Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 24, 2011

A team at Stanford led by Prof. Yi Cui has developed nanoparticle copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) battery cathode materials that demonstrate long cycle life and high power for use in grid storage applications. In a paper in Nature Communications , they report that after 40,000 deep discharge cycles at a 17?C rate, 83% of the original capacity of copper hexacyanoferrate is retained.

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Green Car Reports

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Let's face it: If you want the best gas mileage in a compact or mid-size all-wheel drive crossover, you have to go hybrid. But hybrids are still more expensive than gasoline models by a few thousand dollars, and the majority of buyers prioritize price over those last few miles per gallon. So the new 2013 Mazda CX-5 promises to raise the bar for.

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Green Cars News

NOVEMBER 25, 2011

If your car was full of waste plastic bottles you’d probably not be best pleased about it and would likely scream at the kids not to leave junk in the car. But not with the new Ford Focus Electric which is full of plastic bottles-but thankfully in a clean and environmentally friendly way. Ford has [.].

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Ford Waste Electric Electrical 58

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

The decrease in CO 2 equivalent emissions of ODSs (ozone-depleting substances: CFCs, halons, HCFCs, and others) may be offset by the projected increase in their non-ozone depleting substitutes (HFCs) (lines designated as HFC scenarios). Source: UNEP. Click to enlarge. A new report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) projects that by 2050, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) could be responsible for emissions equivalent to 3.5 to 8.8 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (Gt CO 2 eq)—comparable to t

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 24, 2011

Overview of Charging Network Development Organization, LLC charging service. Click to enlarge. Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC); Honda Motor Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Motors Corporation; ULVAC, Inc.; Kanematsu Corporation; Kandenko Co., Ltd.; Suzuyo Shoji Co., Ltd.; Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.; and the Development Bank of Japan Inc. are establishing an organization to provide membership-based quick-charging services for users of electric vehicles (EVs).

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Mitsubishi Honda Toyota Charging 268

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2011

Mazda’s ‘i-ELOOP’ regenerative braking system. Click to enlarge. Mazda Motor Corporation has developed the first production passenger vehicle regenerative braking system that uses an ultracapacitor. The system, which Mazda calls ‘i-ELOOP’, will begin to appear in Mazda’s vehicles in 2012. In real-world driving conditions with frequent acceleration and braking, i-ELOOP improves fuel economy in stop-and-go driving conditions by approximately 10%, according to the company.

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 24, 2011

Natural gas production in North Dakota has more than doubled since 2005, largely due to associated natural gas from the growing oil production in the Bakken shale formation. Gas production averaged more than 485 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) in September 2011, compared to the 2005 average of about 160 MMcfd. However, due to insufficient natural gas pipeline capacity and processing facilities in the Bakken shale region, more than 35% of North Dakota’s natural gas production so far in 2011 ha

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd. (BDNT), the 50:50 R&D Joint Venture between Daimler AG and BYD Company Limited, is going to show a design concept of the future joint venture electric vehicle to the public for the first time during next year’s Auto China in Beijing. BDNT will be present at the motor show in April 2012 with its own appearance, showcasing its vision, the new brand’s identity, including brand name, logo and positioning as well as the concept car’s exterior and interior

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BYD China Concept 2012 244

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

In a draft of the first Review Report for the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), the staff of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) notes that the harmonization of LCFS programs globally will be important “ for ensuring that global GHG emission reductions actually result from these programs ” Harmonizing LCFS programs means bringing key elements of different LCFS regulatory frameworks into accord with one another, while recognizing that these elements will not necessarily

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

Analysis by researchers at Rice University suggests that the theory that the release of massive amounts of carbon from methane hydrate frozen under the seafloor 56 million years ago drove a massive climate change incident—the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM)—is quite possible. A paper on their work is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

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Climate Change Climate Carbon Gas 244

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

The US Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has signed option agreements with three companies that will lead to products designed to increase the storage capacity of batteries used to power portable devices and electric vehicles; reduce the cost of fuel cells used to generate electricity from hydrogen; and detect pests hidden behind walls in buildings.

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America Building Fuel Batteries 240

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2011

Daimler is investing more than a combined €1.5 billion (US$2 billion) in 2011 and 2012 in its main Mercedes-Benz powertrain plant in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim for the extension and conversion of various parts of the plant and in the launch of new products and production technologies. The investments—€670 million in 2011 and more than €980 million in 2012—will be allocated to extension and conversion measures and to new manufacturing technologies in the area of axle, transmission and en

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Ford will upgrade its entire powertrain portfolio in China by bringing 20 advanced engines and transmissions to support its planned introduction of 15 new vehicles to China—the world’s largest auto market—by 2015. Utilizing technologies such as turbocharging, direct injection, twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) and six-speed transmissions, the upgraded powertrain portfolio will deliver more than 20% in fuel economy improvement to Ford’s passenger vehicle fleet i

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Fuel Economy China Economy 2015 236

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

BASF is creating a new global business unit that will unite its current and future battery-related electromobility activities; the new “Battery Materials” will be formed effective 1 January 2012. This business unit will integrate the existing battery activities of BASF’s Catalysts division, which is focused on cathode materials development; its Intermediates division, which is focused on electrolyte formulations, and BASF Future Business GmbH, which is focused on next-generation lithium battery

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Global Lithium Ion Batteries Battery 231

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) will consider at its December 2011 meeting amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulation. The LCFS intends to reduce, on a full-fuel lifecycle basis, the carbon intensity (CI) of transportation fuels (measured in gCO 2 e/MJ) used in California by an average of 10% by the year 2020. ( Earlier post.).

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 19, 2011

A new lifecycle analysis (LCA) by a team from the University of of Cambridge (UK), the Great Plains Institute, and the University of Minnesota suggests that renewable fuel mandates such as those currently enacted by 12 states are not likely to lower the emissions of biofuels unless they provide a direct incentive for refiners to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

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Carbon Fuel Standards Renewable 231

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 19, 2011

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and the Wuhan Municipal Government are moving forward with elements of the previously announced Pilot Program to promote zero emission mobility. ( Earlier post.) Recently, the city of Wuhan accepted the delivery of 15 Nissan LEAFs, with 10 more units of the battery-electric vehicle to be delivered in 2012. Through the Pilot Program, Nissan will be working with the city of Wuhan on a variety of joint activities aimed at contributing to the establishment of an energy-efficie

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Nissan Chinese China Carbon 231

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

A new 70MPa hydrogen refueling station from H2 Logic was inaugurated at a public event in Oslo, Norway. The station—the Oslo area’s third—will supply 3 min. fast-fill of hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles from Daimler and Hyundai as part of the €20-million (US$27-million) “H2MOVES Scandinavia demonstration” project. The new station in Gaustad, Oslo is the first one in Norway for which the hydrogen is produced exclusively by electrolysis, using renewable electricity.

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Hydrogen Norway Automobile Manufacturer Hyundai 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Neste Oil, the Port of Rotterdam, and the Rotterdam Climate Initiative have launched a trial in which a Port Authority patrol boat will run for an extended period on Neste Oil’s NExBTL renewable diesel. This will be the first time that NExBTL renewable diesel has been used in a marine environment. The trial, which is due to last a total of 1,000 hours, will measure the patrol boat’s exhaust emissions and engine performance, and gather operational experience.

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Mariner Renewable Diesel Exhaust 225

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2011

A new study, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Paleoclimate Program and published online this week in the journal Science , suggests that the rate of global warming from doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide from pre-industrial times may be less than the most extreme estimates of some previous studies and may be less severe than that projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in 2007.

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Climate CO2 Climate Change Oregon 220

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 24, 2011

Chevron Corporation reported that while its subsidiary, Chevron Brasil Upstream Frade Ltda., has not yet received formal notice from Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency (ANP) suspending its drilling license, the company has suspended its current and future drilling operations, offshore Brazil in the wake of the seeps from its well in the Frade field.

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Chevron Brazil Future Oil 218

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 19, 2011

Ford is commercializing technology it developed and patented for installing vehicle windshields that makes the attachment less costly, simpler and more eco-conscious than current practices. One patent covers cleaning and activating the edge of the windshield glass in less than 10 seconds. A second Ford patent covers the application of a plasma-reacted nano-coating that modifies the surface for bonding of the adhesive that holds the windshield in place.

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Ford Commercial Cleaner Clean 218

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

The Nikkei reports that trading house Itochu Corp. has partnered with KKR to buy most of privately-owned US oil and gas firm Samson Investment Co. , aiming to start exporting liquefied natural gas to Japan as early as 2015. The Financial Times notes that the $7.2 billion deal would be the largest leveraged buy-out globally outside the real estate sector this year.

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Japan 2015 Buy Oil 210

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

The emissions gap. Click to enlarge. Cutting emissions by 2020 to a level that could keep a global 21 st century temperature rise below 2 °C is technologically and economically feasible, according to a new study released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The Bridging the Emissions Gap report, the second of three being released by UNEP prior to the upcoming Durban meetings ( earlier post ), suggets that accelerated uptake of renewable energy, fuel switching and energy efficiency improve

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) announced today that the assembly of its Chevrolet Move—sold as the Wuling Rong Guang in China—will be assembled at General Motors Egypt starting in the third quarter of 2012. Vehicle kits will be supplied by GM China’s SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) joint venture. The Chevrolet Move will be the first Chinese vehicle assembled by GM in Egypt and the first SGMW vehicle assembled outside China.

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Egypt GM Chevrolet 2012 210

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC), one of seven regional partnerships created by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to advance carbon storage technologies nationwide ( earlier post ), has begun injecting carbon dioxide for their large-scale CO 2 injection test in Decatur, Illinois. Up to 1 million metric tons of CO 2 will be injected into the Mt.

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Illinois CO2 Kentucky Indiana 210

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

The Chevrolet Volt electric car will go on sale at 13 Shanghai GM Chevrolet dealerships in eight Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan. It will be priced at RMB 498,000 (about $78,000). The announcement was made Monday as part of General Motors’ participation in Auto Guangzhou 2011. Two of GM’s joint ventures, Shanghai GM and SAIC-GM-Wuling, are displaying more than 30 vehicles from the Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Baojun brands.

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Chevrolet Volt China Buick 210

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2011

Researchers at Iowa State University have developed a genetic technique they say can increase biomass in algae by 50–80%. This opens up possibilities for more and better biofuel development, according to Martin Spalding, professor in the Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology and associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

Beacon Power Corporation reached an agreement with the US Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) at a second Delaware court hearing on 18 November in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. Since filing for bankruptcy protection on 30 October 2011, Beacon Power and its advisors had engaged in ongoing discussions with LPO advisors as to the Beacon’s use of cash collateral and resolution of its loan obligation.

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2011

Audi AG is acquiring a 91% stake in PSW automotive engineering GmbH in order to increase its development capacity. We want to build on the successful work we have done with this expert partner. This investment is about extending a strategic partnership with a development service provider that has long been successfully assisting us in the areas of concept and production development.

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 24, 2011

Shell Lubricants announced the arrival of its first shipment of gas-to-liquid (GTL) base oil at the Port of Houston. The product, the first from the Qatar-based Pearl GTL plant to reach the Americas, will be stored at a hub in Houston and routed to Shell Lubricants’ GTL-enabled blending facilities throughout the United States. Shell Lubricants will use Pearl GTL base oil, a Group III base oil, in the manufacture of its premium motor oils.

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Oil Qatar Production Houston 199

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

The National Research Council (NRC) last week released a pre-publication version of its second report reviewing the 21 st Century Truck Partnership (21CTP). The 21CTP is a cooperative research and development (R&D) partnership including four federal agencies—the US Department of Energy (DOE), US Department of Transportation (DOT), US Department of Defense (DOD), and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—and 15 industrial partners.

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EPA Fuel Engine Hybrid 199

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

Global Bioenergies S.A. and LanzaTech Ltd, two industrial biology companies, have begun a feasibility study to examine whether Global Bioenergies’ artificial isobutene pathway ( earlier post ), can be functionally transferred into LanzaTech’s carbon monoxide-using organism ( earlier post ). Isobutene is a widely used intermediate chemical used for the production of fuel additives, rubber and solvents.

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Carbon Global Waste New Zealand 199

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Wärtsilä Corporation reports the successful start of the first of the new electronically controlled Wärtsilä X35 low-speed engines. The Wärtsilä X35 is a completely new Wärtsilä engine that, together with the Wärtsilä X40, will cover the small-bore end of the market. It is a segment where Wärtsilä has not been present for a number of years. Wärtsilä launched its new low-speed X-generation engine series in May 2011.

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