Sat.Nov 24, 2012 - Fri.Nov 30, 2012

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Chevy Spark and Sonic first to offer Eyes Free mode integration with Apple’s Siri

Green Car Congress

Early next year, the Chevrolet Spark (1LT, 2LT) and Sonic LTZ and RS will integrate Apple’s Siri “Eyes Free” voice recognition technology; GM is the first automaker to implement the technology in production vehicles. Apple had announced in June that it was working with automakers to integrate Siri (which officially still is in Beta) into select voice control systems.

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Chevy Volt Electric Car Has Highest Customer Satisfaction Scores, Again

Green Car Reports

Fewer Chevrolet Volt owners would buy another this year than at the same time last year, Consumer Reports has discovered.Of course, when that figure is still 92 percent (down from 93) and the Volt has topped Consumer Reports' consumer satisfaction survey for the second year running, perhaps a drop isn't so bad. Unsurprisingly, the Volt is.

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2014 Chevy Spark EV to be fast driving fast charging electric car

National Green Transportation

On Tuesday, ahead of the 2012 LA Auto Show, GM unveiled specifications and other details about the 2014 Chevy Spark EV, GM's first all electric car since the now-crushed GM EV1. The Spark EV, first shown.

2014 110
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London’s driveways become new electric charging network

Green Cars News

London homeowners aren’t just offering their driveways as somewhere for commuters to park, but are now also offering them up as somewhere for EV drivers to charge their cars. A new partnerships between Parkatmyhouse.com, energy company, SSE, Chargemaster and Source London means that for the first time, drivers entering the capital will be able to [.].

London 82
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How serious is Norway about climate change? So much that its streetlights self-dim

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

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UBC wireless power transfer technology uses magneto-dynamic coupling rather than inductive technology

Green Car Congress

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) led by Dr. Lorne Whitehead in the Sustainability Solutions Applied Physics Laboratory have developed a low-frequency wireless power transfer (WPT) technology based on the magneto-dynamic coupling (MDC) of two rotating permanent magnets in transmitter and receiver, rather than on resonant inductive technology.

Power 310
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Crossing Canada In An Electric Car? Free Charging Lets It Happen

Green Car Reports

Traveling coast-to-coast isn't a trip best suited to the average electric car, but it's become a whole lot easier in Canada. A free, 240V charging network now lines the Trans-Canada highway, allowing EV drivers to drive across the entire country--and to demonstrate, two drivers are doing just that. Kent Rathwell, founder and president of the Sun.

Canada 164

More Trending

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Electric car repair bill 35% less than combustion car

Green Cars News

Electric cars cost significantly less to repair than an equivalent petrol or diesel car, according to new research. Maintenance and repairs for electric vehicles will be around 35 per cent less than a comparable petrol or diesel vehicle, according to a study conducted by the Institute for Automotive Research (IFA) at the Nürtingen–Geislingen University in [.].

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UCSD/Sapphire team shows marine algae can be engineered to perform as well as fresh water algae to produce enzymes and biofuels; removing the constraint of fresh water

Green Car Congress

Researchers from UC San Diego and Sapphire Energy, Inc. have demonstrated for the first time that genetically engineered marine algae can be just as capable as fresh water algae in producing industrially relevant products such as enzymes or biofuels. The scientists engineered marine algae to produce five different kinds of industrially important enzymes; they suggest the same process could be used to enhance the yield of petroleum-like compounds from these salt water algae.

San Diego 299
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Electric Cars Represent U.S. Jobs, Says Michigan Governor Granholm

Green Car Reports

Want to support American jobs? Then support electric cars. That's the message from former Michigan governor, Jennifer M. Granholm. Granholm was governor of the state when $1.35 billion in grants were offered, in order to develop and build electric vehicles and their batteries. Writing in the Huffington Post, Granholm says that these grants didn't.

Michigan 159
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2014 Chevy Spark EV to be fast driving fast charging electric car

National Green Transportation

On Tuesday, ahead of the 2012 LA Auto Show, GM unveiled specifications and other details about the 2014 Chevy Spark EV, GM's first all electric car since the now-crushed GM EV1. The Spark EV, first shown.

2014 60
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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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Cambridge team rethinks solar-powered technology

Green Cars News

The World Solar Challenge is a marathon race across Australia, from Darwin in the North to Adelaide in the South, that sees around 40 teams design and build solar-powered cars, each intent on getting to the finish line first. For the last twelve years or so, since the arrival of BP’s Quiet Achiever, design for [.].

Solar 71
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Organic cathode material for high-capacity Li-ion battery with fast charge and discharge

Green Car Congress

Extended charge?discharge cycling of PPYT in LiNTf 2 /G4 at 45 °C, 1 C rate). Credit: ACS, Nokami et al. Click to enlarge. Researchers from Kyoto University and Panasonic have developed a rechargeable Li-ion battery using a new organic cathode material that exhibits “ remarkable ” charge–discharge properties with a high specific capacity of 231 mAh/g, excellent rechargeability (83% of the capacity retained after 500 cycles), and charge–discharge ability (90% of the capacity at 30 C as compared t

Li-ion 287
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Converted Mercedes SL Electric Car On eBay Is A Real Beauty

Green Car Reports

Imagine your dream car. It would have to be beautiful. Classy, too, and utterly elegant and tasteful. No superfluous detailing, timeless lines, and a badge that demands respect. Oh, and it would be electric, making it as clean as any other electric vehicle on the road. For some, the 1965 Mercedes-Benz SL currently for sale on eBay will tick all.

Mercedes 154
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Smith Electric Vehicles adding hundreds of jobs to Chicago with new factory

National Green Transportation

Kansas City based electric truck manufacturer Smith Electric Vehicles is expanding again with a new electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Chicago, the company announced on Wednesday. The new manufacturing plant is expected to add hundreds of.

Chicago 58
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ExxonMobil announces 6th oil discovery offshore Guyana with Ranger-1; Guyana may move from non-producer to regional powerhouse

Oil

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Smart to introduce electric scooters; new electric car announcement

Green Cars News

Smart, the Daimler brand famous for its small electric cars such as the Smart Fortwo EV, is now set to expand its portfolio by introducing an electric two-wheeler. The company has teamed up with Vectrix to introduce the Smart Scooter alongside the Smart Electric Drive and the Smart eBike in 2014. The scooter will complete [.].

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USGS estimates nearly 39 billion barrels of oil undiscovered and technically recoverable in two Arctic petroleum provinces; 275 trillion feet of gas

Green Car Congress

Map of Arctic Alaska Province (outlined in black) showing boundaries of the platform and fold-and-thrust belt assessment units in red. Source: USGS. Click to enlarge. The US Arctic Alaska Petroleum Province holds mean estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources of nearly 30 billion barrels of oil, about 179 trillion cubic feet of nonassociated gas, and 40 trillion cubic feet of associated gas, according to a new assessment published by the US Geological Survey (USGS)

Oil 286
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Fisker Karma Assembly Stalled Til Bankrupt Battery Maker A123 Is Sold

Green Car Reports

Prodution lines at Fisker Automotive have lain silent for a month, the company revealed yesterday at the LA Auto Show. Fisker CEO Tony Pasowatz said that the hold-up is due to bankrupt battery maker A123 Systems, which is currently in the process of being sold. A123 exclusively provides the battery packs for Fisker's Karma range-extended electric.

Karma 151
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2014 Chevy Spark EV to be fast driving fast charging electric car

National Green Transportation

On Tuesday, ahead of the 2012 LA Auto Show, GM unveiled specifications and other details about the 2014 Chevy Spark EV, GM's first all electric car since the now-crushed GM EV1. The Spark EV, first shown.

2014 40
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Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid crowned safest EV of them all

Green Cars News

Modern electric and hybrid cars are gaining a reputation for their safety, with a number of models have scored a top five star rating from EuroNCAP. But perhaps as you might expect, Swedish brand Volvo had to go one better, scoring the very highest score yet for an electrified vehicle in Europe. Its newly launched [.].

Volvo 59
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Smith Electric Vehicles to open manufacturing facility in Chicago

Green Car Congress

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Smith Electric Vehicles announced that Smith will open an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Chicago. Smith said its decision to locate a facility in Chicago was influenced by the Mayor’s innovative voucher system created to accelerate the conversion from diesel to zero-emission, all-electric commercial vehicles, the large number of fleets interested in vehicle electrification, and the development incentives made available to Smith.

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2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Priced Sub-$41K, 115 MPGe

Green Car Reports

Honda has revealed pricing for its upcoming Accord plug-in hybrid at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. The car will be priced from $39,780 when it goes on sale January 15 in California and New York. That's just a little higher than the recently-announced price for the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi at $39,495, which in turn is a little more than the.

Honda 149
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Singapore introducing stiff new feebate scheme for low carbon cars

Green Car Congress

Singapore will implement a new Carbon Emissions-Based Vehicle Scheme (CEV) on 1 January 2012, providing rebates to qualified new cars, taxis, and imported used cars with low carbon emissions, and imposing an equivalent surcharge on higher emitting vehicles. This new scheme will replace the existing Green Vehicle Rebate (GVR) scheme that will expire on 31 December 2012.

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Mitsubishi Heavy to supply 500 kWh (normal) containerized Li-ion energy storage system to power grid of Orkney Islands

Green Car Congress

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), jointly with SSE plc (formerly Scottish and Southern Energy plc), will begin an energy storage system demonstration project using the power grid in the UK’s Orkney Islands, which has a high proportion of renewable energy generation in relation to demand. The project aims at demonstrating power supply stabilization in the region by introducing cargo container-type large capacity energy storage system using a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, which has a ma

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Brazil’s Nutec launches system to convert fish waste into oil for biodiesel feedstock

Green Car Congress

Brazil’s Industrial Technology Core Foundation of Ceará (Nutec), an entity linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education of the State (Secitece), launched Biopeixe Machine, which converts 50% of fish viscera into fats for the production of oil which will, in turn, be converted into biodiesel. Participating in the launch was Petrobras Biofuel.

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Mitsubishi Motors teams with USC on Smart Grid Living Laboratory Project; 12 i-MiEVs

Green Car Congress

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is supporting the University of Southern California (USC) and the Viterbi School of Engineering as it develops a special campus-wide Smart Grid “Living Laboratory” project including the use of Mitsubishi i-MiEV 100% electric vehicles. The Mitsubishi Motors/USC Electric Vehicle Smart Grid Demonstration Project will work to further develop and improve virtually all phases of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure to accommodate widespread EV usage in the

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Teijin’s bio-derived polyester fiber used in updated Nissan LEAF

Green Car Congress

Teijin Limited announced today that its ECO CIRCLE Plantfiber bio-polyester has been selected for use in the seats and interior trim surface of the Nissan LEAF, updated on November 20. ( Earlier post.) It is the first time for ECO CIRCLE Plantfiber to be used for the interior of a mass-produced vehicle. The seat and interior trim surface were co-developed by Teijin, automotive seat manufacturer Suminoe Teijin Techno Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Company Ltd.

Nissan 255
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Audi takes aggressive stance with diesel in the US; four new models and new 3.0L diesel engine; challenge to policymakers

Green Car Congress

Audi of America is taking a more aggressive stance with diesel in the US, both in terms of product offerings and in policy. In his press presentation at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Scott Keogh, the president of Audi of America, officially announced the addition of A8, A7, A6, and Q5 TDI diesel models to the Q7 and A3 TDI already on sale in the US. ( Earlier post.

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Chevrolet Spark EV priced below $25,000 with tax incentives; Oregon and Canada added to markets

Green Car Congress

The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV ( earlier post ), introduced today ahead of the Los Angeles International Auto Show, will be priced under $25,000 with tax incentives. GM expects the Spark EV to have among the best EV battery range in its segment and be the first electric vehicle to offer SAE Combo DC Fast Charging capability, when it goes on sale next summer.

Oregon 252
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EEA: Traffic pollution still harmful to health in many parts of Europe

Green Car Congress

Trend in emissions of air pollutants from transport in EEA-32: PM 2.5 , CO, SO x , NMVOC, NO x. Source: EEA. Click to enlarge. Transport in Europe is still responsible for damaging levels of air pollutants and a quarter of EU greenhouse gas emissions, despite some progress in reducing the impacts from transport. Many of the resulting environmental problems can be addressed by stepping up efforts to meet new EU targets, according to the latest report from the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Pollution 247
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€3.59M PHAEDRUS project for all-electrochemical high-pressure hydrogen refueling for passenger cars

Green Car Congress

UK-based ITM Power has received confirmation of a €3.59-million (US$4.66-million) grant award from a program of the European Union’s Joint Technology Initiatives (JTI). The award is to a consortium for the development of an advanced hydrogen refueling system using ITM Power’s high pressure hydrogen electrolysis technology. ITM Power’s share of this award is €0.87 million (US$1.12 million).

Hydrogen 246
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European Investment Bank providing $160M loan to support Johnson Matthey’s European R&D

Green Car Congress

Specialist research into emission control, process and low carbon technologies undertaken by Johnson Matthey will be supported by a £100-million (US$160-million) loan agreed with the European Investment Bank (EIB). This work is expected to make a significant contribution to reducing harmful emissions from transport and industry in the decades ahead.

Emissions 244
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GM CTO says company accelerating electric vehicle development in China; R&D focus on batteries and lightweight materials

Green Car Congress

General Motors is accelerating the development of electrified vehicles in China, Jon Lauckner, GM Chief Technology Officer, vice president of Global Research & Development, and president of GM Ventures, said in a presentation at the FISITA 2012 World Automotive Congress in Beijing. In September 2011, GM China opened the Advanced Materials Lab in Shanghai.

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Shanghai General Motors introduces Sail SPRINGO EV at Auto Guangzhou 2012; green technology strategy to 2020

Green Car Congress

The Sail SPRINGO EV. Click to enlarge. At the opening of Auto Guangzhou 2012, Shanghai General Motors launched its first localized new energy vehicle, the Sail SPRINGO EV. The vehicle was developed by Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), making it the first production electric vehicle created by a Chinese joint venture. A limited number of the Sail SPRINGO EVs will initially be sold starting in Shanghai as part of a trial program to enable Shanghai GM to better under

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Toyota introduces 4th gen RAV4; discontinues V6 option as segment moves towards more fuel efficiency

Green Car Congress

2013 RAV4 Click to enlarge. The all-new fourth-generation 2013 RAV4 crossover SUV made its world debut at the 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show. In redoing the RAV4, Toyota discontinued the optional V6 engine of the previous-generation; the new RAV4 only features Toyota’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which will produce 176 hp (131 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 172 lb-ft (23 N·m ) of torque at 4,100 rpm.

Toyota 239