Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Chassis version of the Sprinter E-CELL prototype. Click to enlarge. Mercedes-Benz is staging the world premier of a Sprinter E-CELL battery-electric van at the 2012 International Motor Show (IAA) for commercial vehicles. The prototype of the Sprinter E-CELL at the IAA is a chassis version with driver’s cab and the middle wheelbase of 3665 mm. The premiere at the IAA will serve as a test of customer reactions before a decision is made about possible series production.

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Green Car Reports

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

With the Chevrolet Volt racking up the highest sales last month since it launched--though the numbers were helped by incentives for both buyers and dealers--some of the "Volt is a flop" coverage has abated. Now, a post on the fan site GM-Volt.com points out that this so-called "sales failure" has higher sales to date this year than roughly half of.

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DIY Electric Car

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

You are running a transmission because you have admitted that you need two forward gears or need a reverse gear. (DC-without a reversing contactor.). EV conversions need to be catagorized. "Heavy" "medium" "light" "Flyweight" My car is in the light end of the "Light" class" It is almost capable of direct drive, without a transmission.

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Revenge of the Electric Car

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

This weekend is a big weekend for electric vehicles: Sunday, September 23rd is National Plug In Day , organized by Plug In America , the Sierra Club , and the Electric Auto Association. For example, the Chicago area EV enthusiasts are gathering at the Christian Community Church parking lot,1635 Emerson Lane in Naperville, IL at 2pm to open the doors of dozens of electric cars and electric conversions to community members who want to talk to EV drivers and learn more about the cars.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

The BMW Group’s Efficient Dynamics strategy is targeting reductions in fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions while at the same time increasing performance. In battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or automobiles using plug-in hybrid technology (PHEVs), the Efficient Dynamics strategy is aimed primarily at increasing the electric range. One element of this comes under the general heading “Intelligent Energy Management”.

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Green Car Reports

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Along with the news that Tesla expects to build 80 Model S electric cars this week, CEO Elon Musk also released a few more details of the company's plans for additional models in 2016. Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] has already said that it will launch the Model X crossover within the next year or so. That seven-seat crossover utility, complete with.

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2016 Tesla SUV Tesla Motors 149

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

IVLC enables variable intake valve lift, duration and timing over a range of operation. Click to enlarge. GM is applying a new advanced valvetrain technology on the Ecotec 2.5L four-cylinder engine used in the 2014 Impala, due next year. Chevrolet’s redesigned flagship sedan will use new Intake Valve Lift Control (IVLC) technology that enables variable intake valve lift, duration and timing over a wide range of engine operation.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Honda Motor Co. CEO, Takanobu Ito, outlined the product, technology and business developments and direction planned to drive Honda’s growth by fiscal year 2017; among these are a plan to introduce three hybrid systems, Ito said. Each system will possess unique characteristics and their deployment will reflect varying customer needs. First, Honda will further develop its lightweight and compact one-motor hybrid system (IMA) with the aim of achieving leading fuel economy among all hybrid vehicles.

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Honda Japan 2015 Hybrid 268

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Volvo Car Corporation intends to gain leadership in the field of autonomous driving as the next major step forward in vehicle safety. Autonomous driving—the self-driving car—gives the human driver the ability safely to do something else besides drive, such as sending text messages or reading a book while the car drives itself. It will also likely be an important capability for attracting the next-generation of auto consumers, says Volvo Car Corporation President and CEO Stefan Jacoby

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Joule and Audi AG have entered a strategic partnership to accelerate the commercialization of Joule’s sustainable transportation fuels, Sunflow-E and Sunflow-D, for the global ethanol and diesel markets respectively. Audi selected Joule as its exclusive partner in the development of biologically-derived diesel and ethanol—the result of extensive evaluations of Joule’s proprietary technology and commercial plans.

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Audi Transportation Fuel Waste 265

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

At the same Innovation Day 2012: Efficient Dynamics event at which it introduced its new EfficientDynamics engine family ( earlier post ), BMW also discussed its approach to Predictive Power Management as an element in its toolkit for fuel savings. With the aid of navigation-based information, the transmission control and the Foresight Assistant are able to chart the course of the road and the profile of the route, with its hills and descents, as well as the speed limits, and to take these into

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Eni plans to convert its Venice (Italy) Refinery into a biorefinery producing innovative and high quality biofuels. The project involves an estimated investment of approximately €100 million (US$130 million), and is the first in the world to convert a conventional refinery into bio-refinery. The new biorefinery is based on Ecofining technology developed and patented by Eni. ( Earlier post.).

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Convert Italy Conversion Green 252

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Tax credits and gasoline prices necessary for various electric vehicles to be cost-competitive with conventional vehicles at 2011 vehicle prices. Source: CBO. Click to enlarge. The nonpartisan US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that federal policies to promote the manufacture and purchase of electric vehicles, some of which also support other types of fuel-efficient vehicles, will have a total budgetary cost of about $7.5 billion through 2019.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Toyota is unveiling its new Auris for the European market ( earlier post ), representing its first step in a product offensive in the European C-Segment. Aerodynamic improvements, weight savings and engine enhancements have reduced fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions across the range. Toyota anticipates a 1/3 full hybrid, 1/3 gasoline, 1/3 diesel engine mix.

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Gasoline Toyota Diesel Emissions 252

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Commercial electric vehicle manufacturer Smith Electric Vehicles Corp. has decided not to pursue its planned initial public offering. The company intends to withdraw its registration statement on Form S-1 as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. We received significant interest from potential investors, however, we were unable to complete a transaction at a valuation or size that would be in the best interests of our company and its existing shareholders.

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Electric Vehicles Kansas City Kansas Vehicles 247

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

An independent test of Nissan LEAF battery capacity and range loss organized by Inside EV writer and LEAF owner Tony Williams has found significant battery capacity loss—and therefore range loss—in the EVs. In a post on the Inside EV site, Williams has compiled the data and published a report on the test. The Nissan LEAF electric car was introduced to the world as a mass production vehicle during December 2010.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Research teams at Gas Technology Institute (GTI) are working on several fronts to lower the costs of adoption of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) and their fueling infrastructure, particularly first-cost entry. One example of these initiatives is a new mobile fueling technology, the FuelMule. Rendering of the FuelMule. Source: Ultimate CNG. Click to enlarge.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Mercedes-Benz will present a battery-powered electric concept variant of the B-Class at the Paris Motor Show, reportedly developed in partnership with Tesla Motors. ( Earlier post.) Market launch is planned for 2014. This concept vehicle is one of the first models to incorporate the term “Electric Drive” into its model designation; in the future, “Electric Drive” lettering will be featured on all battery-powered electric passenger cars from Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG and smart.

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Mercedes Concept Li-ion Batteries 240

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Deutsche Bahn and Tognum subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH (MTU) have converted a diesel-mechanical powered car from the VT 642 series into a hybrid vehicle as part of a joint research project. The partners unveiled the vehicle to the public at InnoTrans 2012. Hybrid rail car VT642 with MTU Hybrid Powerpack. Credit: MTU. Click to enlarge. The new drive system from MTU—a hybrid power pack—uses a generator to convert the kinetic energy generated during braking into electrical energy.

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Convert Transportation Hybrid Cars 239

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy (PIE), TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy and Precourt Energy Efficiency Center (PEEC) have awarded 9 faculty seed grants totaling $2.2 million for promising new research in clean technology and energy efficiency. Seed funding supports early work on concepts that have the potential for very high impact on energy production and use.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has developed a human support robot (HSR) prototype to assist independent home living for persons with limited arm or leg mobility. The prototype is an addition to the Toyota Partner Robot series that TMC is developing to assist people in their everyday activities. Human Support Robot Prototype. Click to enlarge. The HSR—operable by voice command or by tablet PC—has a highly maneuverable, compact, and lightweight cylindrical body with a folding arm that

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Toyota Motor Motors Motoring 236

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Toshiba Corporation will join Honda Motor Co. in the testing of the smart home system that Honda has been conducting in the city of Saitama. The two companies will jointly conduct demonstration testing with the goal of pursuing the optimization of energy generation and usage. Since April 2012, as a part of the E-KIZUNA Project run by the city of Saitama, Honda has been conducting demonstration testing using two smart home system equipped houses built on land adjacent to Saitama University.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Vision Industries Corp. entered into a Joint Development Agreement with Balqon Corporation to build its zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell /electric hybrid terminal tractor, the Zero-TT. ( Earlier post.) This agreement combines the Cargotec USA Kalmar chassis with Balqon’s electric drivetrain ( earlier post ) and Vision’s hydrogen fuel cell range-extender.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Corvus Energy is designing and manufacturing more than two megawatts of Li-ion batteries to be at the heart of four new 542 kWh hybrid tugboats now being. built for the Gorgon Project. One of the world’s largest natural gas projects, Gorgon is currently under construction 130 km off the west coast of Australia. Once complete, it will become the largest natural resource project in Australia’s history.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

New Ecotec 2.0L turbo. Click to enlarge. A new, gasoline direct-injected (GDI) Ecotec 2.0L turbocharged engine is available in the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. It is rated at 259 hp (193 kW), making it one of the most power-dense automotive engines in the industry, GM notes. A twin-scroll turbocharger generates up to 20 pounds of boost, helping the engine optimize power delivery across the rpm band.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

IEA fuel economy readiness index status, 2010. Source: Policy package. Click to enlarge. Two new reports—one on technology, the other on policy— released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) outline pathways to improve the fuel efficiency of combustion-engined road vehicles by 50% by the middle of the century, saving as much as four-fifths of current annual global oil consumption.

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Fuel Economy Fuel Transportation Engine 236

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

GE’s Energy Storage business announced $63 million in new Durathon sodium-halide battery orders since the business launched in July. ( Earlier post.) In its first weeks of operation, the business secured 10 new telecom customer orders across several regions, including Africa, Asia, India and the US powering a total of more than 3,500 cell towers. Durathon batteries help solve key challenges for customers in emerging markets, where power outages and cycle disruption are prevalent, and in develope

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Sodium South Africa Batteries Battery 236

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

Altair ProductDesign is partnering with Edison2 to assist in the design of the new Very Light Car 4.0 (VLC 4.0), the next generation version of the innovative, light-weight, fuel-efficient vehicle entered in the Progressive Automotive XPRIZE in 2010. The original Edison2 vehicle, operating with a one-cylinder internal combustion engine, won the $5 million prize for the Mainstream Class. ( Earlier post.).

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Light Cars Virginia Fuel Economy 236

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

A new study by Dr. Chris Malins of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) finds that without including indirect Land Use Change (iLUC) factors (or some other effective iLUC minimization approach), European biofuel mandates are unlikely to deliver significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions benefits in 2020, and have a substantial probability of increasing net GHG emissions.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Design of the new permanent magnet tunnel thruster. Click to enlarge. Rolls-Royce has delivered the first of its newly-developed permanent magnet tunnel thrusters (TT-PM) to Norwegian company Olympic Shipping, which will operate the thruster on their vessel Olympic Octopus. Tunnel thrusters are positioned fore and aft on a wide range of ships and provide sideways thrust for maneuvering and holding position in rough seas.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. and EnerDel, Inc., two providers of Li-ion-based energy storage solutions, have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) to co-market and cross-sell each others’ product portfolios. Each company will now be able to offer a much broader line of Li-ion energy storage systems (ESS) from individual cells and modules to complete systems that offer multiple chemistries and technologies to meet the needs of their respective customers.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Under the auspices of the EU project DISCO (“Targeted DISCOvery of novel cellulases and hemicellulases and their reaction mechanisms for hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass”), SEKAB E-Technology, together with the R&D center of the Dyadic International, successfully verified the performance of a new Dyadic enzyme package (AlternaFuel CMAX) for the degradation of cellulose at a demo plant in Örnsköldsvik.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

e-NV200 Panel Van Concept. Click to enlarge. Nissan is in the final development phase of its second mass production zero-emission vehicle, the battery electric e-NV200 compact van. ( Earlier post.) At the 64 th IAA Commercial Vehicle International Motor Show in Hanover, the company unveiled the new Panel Van version of the e-NV200 Concept, decorated with Nissan and FedEx graphics and logos.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

GE Oil & Gas and Brazilian energy company Petrobras have signed the world’s largest subsea wellhead production contract, worth nearly US$1.1 billion (R$2.2 billion). This includes the delivery of approximately 380 subsea wellhead systems and installation tools needed in oil well exploration; more than 75% of the parts will be made in Brazil. GE announced the award of the contract at the 2012 Rio Oil & Gas being held 17-20 September in Rio de Janeiro.

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