Sat.Oct 17, 2015 - Fri.Oct 23, 2015

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JRC report finds electric vehicles in Europe on the way to full-scale commercialization

Green Car Congress

The European Union appears to be undergoing a transition from the testing of and experimentation with electric vehicles to full-scale EV commercialization, according to a new report from the EU’s Joint Research Center (JRC). This report covers battery-electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), range extended electric vehicles (REV), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV).

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Battery Breakthrough To Boost Nissan Electric Cars To One In 10 Sales Around 2020, Exec Says

Green Car Reports

Back in November 2009, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said 20 percent of his company's sales would be electric cars by 2020--and that electric cars would make up 10 percent of global sales. But Ghosn was widely pillored for his projections just a few years later, when Nissan Leaf sales proved slower than expected after its December 2010 launch. As the.

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DUH charges Zafira diesel emits up to 17x more NOx than permitted under certain conditions; Opel rebuts with its own testing

Green Car Congress

German environmental NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) ( earlier post ) has charged that an Opel Zafira 1.6 CDTi diesel (Euro 6b) emits up to 17 times more NO x under certain driving situations than permitted by the Euro 6 limit value. Dynamometer testing for DUH was conducted at the Bern University of Applied Sciences (Berner Fachhochschule). In three tests under the NEDC cycle with rotating rear wheels, the Zafira emitted between 2 to 4 times more NO x than allowed, according to the test report r

Diesel 260
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EPA: jatropha-based biofuels could qualify as biomass-based diesel or advanced biodiesel under RFS

Green Car Congress

Based on its analysis of the production and transport components of the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of biofuel made from jatropha oil, the US EPA anticipates that biofuels produced from jatropha oil could qualify as biomass-based diesel or advanced biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard program if typical fuel production process technologies or process technologies with the same or lower GHG emissions are used.

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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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Mercedes-Benz to begin equipping top models with CO2 air conditioning systems starting in 2017; adapting other models for R1234yf

Green Car Congress

From 2017, Mercedes-Benz will offer in Europe the S- and E-Class as the first production passenger cars equipped with CO 2 air conditioning systems. These completely newly developed systems are based on the DIN specifications defined by the automotive standards committee of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). Due to especially quickly available and high cooling performance, CO 2 air conditioning systems swiftly provide for a pleasant feel-good climate inside vehicles even in

Mercedes 235
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Dyson buying Li-ion solid-state battery company Sakti3 for $90M

Green Car Congress

USA Today has confirmed an earlier unconfirmed report by Quartz that UK-based Dyson will acquire solid-state Li-ion battery startup Sakti3 ( earlier post ) for $90 million. Dyson invested $15 million in Sakti3 earlier this year. James Dyson, founder and chief engineer of the eponymous manufacturing and technology company, told USA Today in an interview that Dyson plans to build a major battery factory and also plans to use Sakti3’s technology to improve the battery life on its cordless vacuums a

Li-ion 230

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Cybersecurity survey finds automakers and suppliers ill-prepared for in-vehicle software security

Green Car Congress

Results of a recent survey by Ponemon Institute , a leading independent security research organization, suggest that automotive software developers are ill-equipped and often overwhelmed when it comes to building security into their processes and tools. Source: Rogue Wave Software. Click to enlarge. The cybersecurity survey, sponsored by software development tools company Rogue Wave Software and application security company Security Innovation, polled more than 500 automotive developers, enginee

Vehicles 228
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Public Prosecutor: More than 2 but well below 10 suspects in VW exhaust test rigging

Green Car Congress

Countering a report published in Der Spiegel positing that some 30 managers were involved in the software defeat device on the EA 189 diesel engines, the public prosecutor’s office in Braunschweig (Staatsanwaltschaft Braunschweig), which is handling the investigation, told German media than “more than two but well below 10” employees are currently suspects in the investigation.

Exhaust 228
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Japan’s NEDO selects Nissan and Kanematsu to analyze EV use in California; focus on fast charging and encouraging longer distances

Green Car Congress

The New Energy Industrial Technology and Development Organization (NEDO), Japan’s largest public R&D management organization, has selected Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and the Japan-based trading company Kanematsu Corporation to analyze electric vehicle use patterns in Northern California. The NEDO project will seek to encourage the use of electric vehicles for longer distances and inter-city driving by installing and maintaining multiple quick chargers along specific inter-city routes.

Nissan 223
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Opinion: Oil Market ShowdownCan Russia Outlast The Saudis?

Green Car Congress

by Dalan McEndree for Oilprice.com. Two men enter, one man leaves, two men enter, one man leaves, two men enter. — Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. November 27, oil consuming countries will celebrate the first anniversary of the Saudi decision to let market forces determine prices. This decision set crude prices on a downward path. Subsequently, to defend market share, the Saudis increased production, which exacerbated market oversupply and further pressured prices.

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

Brief

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ICCT updates US airline fuel efficiency rankings; Alaska stays on top, American on bottom

Green Car Congress

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has released its annual update on the fuel efficiency of US airlines. ( Earlier post.) The report, which covers US airlines in domestic operations in 2014, highlights a continuing gap in the carbon intensity of US carriers, and comes as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meets in Montreal to debate proposals that will serve as the basis for future US regulation.

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Westinghouse proposes joint small modular reactor (SMR) development with UK

Green Car Congress

Westinghouse Electric Company has presented the United Kingdom government a proposal to partner in the deployment of small modular reactor (SMR) technology, a move that would advance the UK from being a buyer to a global provider of the latest nuclear energy technology. The proposal is intended to complement the current Phase 2 SMR study that the UK government has recently commenced.

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Rice University study of lung cells suggests anthropogenic carbon nanotubes are common pollutants

Green Car Congress

Rice University scientists, working with colleagues in France, have detected the presence of anthropogenic carbon nanotubes (CBTs) in cells extracted from the airways of Parisian children under routine treatment for asthma. These nanostructures are similar to those present in dusts and vehicle exhausts collected in Paris, as well as to those previously observed in ambient air in the USA, in spider webs in India, and in ice cores, the researchers found.

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2016 Prius c hybrid gets big safety boost with Safety Sense-C system

Green Car Congress

Toyota gave its Prius c—the smallest of the brand’s eight hybrid models—a major styling and interior upgrade for 2015; for 2016 the big enhancement is the available Toyota Safety Sense C (TSS-C), which equips the car with an array of driver-assist technologies: Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Assist, and Automatic High Beams. In adapting Toyota’s hybrid technology to the Prius c platform, each of the system’s major components benefitted from a design focus to reduce weight and s

Prius 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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UMTRI researchers suggest autonomous vehicles should pass a licensing test

Green Car Congress

Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) are suggesting that self-driving vehicles should be required to pass a licensing test. Most driver-licensing tests evaluate three aspects of driving readiness, they observed: visual performance; knowledge of rules and regulations related to driving and traffic in general; and driving-related psychomotor skills.

Vehicles 203
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Volkswagen confirms EA288 diesel engines designed for EU5 and EU6 not affected by defeat device software

Green Car Congress

Volkswagen confirmed on Thursday that no software constituting an improper emissions control defeat device as defined in law is installed in vehicles with EA 288 EU5- or EU6-engines in the European Union. Consequently, new vehicles of the Volkswagen Group offered within the European Union with those engines comply with legal requirements and environmental standards.

Diesel 203
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Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 vehicle sharing pilot program receives Best Innovative Practice Award

Green Car Congress

The Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 vehicle sharing pilot program ( earlier post ) launched by General Motors and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) earlier this year received the Best Innovative Practice Award today for leading the way in adopting innovative practices and helping Shanghai transform into a global technology innovation center. The honor is part of the Innovation & Development – Multinational Companies in Shanghai Best Practice Awards campaign, which is jointly sponsored by Shanghai Dail y a

Chevrolet 203
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More than 2K handraisers in California so far for Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle

Green Car Congress

The Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle ( earlier post ) is now officially on sale in California; more than 300 new owners— representing each of the dealership locations in Southern and Northern California— received ceremonial keys at a Mirai premiere event in Torrance. More than 2,000 people so far have requested to buy a Mirai in California, where it is first available.

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Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, partners demo automated, connected vehicles on I-395

Green Car Congress

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and Transurban, which operates the express lanes, conducted a demonstration of automated, connected vehicles on a 10-mile stretch of I-395 for federal and state officials. US Sen. Mark Warner, US Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Greg Winfree, Virginia Tech President Timothy D.

Virginia 203
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General Motors and DTE Energy partner on 800 kW solar array

Green Car Congress

General Motors is partnering with DTE Energy to build a new 800-kilowatt solar array at its Warren Transmission plant that will be GM’s largest solar installation in Michigan. The 2,800 solar panels will generate clean electricity that will go back to the grid. DTE Energy will own the array on 4.25 acres of land leased from GM. Warren Transmission builds front-wheel drive transmissions for a variety of GM’s most-popular cars, crossovers and SUVs, as well as the drive unit for the new 2016 Chevro

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Univ of Utah studies find up to 27 seconds of mental distraction for drivers after using new hands-free technologies

Green Car Congress

Potentially unsafe mental distractions for drivers can persist for as long as 27 seconds after dialing, changing music or sending a text using voice commands, according to a pair of new studies for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety by University of Utah researchers. The researchers discovered the residual effects of mental distraction while comparing new hands-free technologies in ten 2015 vehicles and three types of smartphones.

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Norsk Titanium and Alcoa launch joint 3D-printing technology and industrial cooperation program

Green Car Congress

Norsk Titanium AS (NTi), a global 3D-printing technology leader, signed a memorandum of understanding with lightweight metals leader Alcoa to launch a Joint Technology and Industrial Cooperation program. Through the program, the companies will identify and explore cooperation projects to leverage each other’s advanced manufacturing expertise and strong commercial capabilities focused on serving the aerospace, defense, energy, automotive and maritime industries.

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Samsung SDI opens Li-ion battery plant for EVs in China

Green Car Congress

Samsung SDI held a completion ceremony for its new EV battery plant was held at Gaoxin Industrial District within Xi’an, Shaanxi Province of China. Samsung SDI is the first global battery manufacturer to construct an EV battery plant and initiate mass production in China. The Xi’an plant has initiated its operation from September. It has finalized battery supply agreements with 10 local personal and commercial vehicle companies and is already delivering.

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SG Preston and IHI E&C partner on portfolio of renewable diesel and jet plants; 5 initial sites, 600M gallons total capacity

Green Car Congress

SG Preston, a Philadelphia-based bioenergy company, is partnering with IHI E&C , a Houston-based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) subsidiary of Japan’s IHI Corporation , to develop and to construct a series of commercial-scale renewable diesel and jet fuel manufacturing plants, initially in the US Midwest and Canada. The plants will use licensed, proven, commercial-scale technologies for the production of renewable diesel and jet fuel targeting US and global industries seeking a v

Renewable 197
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UT Austin researcher awarded $15M for switchgrass traits studies

Green Car Congress

A researcher at The University of Texas at Austin will receive two grants totaling $15 million to study switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ), with a focus on how it can become a sustainable source of bioenergy. Tom Juenger, a professor of integrative biology, will lead scientists from multiple institutions—including federal agencies, universities and the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology—on two projects researching switchgrass.

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UK LowCVP to focus on cutting emissions from trucks

Green Car Congress

To coincide with its participation in the new Freight in the City event (27 October, Alexandra Palace) the UK’s LowCVP is calling on fleet operators, local authorities and others to join forces in building the market for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which cut carbon, reduce emissions and lower fuel costs. In earlier work , the LowCVP identified three main opportunities for cutting emissions from HGVs which pointed to the need for specific interventions: independent testing to validate the effecti

Emissions 197
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Aston Martin unveils electric concept Rapide; possible commercialization in 2 years

Green Car Congress

Aston Martin unveiled a fully electric concept of its Rapide S four-door sports sedan outside Lancaster House in London—the venue for a meeting between Their Royal Highnesses Prince William, Duke of Cambridge; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and President of The People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping. Developed in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering, the electric concept was on display in support of a creative summit organized by the British government.

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ABB and Microsoft partner on Azure cloud-based EV fast-charging services platform

Green Car Congress

ABB and Microsoft Corp. announced the worldwide availability of a new electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging services platform. Combining ABB’s EV charging stations with Microsoft’s Azure cloud-based services will offer stability, global scalability and advanced management features for ABB customers. The collaboration will also take advantage of machine learning and predictive analytic capabilities to drive future innovations.

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GM and LG expand their relationship on Bolt EV; 12 components, including PEEM

Green Car Congress

GM and LG announced an expanded and deepened relationship around the coming Bolt battery-electric vehicle ( earlier post ), with LG providing not only the battery pack and battery heater, but also the critical PEEM (power electronics and electric machine) components; the HVAC electronic climate control system compressor; telematics hardware for OnStar; and the instrument cluster and infotainment system displays.

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ITM Power takes delivery of first Toyota Mirai FCEV in UK; fuel contract with Toyota

Green Car Congress

ITM Power officially received the first Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to be delivered in the UK. This coincides with the announcement by Toyota today confirming the choice of the UK as an early entry market for its FCEVs. ITM Power also signed its first fuel contract, with Toyota, covering the green hydrogen fuel dispensed from the three London HyFive refueling stations, funded by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) and the two further refueling stations funde

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New, faster cutting-plane optimization algorithm

Green Car Congress

The theory—and sometimes the implementation—of control systems relies heavily on optimization (e.g., earlier post )—as do many other aspects of engineering and design (e.g., earlier post ). At the IEEE Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science, a trio of present and past MIT graduate students won a best-student-paper award for a new general-purpose algorithm for solving optimization problems.

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EcoMotors’ largest customer takes position as lead investor for company’s series D

Green Car Congress

EcoMotors’ (EM) largest customer, Zhongding Power, a subsidiary of China-based Zhongding Group, is the lead investor in EM’s series D funding round. The amount of the investment is undisclosed. EcoMotors has developed and is commercializing an opposed-piston, opposed cyclinder (opoc) engine. ( Earlier post.). The investment signals a tightening bond between the two companies, as Zhongding Power signed a product development agreement in 2010 and license agreement in 2013 to develop and produce EM

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HRL Laboratories developing nanoscale fabrication technology for large-scale performance

Green Car Congress

HRL Laboratories, LLC will develop new methods of rapidly building up materials from the nanometer scale to the millimeter scale in order to exploit the extraordinary properties of extremely small materials. Funded under the Atoms to Product ( A2P ) program through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), HRL’s GHz Nanoparticle Assembly project will develop processes to assemble nanoscale materials into forms that are compatible with exi

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ZF Group consolidating all electromobility activities in new E-Mobility division

Green Car Congress

Starting in 2016, Germany-based technology company ZF will combine all electromobility-related activities in a new corporate E-Mobility division, based at the company’s Schweinfurt location. The new division will join the four existing divisions—Car Powertrain Technology, Car Chassis Technology, Commercial Vehicle Technology and Industrial Technology—as well as the newly created Active & Passive Safety Technology division, which incorporates all the business activities of TRW, the US