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Ioxus, Inc. launched a new family of large cell prismatic electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLC) for transportation and utility applications that are lower in cost for the overall system design. The 1,000-, 3,000- and 5,000-Farad (F) ultracapacitors are smaller in size with increased energy and power density compared to products of other industry players. ( Earlier post.).
The South Bay bicycle community lost one of our finest members last week when Gustavo Rameriz was killed in a collision with a big rig while riding home to Belmont Shore in Long Beach from the job he loved at REI in Manhattan Beach. Gustavo, only 30 years old, was known as “an avid, avid road cycliclist and mountain biker who rode his bike to work at least 50% of the time,” according to Nicholas “Niko” George who worked with Gustavo for the two years he was employed at REI.
Ford is starting EV trials in Germany. For more details, follow the link … Ford Plans to Start Electric-Car Tests in Germany Next Month. “Ford Motor Co. will start a two-year test program of electric Focus compact cars and Transit vans in Germany on Jan. 4 as the U.S. company prepares to introduce battery-powered models as early as next year.
In a talk at the opening plenary of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) conference in Washington, DC, former New York Governor George Pataki called for a 40% market penetration of electric drive vehicles in the US by the end of the decade. Asserting that the over-reliance of transportation on foreign oil was “ one of the most devastating policy failures of our time ”, Pataki said that if electric drive penetration reaches only 3% to 7% by the end of the decade as man
Prototype of a Bladon Micro-Jet engine. Click to enlarge. A consortium led by micro gas turbine company Bladon Jets recently secured investment from the UK Technology Strategy Board to develop an Ultra Lightweight Range Extender (ULRE) for next-generation electric vehicles. Total project cost is £2,206,784, with the TSB providing £1,103,392 (US$1.8 million). ( Earlier post.).
The United States needs to fundamentally rethink its policy of promoting ethanol to diversify its energy sources and increase energy security, according to a new research paper and accompanying policy paper by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The papers question the economic, environmental and logistical basis for the billions of dollars in federal subsidies and protectionist tariffs that go to domestic ethanol producers every year.
Ford Motor Company will invest an additional $450 million in its electric vehicle plan, paving the way to build its next-generation hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle vehicles in Michigan beginning in 2012. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford made the announcement at the end of the first day of the media preview of the Detroit Auto Show. The new investment is in addition to Ford’s already announced plans to invest $550 million to transform Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich. from a large SUV fa
Ford Motor Company will invest an additional $450 million in its electric vehicle plan, paving the way to build its next-generation hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicle vehicles in Michigan beginning in 2012. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford made the announcement at the end of the first day of the media preview of the Detroit Auto Show. The new investment is in addition to Ford’s already announced plans to invest $550 million to transform Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich. from a large SUV fa
SAE International has released the J1772 “SAE Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Coupler” standard that provides a standard interface between plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles and electrical charging systems. The purpose of the standard is to define a common electric-vehicle charging network, thereby reducing costs and increasing convenience for owners of electric vehicles.
An electric traction motor (right) and stator (left) at the GM Powertrain Engineering Development Center Friday, 15 January 2010 in Pontiac, Michigan. (Photo by John F. Martin for General Motors) Click to enlarge. Noting that power electronics and electric machine technology as well as battery technology will be core to General Motors in its multiple paths to vehicle electrification, Tom Stephens, GM Vice Chairman, Global Product Operations announced that the company will expand its in-house ele
Audi e-tron Detroit Showcar. Click to enlarge. Audi introduced a new electric sportscar concept at the North American International Auto Show, its second following the introduction of the initial e-tron at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. ( Earlier post.). The Detroit showcar Audi e-tron is a 3.93 meter (155 in) long, 1.78 meter (70 in) wide and 1.22 meter (48 in) tall two-seater, with a gross weight of around 1,350 kilograms (2,976 lbs)—smaller than the first e-tron.
The New Compact Coupe. Click to enlarge. Volkswagen introduced its New Compact Coupe (NCC) hybrid concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The car, positioned between the Scirocco and the CC, offers combined fuel consumption of 4.2 L/100 km (NEDC), or 45 mpg US with an EPA rating. CO 2 emissions (NEDC) are 98 g/km. Top speed is 227 km/h (141 mph) with 8.6 seconds required to accelerate to 100 km/h (0-60 mph in 8.1 seconds).
New NASA-led research shows that the melt season for Arctic sea ice has lengthened by an average of 20 days over the span of 28 years, or 6.4 days per decade. The finding stems from scientists’ work to compile the first comprehensive record of melt onset and freeze-up dates—the “melt season”for the entire Arctic. The melt season begins each April when the sunless winter gives way to sunrise and spring, and water and air temperatures rise.
Vision Industries Class 8 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell hybrid-electric truck at the Port of Los Angeles. (Photo: Business Wire). Click to enlarge. The Port of Los Angeles is entering into negotiations with Los Angeles-based Vision Industries for the purchase and evaluation of Vision’s Tyrano hydrogen fuel cell hybrid-electric trucks. ( Earlier post.
The Scuderi Group will present preliminary results from a study underway at independent lab SwRI on the performance and viability of the Scuderi Air-Hybrid ( earlier post ) at the upcoming Washington Auto Show in Washington, DC. The company will also provide an update on the progress of Scuderi Engine prototype testing at the event. Scuderi Group is in talks with or has NDAs with 14 of the world’s top 20 automakers, according to the company.
Ford selected BorgWarner to supply the turbocharger technology for its new four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, scheduled to make its global debut early in 2010. The direct-injected 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter gasoline engines combine turbocharging and fuel injection technology to deliver greater fuel economy. BorgWarner turbo. Click to enlarge. As previously announced, BorgWarner will also supply turbochargers for rear-wheel drive trucks featuring Ford’s 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine.
A new hybrid ranking—the Hybrid Scorecard —for consumers released by the Union of Concerned Scientists finds that while many automakers are selling hybrid vehicles with significantly enhanced environmental performance and fuel economy at a reasonable cost, they too often inflate prices by including what UCS deems unnecessary luxury features, such as DVD players, keyless entry systems and leather interiors.
The Toyota Prius was the top-selling passenger car (excluding mini-cars and imported cars) in Japan in 2009, according to data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association (JADA). Top 10 sellers in Japan in 2009. Click to enlarge. The Prius has held the number one monthly sales slot since May, and posted a total of 208,876 units in Japan in 2009, representing 5.3% of the total new passenger car sales (standard, compact and mini-cars) of 3,923,740 units.
The Chevrolet Beat. Click to enlarge. GM India launched the Chevrolet Beat, the next offering from the 300 series after the Cruze, at a ceremony in India presided over by its President & Managing Director, Karl Slym. Based on GM’s global mini-vehicle architecture, the Beat will be launched in more than 150 markets around the world including those in Europe and North America, where it will be sold as the Spark.
An new study from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at Oxford University suggests that best way to reduce transport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the short term is a “drastic downscaling of both size and weight” of conventional gasoline and diesel cars. The study editor Sir David King (former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government) and lead author Dr.
Motor Authority. During this week’s 2010 Ferrari Formula One presentation, Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezelmo announced that a prototype road-going hybrid Ferrari 599 will be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and that a hybrid iteration of the 599 coupe is scheduled for production. Italian auto magazine Quattroruote further reports that the 599 Hybrid will utilize a lithium-ion battery pack powering a rear-mounted electric motor, and that the system will reduce urban cycle fuel cons
Electric vehicle maker THINK released its first US EV-Ready Cities Index. The top four cities included first-ranked Los Angeles and second-ranked San Francisco with Chicago and New York tied for third. The THINK EV-Ready Cities Index was presented by THINK CEO Richard Canny at the Electric Drive Transportation Association Annual Conference and Meeting at the Washington Auto Show.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new national air quality standard for nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ). ( Earlier post.). The new one-hour standard for NO 2 is set at a level of 100 parts per billion (ppb). This level defines the maximum allowable concentration anywhere in an area. EPA also is retaining the existing annual average standard of 53 ppb.
The Nikkei reported that Toyota Motor Corp. plans to double its global production of hybrid vehicles from the 2009 level to 1 million units in 2011. The automaker recently notified parts suppliers that it intends to roll out about 800,000 hybrids domestically in 2010, with the figure to be raised to around 900,000 in 2011 and roughly 1.1 million in 2012.
The 2011 Honda CR-Z EX. Click to enlarge. Honda introduced the 2011 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe at the North American International Auto Show. The CR-Z is now Honda’s third hybrid currently in the market, along with the Civic Hybrid and new Insight. The CR-Z represents the sixth unique version of Honda’s original IMA technology since the launch of the 2000 Insight, the first hybrid vehicle available in North America in December 1999.
ACAL Energy will bring a model hydrogen fuel cell system using its platinum-free liquid cathode, FlowCath, to FC EXPO 2010 in Tokyo in March. ( Earlier post.) The FlowCath powered module demonstrates a practical product prototype which could be commercialized in less than two years. The prototype, says ACAL, is considerably smaller than many people thought possible for a liquid cathode FC system.
Altech-Eco Corporation has obtained Certificates of Conformity (COC) from the EPA for its new dedicated and bi-fuel 2010 Ford Focus compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion systems. Altech-Eco’s EPA approved Dedicated 2010 CNG Ford Focus conversion system converts the Focus to run exclusively on CNG, and the system includes a manufacturer rated CNG cylinder with fuel storage capacity of 8.6 GGE (Gas Gallon Equivalent), with a natural gas driving range of 230 - 330 miles and an average of 39 mpg o
An example of an ISAS operation: Seawater Farms Eritrea. Source: Dr. Carl Hodges. Click to enlarge. UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, Boeing and Etihad Airways are establishing a research institute in Abu Dhabi—the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Project (SBRP)—that will use integrated saltwater agricultural systems (ISAS) to support the development and commercialization of biofuel sources for aviation and co-products.
A PureMotion system in a bus. Source: UTC. Click to enlarge. UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, announced that one of its latest generation PureMotion Model 120 fuel cell powerplants for hybrid-electric transit buses has surpassed 5,000 operating hours in real-world service with its original cell stacks and no cell replacements. This powerplant is aboard an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) bus operating in the Greater Oakland, California area.
Leaders from DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE), University of Tennessee and Genera Energy cut the ribbon on a cellulosic ethanol demonstration facility in Vonore, Tenn. The 74,000-square-foot plant has started producing ethanol and will deliver low-cost, fully-integrated technology for commercial production of ethanol from agricultural residue and bioenergy crops, including corncobs and switchgrass.
US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy has closed a $1.4 billion loan agreement with Nissan North America, Inc. The loan will support the modification of Nissan’s Smyrna, Tenn., manufacturing plant to produce the all-electric Nissan LEAF and the lithium-ion battery packs to power them. Modification of the Smyrna manufacturing plant, which will begin later this year, includes a new battery plant and changes in the existing structure for electric-vehicle as
The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, challenged the findings of a paper published 19 January in Environmental Science and Technology by researchers at the University of Virginia which determined, among other things, that “ conventional crops have lower environmental impacts than algae in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and water. ” ( Earlier post.).
A collision between the towing vessel Dixie Vengeance and the two barges it was pushing, and the 807-foot oil tank ship Eagle Otome in the Port of Port Arthur, Texas, resulted in damage in the vicinity of the number one starboard tank on the Eagle Otome, which was reported to be loaded with crude oil. The initial estimate of spilled oil is 450,000 gallons (1.7 million liters).
The UK government-backed Technology Strategy Board (TSB) will invest more than £12 million (US$19.4 million) in 22 studies and projects to develop new technology that will speed up the reduction of CO 2 emissions from road vehicles. The investment will be made in sixteen proof of concept studies, which will last up to one year, and six longer-running full research and development projects.
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study (EWITS). The two-and-a-half year technical study of future high-penetration wind scenarios was designed to analyze the economic, operational, and technical implications of shifting 20% or more of the Eastern Interconnection’s electrical load to wind energy by the year 2024.
TEPCO analysis found that quick charger availability has a significant effect on driving behavior. Source: TEPCO. Click to enlarge. Aker Wade Power Technologies has entered into a licensing agreement with Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to manufacture and market Level III DC fast chargers for electric vehicles. The chargers will incorporate TEPCO’s patented technology and be capable of charging vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Plug-In Stella by Subaru within les
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