Sat.May 12, 2018 - Fri.May 18, 2018

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Study associates in-utero exposure to PM2.5 pollution with higher blood pressure in childhood

Green Car Congress

Children who were exposed to higher levels of PM 2.5 air pollution during the third trimester of their mother’s pregnancy had a higher risk of elevated blood pressure in childhood, according to new research by a team led by researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension. Fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less (PM 2.5 ) is a form of air pollution produced by motor vehicles and the burning of oil, coal and biomass, and has been shown to e

Pollution 262
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Shell Airflow Starship semi truck leaves San Diego on record fuel-economy run

Green Car Reports

Truck driver Bob Sliwa hit the road on Thursday night in his carbon-fiber-bodied, diesel-powered semi truck, as he attempts to set a fuel economy record for big rigs by the time he pulls into Jacksonville, Fla., next Wednesday. The endeavor, sponsored by Shell and the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, aims to boost more than miles per.

San Diego 118
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Fuel Prices is the biggest worry for fleet managers

Greenways Insurance

According to a new poll conducted by window company Autoglass, 66% of fleet managers said the price of fuel is their biggest worry last year. Service and maintenance costs followed closely behind at 64%, whilst CO2 emissions came third – which shot up from being in final place in 2014. Given a list of options to rank, the managers polled listed driver satisfaction as least important in 2017, suggesting a shift in priorities from community to cost.

Fleet 52
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Waymo Filings Give New Details on Its Driverless Taxis

Cars That Think

California's DMV has also received an application from the startup JingChi to test fully autonomous vehicles.

Taxi 40
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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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API reports record US petroleum production in April: 10.543 million b/d; strongest April demand since 2007

Green Car Congress

April saw the US produce a record 10,543,000 barrels per day (MBD) of oil, according to data from the American Petroleum Institute. The first four months of this year also saw US petroleum demand average 750,000 barrels a day above the same period in 2017 despite higher prices. Total petroleum products delivered to the domestic market in April 2018 were 20,308,000 b/d—a seasonal decrease of 1.5% from March but 3.8% above April 2017.

2007 259
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Nissan begins offering rebuilt Leaf battery packs

Green Car Reports

Starting this month, Nissan has begun offering rebuilt battery packs for the older Leafs, filling a gap for drivers of older cars whose packs have begun to run down. The company built a new facility in Japan to rebuild the packs, and will sell them for about $2,850 (based on the price in Japan), according to Inside EVs. Electric car repair trainer.

Nissan 114

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San Francisco commits to all-electric bus fleet By 2035; MUNI Board approves pilot program

Green Car Congress

San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates MUNI (the city’s public transit), announced San Francisco’s commitment to have an all-electric bus fleet by 2035. SFMTA will only purchase all-electric buses starting in 2025 to meet the goal for 2035. The SFMTA Board of Directors on Tuesday approved a resolution supporting the commitment towards an all-electric bus fleet along with a pilot program to evaluate and implement battery elec

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ION ENergy exits stealth mode with launch of UDYR 48V Li-ion battery for two- and three-wheelers

Green Car Congress

ION Energy, a startup energy storage company, launched UDYR, an intelligent, modular and portable 48V, 32 Ah lithium-ion battery supported by ION’s proprietary battery management system, software platform, and backend analytics. UDYR is built with NMC cells from LG Chem. The battery is natively compatible with most electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers allowing automotive OEMs globally to use UDYR as a drop-in solution and accelerate their speed to market.

Li-ion 250
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Maxwell puts lifetime value of ultracap subsystem deal with Geely/Volvo at ~$100M

Green Car Congress

Maxwell Technologies is putting the lifetime value of its recently announced deal to provide ultracapacitor-based subsystems to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely), the parent company of leading brands such as Volvo and Geely Auto ( earlier post ), at $100 million. Under the deal, Maxwell will provide multi-cell ultracapacitor subsystems with power electronics that will be applied in Geely and Volvo mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Volvo 231
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BMW Group 1st international automaker to obtain autonomous driving road test license in China; new R&D center in Beijing

Green Car Congress

On 14 May 2018, BMW Group officially obtained the Shanghai Intelligent Connected Autonomous Driving Test License, issued by the Intelligent Connected Vehicle Road Test Promotion Team—consisting of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau and Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission.

BMW 220
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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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SoCalGas introduces STARS solar hydrogen generation system at California Air Resources Board Symposium

Green Car Congress

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) introduced an innovative new solar-powered hydrogen generation system during the California Air Resources Board Technology Expo and Symposium at the University of California, Riverside. The project is a partnership between SoCalGas, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the STARS Corporation. The generation system uses sunlight to convert natural gas and water into hydrogen and capture the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to prevent carbon emissions.

Solar 207
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Volkswagen innovates with aerodynamics for electric I.D. R Pikes Peak racer

Green Car Congress

In preparation for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2018, the Volkswagen Motorsport team has engineered the aerodynamics of the I.D. R Pikes Peak ( earlier post )—the brand’s first fully-electric racing car—specifically to tackle the famous hill climb. The goal at the race, which takes place on 24 June in Colorado Springs, CO, is to break the record in the class for electric prototypes, which currently stands at 8:57.118 minutes.

Wind 207
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Mercedes-Benz to invest ~€500M to produce electric compact EQ model at Hambach plant

Green Car Congress

Mercedes-Benz Cars is expanding its production capacities for electric cars in Europe. The Hambach plant in France, which currently produces smart brand electric vehicles, will produce a compact electric car of the new product and technology brand EQ. Mercedes-Benz Cars plans to launch more than ten electric cars by 2022 throughout all segments, from smart to large SUVs.

Mercedes 207
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Tianqi Lithium takes $4.07B stake in world’s largest lithium producer SQM

Green Car Congress

China-based Tianqi Lithium, a leading global supplier of lithium products, has agreed to purchase 62,556,568 A shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM)—the world’s largest lithium producer—held by Nutrien for consideration of $65 per share in cash. The announced transaction represents the entirety of Nutrien’s A shares at a gross valuation of approximately US $4.07 billion.

Chile 207
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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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Roskill: graphite prices could push higher on tightening markets for batteries & electrodes

Green Car Congress

Synthetic graphite electrode prices rose nine-fold through the first three quarters of 2017, increasing from US$1,748/t in January 2017 to a high of US$16,309/t in September, according to Roskill Information Services. Despite some fallback during the winter months, prices remained above US$15,600/t through February and March 2018. Spot prices were reported at up to US$35,000/t through late 2017, although most material is typically sold on a contract basis.

Price 207
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European Commission proposes 15% reduction in CO2 for new heavy-duty trucks by 2025, indicative target of 30% by 2030

Green Car Congress

In the third set of measures designed to implement the “Europe on the Move” goals of modernizing the transport system, the European Commission is proposing a 15% reduction in new heavy-duty truck CO 2 emissions by 2025 from 2019 levels. For 2030, the Commission proposed an indicative reduction target of at least 30%. The Commission also put forward a comprehensive action plan for battery production.

CO2 199
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More than 250,000 electrified BMW Group vehicles on the roads; BMW Group electrified sales up 52% in April

Green Car Congress

Combined sales of BMW i, BMW iPerformance and MINI Electric vehicles were up 52% in April (9,831), bringing the total number of electrified BMW Group cars sold to over 250,000, said Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Brand BMW. The Group is on track to deliver on its stated target to sell more than 140,000 electrified vehicles this year, he added.

BMW 191
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Hydro-Québec grants an exploitation license and partners with Nouveau Monde Graphite to develop materials for Li-ion batteries

Green Car Congress

Hydro-Québec (HQ) and Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) have signed a license and a research and development agreements respecting the processing of graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries. The partners hope that this collaboration will enable NMG to commercialize battery material technologies developed by HQ over the past 30 years. The agreement provides for HQ to assist NMG in setting up a small-scale process in its demonstration plant in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, starting by the end of this year.

NMG 186
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Mazda launching updated CX-3 in Japan with new 1.8L diesel

Green Car Congress

Mazda Motor Corporation has begun accepting pre-orders for the updated Mazda CX-3 at dealerships throughout Japan. The redesigned model adopts parts of Mazda’s next-generation SKYACTIV-Vehicle Architecture. Improvements were made to the front dampers, front stabilizers and coil springs, and the G-Vectoring Control and electric power steering systems were carefully tuned to achieve even smoother changes in vehicle posture.

Mazda 186
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Volvo Cars to eliminate diesel engines from the new S60 sedan

Green Car Congress

The new Volvo S60 sedan to be launched later this spring will be the first Volvo to be produced without a diesel engine option. The company said that the move highlights its commitment to a long-term future beyond the traditional combustion engine. All new Volvo models launched from 2019 will be available as either a mild gasoline hybrid, plug-in gasoline hybrid or battery electric vehicle.

Volvo 186
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Global Bioenergies to take part in three more H2020 projects; second-, third-generation feedstocks for isobutene production

Green Car Congress

Global Bioenergies has been selected in more Horizon 2020 projects funded by the European Union, and will receive for this purpose about €2 million in grants over 4 years. These projects reinforce Global Bioenergies’ strategy of feedstock diversification in order to continue improving the economics and the environmental impact of its Isobutene process.

Global 186
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Female drivers in the United States: From a minority to a majority?

Green Car Congress

by Michael Sivak. When it comes to the types of vehicles on the road, energy consumption, and road safety, we might be better off with more women drivers than men. This is the case because women are more likely to purchase smaller, safer, and more-fuel efficient vehicles; women drive less; and women tend to have a lower fatality rate per distance driven.

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Akasol unveiling new high energy density battery module for coaches and trucks; cylindrical cells

Green Car Congress

Akasol is introducing its first cylindrical-cells battery system with very high energy density (221 Wh/kg) at The Battery Show Europe this week. AKAModule 60 CYC allows building high-energy battery systems thanks to its modular structure. This enables long distance journeys for commercial vehicles such as intercity coaches, buses and trucks while at the same time offering a long life-time.

Energy 186
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Study finds rising emissions of ozone-depleting CFC-11, banned by Montreal Protocol

Green Car Congress

Emissions of one of the chemicals most responsible for the Antarctic ozone hole are on the rise, despite an international treaty that required an end to its production in 2010, a new study by researchers at NOAA and their colleagues shows. Trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) is the second-most abundant ozone-depleting gas in the atmosphere and a member of the family of chemicals most responsible for the giant hole in the ozone layer that forms over Antarctica each September.

Ozone 170
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Freudenberg invests in fuel cell and battery technologies

Green Car Congress

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, one of the world’s leading specialists in sealing technologies for the auto industry, has strengthened its position in the energy and electric mobility sectors with an acquisition and a strategic investment. Freudenberg Sealing Technologies believes electric vehicles will reach significant production volumes by 2025; however, even as they do, internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and trucks will maintain an important role in the transportation industry for the f

Fuel 170
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Fulcrum Bioenergy breaks ground on Phase 2 of Sierra Biofuels plant; 1st garbage-to-fuels project

Green Car Congress

Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. has started site construction for Phase 2 of its first waste-to-fuels project, the Sierra BioFuels Plant (Sierra). Sierra will be the nation’s first commercial-scale plant converting a municipal solid waste (MSW) feedstock—i.e., household garbage that would otherwise be landfilled—into a low-carbon, renewable transportation fuel product.

Sierra 170
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Go-Ahead London first to operate next-generation, ultra low emission series hybrid bus from ADL and BAE Systems; ultracaps

Green Car Congress

Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and BAE Systems have delivered the first 39 Enviro400H double-deck buses with Series-E hybrid technology to launch customer Go-Ahead London. Using ultracapacitor energy storage to further reduce life cycle costs, this next-generation hybrid bus has achieved Ultra Low Emission Bus certification with 37% lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional diesel buses.

London 170
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Kokam deploys 30 MW, 11.4 MWh energy storage system in Australia

Green Car Congress

Kokam Co., Ltd, successfully deployed for Alinta Energy, a leading Australian utility, a 30-megawatt (MW) system / 11.4-megawatt hour (MWh) Energy Storage System (ESS), the largest lithium-ion battery deployed for industrial application in Australia. The ESS features Kokam’s high power Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide battery technology, and is being used to improve the performance of an islanded high voltage network, which supplies power to major iron ore producers in the Pilbara reg

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Mercedes-Benz Cars plants in Germany to be supplied with CO2-neutral energy from 2022

Green Car Congress

In Germany, all Mercedes-Benz plants will be supplied with CO 2 -neutral energy. The preparations for exclusively green electricity for a climate-friendly production in Europe are already well advanced. From 2022, the production of our Mercedes-Benz plants in Germany will operate CO 2 -neutral. Thereby, we completely forego coal-based electricity and obtain our electrical energy from only renewable sources.

Germany 170
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Global Bioenergies to lead $24M REWOFUEL project to demonstrate the production of isobutene-derived gasoline and jetfuel from wood residuals

Green Car Congress

Global Bioenergies will lead a consortium including Sekab, Graanul Invest, Neste Engineering Solutions, Repsol, Peab Asfalt, SkyNRG, Ajinomoto Eurolysine, IPSB, TechnipFMC and Linz University in a 3-year project (called REWOFUEL) to demonstrate the production of isobutene-derived gasoline and jetfuel from wood residuals. Global Bioenergies will combine its isobutene process with technologies developed by Sekab and Neste Engineering Solutions.

Gasoline 170
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New phase of globalization could undermine efforts to reduce CO2 emissions

Green Car Congress

A new study finds that the growth of carbon production from Chinese exports has slowed or reversed, reflecting a “new phase of globalization” between developing countries that could undermine international efforts to reduce emissions. The paper is published in Nature Communications. The study, involving researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and colleagues in China and the United States, investigated how complex supply chains are distributing energy-intensive industries and their C

Global 170
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Nissan to expand ProPILOT technology to additional models including Rogue Sport in US

Green Car Congress

Nissan has sold more 120,000 vehicles featuring ProPilot technology globally. The company will now expand the availability of ProPILOT to additional models, including the Nissan Rogue Sport in the US and the Qashqai in Canada, beginning in late 2018. The Rogue, including the Rogue Sport, is Nissan’s top-selling nameplate in the US market. ProPILOT is a hands-on driver-assist system that uses a forward-facing camera, forward-facing radar, sensors and electronic control module to help drivers stay

Nissan 170
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Kia launching new diesel 48V mild-hybrid powertrain in 2018 on Sportage; more models to come

Green Car Congress

Kia Motors will introduce its first 48V diesel mild-hybrid powertrain in the second half of 2018. The new “EcoDynamics+” powertrain supplements acceleration with electric power from an additional 48-volt battery and extends combustion engine ‘off time’ using a new Mild-Hybrid Starter-Generator unit. The Kia Sportage will be the first model to offer the new EcoDynamics+ diesel mild-hybrid powertrain later in 2018.

Kia 150
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Cedars-Sinai study finds prolonged exposure to coarse PM in LA Basin air led to genetic changes in rat brains

Green Car Congress

Prolonged exposure to coarse particulate matter (PM 2.5–10 ) in air pollution in the Los Angeles Basin triggered inflammation and the appearance of cancer-related genes in the brains of rats, a Cedars-Sinai study has found. Previous research has documented the association between air pollution and a variety of diseases, including cancer. This study found markers indicating certain materials in coarse air pollution—nickel, in particular—may play a role in genetic changes related to di