partnership to help various industries within the Internet of Things economy to analyze data to deliver new services from connected vehicles. The companies are expanding their partnership announced last year to develop connected services for PSA vehicles by now enabling other industries and companies to propose new added values services in their vehicles.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2015

'Car buyers are trading in hybrid and electric cars for SUVs at a higher rate than ever before, according to a new analysis from car-buying platform Edmunds.com. According to Edmunds.com, about 22% of people who have traded in their hybrids and EVs in 2015 bought a new SUV. The number is up from 18.8% last year, and it is nearly double the rate of 11.9% three years ago.

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SUV Hybrid Alternative Fuels 2015 190

Green Car Congress

APRIL 21, 2015

'Johnson Controls is expanding its manufacturing operations in China by beginning production of advanced lead-acid batteries for Start-Stop vehicles to help automakers meet increasingly strict fuel economy and emission regulations. The global Start-Stop market for new vehicles could reach 49 million annually by 2020. In China, the company predicts 40% of all new vehicles will be Start-Stop in this time frame.

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China Lead Acid Lithium Ion Production 190

Green Car Congress

APRIL 19, 2015

'Researchers from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum are proposing a biorefinery scheme using lignocellulosic biomass feedstock (sugarcane bagasse) for the production of fuel (ethanol), chemicals (furfural), and energy (electricity). The proposed scheme could be integrated with existing sugar or paper mills, where the availability of biomass feedstock is in abundance as a means to address some of the cost and logistics issues, they suggest in their paper published in the ACS journal Energy &

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Fuel India Electric Electrical 190

Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2015

by Michael McDonald on Oilprice.com. Even as financial commentators on CNBC are starting to come around to the idea of a bottom in oil prices, the key question for US oil producers remains one of timing. How long will the oil price slump last? Is this a relatively short term event like 2008, or a longer term slump like the one in the mid 1980’s? After the oil price crash in 1985, it took almost twenty years for prices to revert to previous levels.

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Saudi Arabia Oil Prices Oil Price 183

Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2015

Injection moulding machine manufacturer ENGEL is currently building an ENGEL v-duo 3600 machine for the Open Hybrid LabFactory (OHLF) public/private collaborative research partnership in Wolfsburg, Germany where the machine will support research into functionally integrated composite technologies. (BMW uses ENGEL duo injection moulding machines to manufacture car body shell components for the BMW i3 electric vehicle.

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 24, 2015

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has teamed. up with local and federal agencies to increase significantly enforcement of California’s Heavy-Duty Diesel regulations statewide. ARB says that the partnerships leverage its ability to bring vehicles that are operating illegally into compliance and level the playing field for those that have already met requirements.

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California Diesel EPA Pollution 183