Sat.Jan 02, 2016 - Fri.Jan 08, 2016

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Berkeley Lab team creates “cyborgian” hybrid artificial photosynthesis system; CO2 to acetic acid at high yield

Green Car Congress

Researchers at Berkeley Lab have induced the self-photosensitization of a nonphotosynthetic bacterium— Moorella thermoacetica —with cadmium sulfide nanoparticles ( M. thermoacetica –CdS), enabling the photosynthesis of acetic acid from carbon dioxide. Their hybrid approach combines the highly efficient light harvesting of inorganic semiconductors with the high specificity, low cost, and self-replication and -repair of biocatalysts.

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Tax Credit For Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicles Extended By Budget Deal

Green Car Reports

The recently-passed Congressional transportation-funding bill contained many positives for electric-car advocates. It included the renewal of a home-refueling tax credit that covers electric-car charging stations, a provision for installing charging stations at government facilities, and other relevant items. And it seems there was an important.

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Liberty Mutual and Subaru introduce new in-vehicle technology to promote safe driving and savings on auto insurance

Green Car Congress

Liberty Mutual Insurance is introducing the new Liberty Mutual RightTrack in-vehicle application with Subaru of America, Inc.—a first-of-its-kind app that offers real-time driving feedback and tips while helping to reduce insurance premiums for safe drivers. The new Liberty Mutual app will be available on the SUBARU STARLINK cloud platform, powered by Clarion’s Smart Access technology that connects Subaru vehicles to a driver’s smartphone to monitor driving habits, provide trip reports and

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Penn State team develops highly crumpled nitrogen-doped graphene sheets as high-performance cathode for Li-sulfur batteries

Green Car Congress

Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University have synthesized highly crumpled nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) sheets with ultrahigh pore volume (5.4 cm 3 ) and large surface area (1158 m 2 /g), which enable strong polysulfide adsorption and high sulfur content for use as a cathode material in Li-sulfur batteries. The wrinkled graphene sheets are interwoven rather than stacked, resulting in rich nitrogen-containing active sites.

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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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Toshiba introduces new automotive Ethernet-AVB bridge; working with Qualcomm on advanced connected car systems

Green Car Congress

AT CES 2016, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) introduced an automotive-grade Ethernet bridge solution for in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) and other automotive applications. The TC9560XBG supports standards such as IEEE 802.1AS and IEEE 802.1Qav, generally referred to as Ethernet-AVB (Audio Video Bridging). The Ethernet-AVB standard enables stable, reliable multimedia transmissions, making it suitable for IVI and telematics. ( Earlier post.).

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US Navy issues solicitation to lease 400-600 electric vehicles

Green Car Congress

The US Navy has issued a solicitation ( N62473-16-R-1002 ) with the intent to award one contract to lease between 400 and 600 100% electric vehicles for use at the Navy and Marine Corps installations located in California. Services to be performed under the resulting contract may include the following Facilities Support (FSC) Services: passenger vehicle leasing, providing web-based telematics services, roadside assistance services, and preventative maintenance services.

More Trending

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Mitsubishi Electric showcases EMIRAI 3 xDAS assisted-driving concept car at CES

Green Car Congress

Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America introduced its EMIRAI 3 xDAS concept car at CES 2016 this week. Building on the EMIRAI 2 xDAS, which was introduced at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi Electric developed the EMIRAI 3 xDAS with evolved technologies for human machine interface (HMI), driver sensing, telematics, and light control. The LCD panels on the dashboard and center console are laminated with an optical bonding process for high visibility and operability, as well as aesthetic harm

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Study finds 6.3% spread in fuel economy obtained with maximum and minimum rolling resistance tires

Green Car Congress

A new report by University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) researcher Dr. Michael Sivak has found a 6.3% spread between the fuel economy obtained with maximum and minimum rolling resistance tires. At the average 2015 price of regular gasoline, the obtained fuel-consumption extremes result in a $78 difference in the annual cost of gasoline per light-duty vehicle, Sivak said.

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Volvo Car to make Gen 2 Pilot Assist standard on new S90 sedan

Green Car Congress

Volvo Car is introducing an advanced version of the company’s semi-autonomous Pilot Assist software on the new Volvo S90 sedan and will make it standard on all S90s sold in the United States. Pilot Assist was first introduced on the 2016 Volvo XC90 and allows the vehicle to accelerate, decelerate, come to a complete stop and steer in road conditions with clear lane markings based on the car in front up to speeds of 30 mph (48 km/h).

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Volvo Cars cracks 500,000 unit marker in annual global sales for first time

Green Car Congress

Volvo Cars sold 503,127 cars worldwide in 2015, the first time it has sold more than half a million cars in its 89-year history. Volvo reported strong sales from all three core global regions. Sales in Europe rose 10.6% for the year to 269,249 units, representing 53.5% of total global volume. Volvo’s revival in the US gained momentum with sales in the US up 24.3% to 70,047 units in 2015.

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

Brief

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Microsoft Azure to power Nissan Telematics System for LEAF and Infiniti models in Europe

Green Car Congress

At CES 2016, Nissan and Microsoft announced that all Nissan LEAF models and Infiniti models in Europe will have Connect Telematics Systems (CTS) powered by Microsoft Azure. Azure provides a global cloud platform with advanced security that allows Nissan to deliver services worldwide to its broad customer base. Nissan CTS is coupled to Azure, allowing a remote connection to the vehicle.

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Standard-production Mercedes E-Class awarded test license for autonomous driving in Nevada

Green Car Congress

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been awarded a test licence for autonomous driving in the state of Nevada; specifically, three standard-production E-Class vehicles have been approved to drive themselves. To allow autonomous driving functions to be tested, test vehicles previously had to be equipped with special hardware and software. This included additional sensors, modified steering and an adapted ESP.

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Mobileye and Volkswagen form strategic partnership; real-time image processing for autonomous driving; swarm data

Green Car Congress

Volkswagen is entering into a strategic partnership with Mobileye, a technology leader in the area of automated image processing. The central focus of the joint venture is camera-based real-time image processing technology which—in conjunction with highly precise digitalized maps—is the key to autonomous driving. Prof. Amnon Shashua, Technical Director and CEO of Mobileye and Dr.

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UMTRI: average new vehicle fuel economy decreased in 2015 from 2014

Green Car Congress

The average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of new vehicles sold in the US in calendar year 2015 was 25.3 mpg (9.29 l/100km), down 0.1 mpg from the value for the vehicles sold in 2014, according to the latest monthly report from Dr. Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle at University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). The average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the US in December was 24.9 mpg (9.44 l/100 km)—down 0.2 mpg from the revised value for November.

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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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Testing shows Virent SAK bio-jet provides more than 50% reduction in PM emissions while maintaining engine performance

Green Car Congress

Bio-jet emissions testing by Rolls-Royce, supported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) program, has confirmed that jet fuels containing Virent’s BioForm Synthesized Aromatic Kerosene (SAK) fuel blend produced a greater than 50% reduction in particulate matter emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.

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Thomson Reuters report finds established auto industry companies, not Silicon Valley, leading development of autonomous driving tech

Green Car Congress

Established automotive industry companies—not Silicon Valley—are leading the development of autonomous driving technology, according to a new report from the Intellectual Property and Science business of Thomson Reuters. The report, which analyzes global patent activity in the field of self-driving automobiles over the last five years, identifies the global leaders in the development of the technologies and also makes predictions about the future of driverless cars.

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Audi of America passed 200,000 unit mark in 2015 for annual sales for first time; 6th straight record year

Green Car Congress

Audi reported that its US sales in 2015 increased 11.1% from the previous annual record in 2014 to 202,202 vehicles sold. December 2015 sales increased 6.0% to 20,399 vehicles. December 2015 represented the best-ever December U.S. sales results in Audi history, as well as the 60 th consecutive month of record sales for Audi in the US. The previous December record was set in 2014 with sales of 19,238 vehicles. 2015 marks the sixth consecutive year of record sales for Audi in the US and the first

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Chevrolet unveils the Bolt EV

Green Car Congress

As promised, GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra unveiled the production 2017 Bolt battery-electric vehicle at CES 2016. The Bolt EV, which will go into production by the end of 2016, will offer more than 200 miles of range on a full charge. It also features advanced connectivity technologies designed to enhance and personalize the driving experience. GM said that the Bolt EV benefits directly from the suggestions and ideas of Volt owners and features technologies that make owning a long-range electr

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Lux: micro-hybrids will provide the most economical path for automakers to meet 2025 fuel efficiency targets

Green Car Congress

While battery-electric vehicles, super-light carbon fiber composites, and hydrogen fuel cells will all be available, a new report from Lux Research has concluded that micro-hybrids will provide the most economical route—$1,700 additional average vehicle cost—to meet aggressive fuel efficiency targets in 2025: 54.5 miles per gallon (mpg) in the US and 95 g CO 2 /km in Europe.

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First fire of new prototype 3-cylinder TGDI engine for China’s Changhe

Green Car Congress

In the presence of visiting dignitaries from Changhe and the company’s majority shareholder BAIC Group, a new prototype engine was fired-up for the first time at a ceremony held at Ricardo’s Shoreham Technical Centre, UK. The new 3-cylinder 1.0 litre turbocharged gasoline direct injection (TGDI) engine prototype is the culmination of 11 months of work by Ricardo engineers at the company’s facilities in Shanghai, the Czech Republic, Germany and the UK, as well as a team of Changhe resident engine

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Audi selects Thunderhill Raceway as a key US test bed for piloted driving development

Green Car Congress

Audi has selected Thunderhill Raceway Park in northern California as a key US test center for advanced piloted driving research. Under the multi-year partnership, engineers from Audi and the Electronics Research Lab in Belmont, Calif., will use the track to study how self-driving vehicles perform at the limits of speed. In this way, the engineers will understand how to calibrate the vehicle software and advanced driver assistance systems to handle sudden and extreme conditions.

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NVIDIA introduces DRIVE PX 2 platform for autonomous driving

Green Car Congress

At CES 2016, NVIDIA introduced NVIDIA DRIVE PX 2—a high-performance computing platform for in-vehicle artificial intelligence applied to the complexities inherent in autonomous driving. DRIVE PX 2 utilizes deep learning on NVIDIA’s most advanced GPUs for 360-degree situational awareness around the car, to determine precisely where the car is and to compute a safe, comfortable trajectory.

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IH2 biomass-to-liquid hydrocarbons technology licensed to leading European company

Green Car Congress

A Fortune 2000 global company headquartered in Northern Europe has entered into an FEL-2 package license agreement with CRI/Criterion Catalyst Company LTD (CRIUK), a global catalyst technology company. The license covers IH 2 technology, a continuous thermal catalytic process which produces liquid hydrocarbon transportation fuels from forest residues, and other renewable resources. ( Earlier post.).

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Toyota Research Institute CEO Pratt outlines initial AI/robotics mandates; trillion-mile reliability

Green Car Congress

Last November, Toyota Motor established a new company—Toyota Research Institute Inc. (TRI), an R&D enterprise with a focus on artificial intelligence and robotics—with an announced initial investment of $1 billion over the next five years. ( Earlier post.) (The investment is in addition to the $50 million investment over the next five years with MIT and Stanford, each close by TRI’s new offices, to establish joint fundamental artificial intelligence research centers at each university.

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Kia Motors introduces new DRIVE WISE sub-brand for advanced driver assistance and autonomous driving technologies

Green Car Congress

At CES 2016, Kia Motors launched a new sub-brand—DRIVE WISE—to encompass its future Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Kia recently announced plans to manufacture partially-autonomous cars by 2020, and aims to bring its first fully-autonomous vehicle to market by 2030. ( Earlier post.). A preliminary $2-billion investment by Kia by 2018 is intended to fast-track development of the new DRIVE WISE technologies.

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Ford and drone-maker DJI working on drone-to-vehicle technology

Green Car Congress

Ford and drone-maker DJI are exploring smart drone-to-vehicle integration. At CES 2016, Ford announced that the two have launched the DJI Developer Challenge to create drone-to-vehicle communications using Ford SYNC AppLink or OpenXC. The challenge winner receives $100,000. The goal is a surveying system for the United Nations Development Program to inspect emergency zones inaccessible to even the most versatile vehicles.

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Gen 2 low-cost flywheel-based Torotrak KERS for buses en route to production in mid-2016

Green Car Congress

Torotrak Group and Wrightbus have completed the in-service trial of a Wrightbus StreetLite midi bus fitted with Torotrak’s Flybrid mechanical kinetic energy recovery system (KERS). The trial was made possible by and conducted with Arriva, one of the largest bus operators in the UK. The trial, conducted on a standard bus route in Gillingham, Kent from March 2015, successfully demonstrated the performance of the Flybrid KERS under real-world operating conditions including the capture, storage and

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Fastned and Nissan expand their fast-charging partnership

Green Car Congress

Netherlands-based Fastned, a builer and operator of fast-charging networks, and Nissan have expanded their partnership. As of today, every new Nissan LEAF and e-NV200 will include four years of free fast charging at Fastned. Fastned currently operates 50 fast charging stations in The Netherlands, and plans European expansion. With this Fastned subscription Nissan drivers can fast-charge for free throughout the Netherlands, and soon throughout Europe.

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Hitachi Maxell and wearables company Kopin partner on high-capacity LIBs with silicon oxide/carbon anode technology

Green Car Congress

Kopin Corporation has entered into an agreement with Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. to produce and market new high-capacity lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on silicon oxide with carbon (SiO-C) in the anode for use in head-worn wearable products. The new technology doubles the capacity for a given battery volume compared to today’s conventional lithium-ion batteries, Hitachi said.

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Ford tripling autonomous vehicle development fleet; Gen 3 autonomous dev platform; new Velodyne LiDAR

Green Car Congress

Ford is tripling its fleet of fully autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid test vehicles—making it the largest in the automotive industry, according to the company—and will use a new-generation sensor technology as the company further accelerates its autonomous vehicle development plans. This year, Ford will add 20 Fusion Hybrid autonomous vehicles, bringing the company’s autonomous fleet to about 30 vehicles being tested on roads in California, Arizona and Michigan.

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Report: Honda and GM close to partnering on PHEVs

Green Car Congress

The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Honda Motor Co. and General Motors Co. have entered final negotiations to expand their collaboration beyond the current work on fuel cell vehicles to include plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). The two companies are interested in using joint procurement of parts to help drive prices down, according to the report. The two companies are reportedly considering the joint manufacture of PHVs and FCVs as well, in addition to their development. onda was originally planning to rele

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US files civil complaint against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche for alleged Clean Air Act violations

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Justice, on behalf of the US Environmental Protection Agency, has filed a civil complaint in federal court in Detroit, Michigan against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations, LLC, Porsche AG, and Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (collectively referred to as Volkswagen).

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GM to invest $500M in Lyft; creating integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles

Green Car Congress

General Motors and rideshare company Lyft are entering a long-term strategic alliance to create an integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles in the US. GM will invest $500 million in Lyft to help the company continue the rapid growth of its successful ridesharing service. In addition, GM will hold a seat on the company’s board of directors.

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Global Bioenergies widens cooperation with Audi; new agreement to broaden feedstocks for bio-isobutene to isooctane process

Green Car Congress

Global Bioenergies and Audi have signed a new collaboration agreement earlier post ) to further broaden the feedstock flexibility of Global Bioenergies’ bio-isobutene process, which uses fermentation of sugars. The two companies last year announced the delivery by Global Bioenergies to Audi of a first batch of bio-isobutene-derived iso-octane, a premium drop-in fuel for gasoline engines. ( Earlier post.

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