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Keio University Spin-Off Forms Consortium to Develop New EV Prototype for Mass Market; Commercialization in 2013

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will form a consortium to develop a new electric car prototype, with mass-market sales being the end goal. The consortium, which includes battery cell manufacturers, auto parts companies and trading firms, aims to develop and mass-produce electric cars using technology developed by SIM-Drive. SIM-Drive Corp. , and Isuzu Motors Ltd.,

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150 millionth Volkswagen rolls off assembly line at Wolfsburg plant: a Golf GTE plug-in hybrid

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The 150 millionth car—a blue Golf GTE plug-in hybrid— rolled off the assembly line in Wolfsburg on Thursday. In the post-war era, it was the Volkswagen Beetle that initially shaped the automobile industry. million of this much-loved small car were built before production finally came to an end in Mexico in 2003.

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EIA: China promoting both fuel efficiency and alternative-fuel vehicles to curb growing oil use

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million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2003 to more than 2 million bbl/d in 2013, according to figures from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Under the Energy Saving and New Energy Vehicle Plan for 2012 to 2020 released in 2012, average passenger car fuel economy is targeted to increase to 34 miles per gallon (6.9

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DLR and Wuppertal publish comprehensive global analysis of e-mobility technologies, outlook and lifecycle assessments

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Within the study, the DLR scientists developed a database to record all electric passenger vehicles, which they analyzed down to the component level—including series vehicles already in production, prototypes, show cars and research vehicles. A total of 87 new BEV and PHEV production cars were presented worldwide between 2006-2013.

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Thomson Reuters analysis finds automotive new propulsion technology patent activities surge 6-fold in 5 years

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For the report , “The State of Innovation in the Automotive Industry”, Thomson Reuters broke patent activity in the automotive industry into five broad categories: Propulsion; Navigation (which included telematics); Handling (which included autonomous driving); Safety & Security (which included driver assistance systems); and Entertainment.

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Volkswagen extends cooperation with China joint venture partner FAW Group for 25 more years; enhanced R&D on alt drive systems

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The facility will be built to the south east of the Urumqi plant commissioned in August 2013. The Volkswagen Group is one of the most successful companies in the Chinese automobile industry. Heizmann and Chen Zhixin, President of SAIC Motor Corporation, also signed a joint agreement to this effect.

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VW Chief Executive Says Company Will Introduce EVs Based on the Up! New Small Family in 2013; Cautions Against Electro-Hype

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Cautioning that the development and commercialization of the electric car is “ not a sprint, but a marathon ”, Volkswagen AG Chairman of the Board of Management Prof. New Small Family ( earlier post ) in 2013. Currently, cars contribute. VW and the electric car. Electric cars face three major challenges he said.

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