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New lightweight metals institute will be headquartered in Detroit

Green Car Congress

The new $148-million lightweight metals manufacturing institute announced in February by President Obama ( earlier post ) will locate in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, officials from the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII) and the city announced today.

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Duke Energy and ITOCHU to assess second-life applications for Li-ion automotive batteries

Green Car Congress

According to some auto industry estimates, electric vehicle (EV) batteries that can no longer charge to approximately 80% of their original capacity may be candidates for replacement. Initial testing will occur in Duke Energy’s Indiana service territory.

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Bright’s Plug-In Car: Aerodynamics Are Key

Revenge of the Electric Car

This new company, Bright Automotive , is founded by ex-GM EV1 people, and the super efficient Rocky Mountain Institute to make plug-in hybrids in Indiana. To date, the relatively high cost of batteries has kept electric and plug-in vehicles at the fringes of the auto industry.

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