Sat.Dec 16, 2017 - Fri.Dec 22, 2017

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Influencers assess 2017 and make predictions for 2018

Green Car Congress

As the year winds down, questions tend to arise about what the big trends of the past year have been and what the year to come may hold.

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Tesla motor, Shelby Cobra body, Kia battery: watch electric Cobra stun a race crowd

Green Car Reports

In 1962, a 39-year-old Carroll Shelby stuffed a Ford V-8 into an AC Ace to create one of the most sought after performance cars ever made, the AC Cobra. Some 50 years later, a group of engineers from British Columbia, Canada has brought Shelby's idea—small two-seat sports car, very big power—into a new age. EPower Racing has been.

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DENSO and Toyota Tsusho to test quantum computing analysis of IoT traffic data

Green Car Congress

DENSO Corporation and Toyota Tsusho Corporation will conduct the first test using a quantum computer to process data from a traffic IoT platform. The companies will process vehicle location and travel data in real-time from about 130,000 commercial vehicles in Thailand, aiming to establish best practices for quantum computer applications in transportation.

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German partners start testing of optimized aviation engine compression system

Green Car Congress

Long-term partners MTU Aero Engines, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and GKN Aerospace Engine Systems have been working together within the European research program Clean Sky 2 to optimize an engine compression system and make it lighter. The resulting new technologies could be incorporated into the next generation of geared turbofans.

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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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Aerion and Lockheed Martin partner to develop first supersonic business jet

Green Car Congress

Aerion and Lockheed Martin announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to define a formal and gated process to explore the feasibility of a joint development of the world’s first supersonic business jet, the Aerion AS2. Over the next 12 months, the companies will work together to develop a framework on all phases of the program, including engineering, certification and production.

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Tsinghua, MIT, Argonne team discovers lithium titanate hydrates for superfast, stable cycling in Li-ion batteries

Green Car Congress

An international research team from Tsinghua University, MIT and Argonne National Laboratory has discovered a series of novel lithium titanate hydrates that show better electrochemical performances compared to all the Li 2 O–TiO 2 materials reported so far—including those after nanostructuring, doping and/or coating. Reported in an open access paper in the journal Nature Communications , the novel lithium titanate hydrates show a specific capacity of about 130 mA h g −1 at ~35 C (fully cha

More Trending

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German researchers develop technique capable of determining Li metal plating during Li-ion battery charging; benefit for EVs

Green Car Congress

A new technique—operando electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy— developed by researchers at Technische Universität München (TUM), Forschungszentrum Jülich, and RWTH Aachen University provides a unique insight into how the charging rate of lithium-ion batteries can be a factor limiting their lifetime and safety. The study is published in the journal Materials Today.

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Novel laser welding technique could expand use of advanced high-strength steel alloys

Green Car Congress

A Brazilian researcher has developed an innovative method of laser welding at high temperatures that enhances the properties of advanced high-strength (AHS) steel for applications in the automotive and aerospace industries. The automotive industry’s demand for high-performance AHS alloys has increased in recent years owing to increasingly stringent passenger safety, vehicle performance and fuel economy requirements.

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Researchers propose new approach for estimating health of battery pack

Green Car Congress

A team from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei is proposing a new approach to estimate the state of health of EV battery packs using an artificial intelligence (AI) optimization algorithm. A paper on their work is published in the Journal of Power Sources. Accurately estimating battery pack state of health (SOH) estimation is important for a number of reasons in EV applications, including dynamic response of the pack, safety reliability.

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The BMW Group and Solid Power partner to drive solid-state battery adoption in EVs

Green Car Congress

The BMW Group is partnering with Solid Power , a developer of solid-state rechargeable batteries, in a joint effort to develop Solid Power’s solid-state batteries for electric vehicle applications. In this effort, the BMW Group will assist Solid Power to advance its technology in order to achieve performance levels required for high-performance electric vehicles.

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

Brief

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Volkswagen appoints Frank Blome to head Battery Cell Center of Excellence

Green Car Congress

Volkswagen has appointed Frank Blome, previously Chairman of the Management Board of Daimler subsidiary Deutsche ACCUmotive GmbH, to head the Battery Cell Center of Excellence of the Volkswagen brand. Blome will assume the newly created function with effect from 1 January 2018. Blome holds a degree in electrical engineering and started his career as a development engineer in 1995.

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Electrify America to install 2,800 charging stations at workplaces and multi-unit dwellings across US

Green Car Congress

Electrify America LLC announced it will install more than 2,800 workplace and residential charging stations by June 2019 in 17 of the biggest metropolitan areas in the United States. The initiative is part of Electrify America’s $2-billion investment in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and education in the United States over the next 10 years. Electrify America is the Volkswagen subsidiary established earlier this year to fulfill Volkswagen’s commitments under the Consent Decree resolving it

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ADB approves $499M loan to establish facility for improved air quality in greater Beijing area; includes hydrogen transport

Green Car Congress

The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors approved a €428-million ($499-million) loan to set up a regional emission-reduction and pollution-control facility as part of a multiyear and multisector support program to improve air quality in the greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, which suffers from heavy air pollution. Cities in the greater BTH region have consistently been reported to have the highest concentration of particulate matter and other air pollutants, following decad

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Audi extends trade-in bonus in Germany for Euro 1-4 diesel owners switching to Audi Euro 6 vehicle

Green Car Congress

In Germany, Audi is extending its trade-in bonus for customers who switch from diesel-powered cars that meet the Euro 1 through Euro 4 emissions standards to an Audi that meets the Euro 6 standard. The price advantage is scaled by model—depending on the category of the selected new car, it amounts to between €3,000 and €10,000 ($3,500 to $12,000).

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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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Wärtsilä providing HY hybrid modules for Swedish port tug; first vessel operating with Wärtsilä HY solution

Green Car Congress

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply two Wärtsilä HY 2 hybrid power modules for a new escort tug being built for the Swedish port of Luleå located on the Gulf of Bothnia in the northern end of the Baltic Sea. The vessel is being built at GONDAN Shipbuilders, in Asturias, Spain, and the order with Wärtsilä was booked in December 2017. When launched in early 2019, it will become the first vessel operating with a Wärtsilä HY solution. ( Earlier post.).

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Lloyd’s Register and UMAS release Zero Emission Vessels 2030 study

Green Car Congress

Lloyd’s Register and University Maritime Advisory Services (UMAS) released a new study— Zero Emission Vessels 2030 —that aims to demonstrate the viability of zero emission vessels (ZEVs) by identifying what needs to be in place to make them a competitive solution for decarbonization. The first milestone in the IMO greenhouse gas (GHG) Roadmap is rapidly approaching: MEPC (Marine Environment Protection Committee) 72 in April 2018, which will, inter alia , address the reduction of gree

Emissions 150
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JATO: European car registrations up 5.2% in November; SUVs post record market share

Green Car Congress

New car registrations in Europe climbed 5.2% year-on-year in November 2017 to 1,250,281 units, according to JATO Dynamics. France, Spain and Germany, along with mid-sized markets including the Netherlands and Austria, experienced the biggest increases in volume for the month, off-setting a decline in the UK market where registrations were down 11.2%.

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Honda to unveil prototype of Gen 3 Insight hybrid at Detroit show; two-motor hybrid system

Green Car Congress

Honda will unveil the Honda Insight Prototype at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January as the precursor to the new third-generation 2019 Honda Insight—an upscale, stylish five-passenger sedan positioned above the Civic in Honda’s passenger car lineup. The new Insight features the latest generation of Honda’s innovative two-motor hybrid system and will launch next summer as the newest electrified vehicle in the Honda lineup.

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EU Council of Ministers adopts position on Renewable Energies Directive; bumps renewables in transport to 14% in 2030

Green Car Congress

The EU Council has adopted its position on a directive promoting the use of renewable energy across the EU. This agreement paves the way for the Council to start negotiations with the European Parliament as soon as it agrees on its negotiating mandate. The EU is committed to reach a target of at least 27% renewable energy of its overall energy consumption by 2030.

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Beijing to cut annual new car registration quota by one-third to 100,000; 60% for new energy vehicles

Green Car Congress

Xinhuanet reports that beginning next year, the Beijing municipal government will slash the annual new car registration quota by one-third, from 150,000 license plates to 100,000. Of the 100,000, 60% are reserved for new energy vehicles. Beijing currently has registered a total of 137,800 electric cars. The Chinese capital intends to bring the total number of vehicles to around 6.3 million by the end of 2020.

Energy 150
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DOE: median EV range in US grew 56% from 73 miles in MY 2011 to 114 miles in MY 2017

Green Car Congress

From 2011 to 2017, the median of the all-electric vehicle ranges in the US increased by 41 miles, or 56%—from 73 to 114 miles— according to data gathered by the US Department of Energy (DOE). In model year 2011, there were just three different models of AEVs available and their ranges on a full charge (according to the Environmental Protection Agency) spanned from 63 to 94 miles.

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Williams Advanced Engineering and Airbus collaborate on materials and battery technologies for Zephyr HAPS program

Green Car Congress

Airbus and Williams Advanced Engineering have signed a memorandum of understanding under which the two companies will focus on the ways in which ultra-lightweight materials, battery technologies and electrical cell chemistries can be integrated on Airbus’ Zephyr High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) program. In 2015, Airbus Defence and Space and Sion Power Corporation signed a three-year Collaborative Agreement under which Sion Power enhanced and supplied proprietary lithium sulfur (Li-S) batter

Engine 150
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Tritium Veefil-RT 50 kW fast chargers chosen for EV and V2G research project in Slovakia

Green Car Congress

As part of a research project into e-mobility and Vehicle to Grid (V2G) charging in Slovakia, a Tritium Veefil-RT 50kW DC fast charger has been installed at the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava. ZEROEMISSION, Tritium’s distributor in the region, has joined with Nissan Sales Central & Eastern Europe and the Slovak Academy of Sciences in the project, which is looking at how to implement the most innovative charging solutions across the country.

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Germany launches €12.1M Fab4Lib project to develop for large-scale production of Li-ion batteries; 6 GWh gigafactory

Green Car Congress

In January, a consortium of 17 companies and research institutes in Germany will begin researching and developing processes for the large-scale production of lithium-ion battery cells. The Fab4Lib project aims to explore innovative solutions along the value chain of lithium-ion technology and to validate them in demonstrators. The project is managed by TerraE Holding GmbH , which also plans to implement the results obtained successively and promptly in large-scale production in its own factories

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BMW Group hits 100K electrified vehicle mark for this year, lights up Group HQ like a battery

Green Car Congress

The BMW Group has delivered more than 100,000 electrified vehicles to customers worldwide in 2017, as promised at the beginning of the year. In recognition of the miletone, BMW used a light installation to transform its Group headquarters—the world-famous “Four-Cylinder” in the north of Munich—on the evening of 18 December 2017 into a battery.

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Toyota aims for sales of more than 5.5M electrified vehicles including 1M ZEVS per year by 2030; no models developed without electrified version

Green Car Congress

Toyota Motor Corporation announced its plans regarding the mass adoption of electrified vehicles for the decade 2020-2030. Toyota’s electrified vehicle strategy centers on a significant acceleration in the development and launch plans of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

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NIO launches ES8 battery-electric SUV; battery rental and swapping; NIO Pilot; base price $67.7K

Green Car Congress

NIO officially launched the ES8 7-seat, 3-row (2-3-2) battery-electric SUV at an event in Beijing. The NIO ES8 has a base price of RMB 448,000 (US$67,700) before subsidies, with 10,000 Founder’s Editions available for RMB 548,000 (US$82,800). A battery rental plan is available to NIO users, which provides a RMB 100,000 (US$15,000) discount on the purchase price of the ES8.

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Italgas switching 2,500-vehicle company fleet to FCA natural gas vehicles

Green Car Congress

Italgas is renewing its entire company fleet with methane-powered vehicles from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.The first deliveries have begun in Turin, with similar deliveries to be made in Rome and Naples—two of the main cities where the Italgas Group operates—over the next few days. Currently, the Italgas Group’s fleet comprises 2,500 vehicles; over the next 12 months these will be replaced with the latest “natural power” FCA models: Panda, Panda Van, Fiorino, 500L, Doblò, Qubo and Duc

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Groupe Renault, Brilliance form JV for LCVs in China in three segments with three brands; accelerating electrified powertrains

Green Car Congress

Groupe Renault and Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited have signed a contract for the formation of a joint venture to manufacture and sell light commercial vehicles (LCV) under the Jinbei, Renault and Huasong brands with the goal of achieving 150,000 sales annually by 2022 and an acceleration of electrifying powertrains. The new JV will be known as Renault-Brilliance Jinbei Automotive Co., Ltd. with manufacturing operations in the Dadong District of Shenyang.

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Port of Los Angeles sets new record for highest monthly container volumes; 924,225 TEUs in November

Green Car Congress

The Port of Los Angeles moved 924,225 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in November, the most containerized monthly cargo the Port has processed during its 110-year history. The previous record of 877,564 TEUs was set in November 2016. Through November 2017, cargo volumes are 8,563,982 TEUs, an increase of 6.3% compared to the same period in 2016.

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Study finds heavy-petroleum fuels raising vanadium emissions; human emissions outpacing natural sources by factor of 1.7

Green Car Congress

Human emissions of the potentially harmful trace metal vanadium into Earth’s atmosphere have spiked sharply since the start of the 21 st century due in large part to industry’s growing use of heavy oils, tar sands, bitumen and petroleum coke for energy, a new Duke University study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) finds.

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World Bank will stop funding oil, gas exploration in 2019

Green Car Reports

It's not just the world automotive industry that's grappling with rapid changes brought about by the need to reduce the effects of climate change. The world's fossil-fuel extraction, refining, and delivery industries are also faced with the reality that two centuries of burning their core products hurts the planet and has already exacerbated.

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2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid first drive review

Green Car Reports

Some plug-in hybrid models are easily distinguishable from the rest of the cars their maker sells. Others, like the 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid, are all but invisible. It takes a sharp eye to see the charging port door on the left-front fender or the trim and badging differences that distinguish it from a garden-variety Niro Hybrid. We spent 500.

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BMW sold 100,000 plug-in cars this year: more than GM, probably Nissan too (Tesla TBD)

Green Car Reports

You have to hand it to BMW. When the German automaker set out to eclipse last year's sales of plug-in cars by delivering 100,000 electrified vehicles globally this year, it was an ambitious goal. But as of the end of November, the automaker has achieved its goal—and in so doing has sold nearly as many electrified vehicles this year as it did.

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