Green Car Congress

JANUARY 20, 2012

Design of the microbial platform for production of biofuels and renewable commodity chemical compounds from macroalgae. Wargacki et al. Click to enlarge. A team of scientists from Bio Architecture Lab (BAL) in Berkeley, California, ( earlier post ) has engineered a strain of Eschericia coli to break down and then to ferment alginate—one of the most abundant sugars in brown algae, but a sugar that industrial microbes can’t metabolize—into ethanol.

Engine 351

Engine Polymer Renewable 2012 351

Green Car Reports

JANUARY 16, 2012

Now that we're back from the Detroit Auto Show, we can say with confidence that the two most important cars of the show were the 2013 Ford Fusion and the 2013 Dodge Dart. The 2013 Fusion in particular got rave reviews for its styling--which blended elements of Audi A7 and even a hint of Aston-Martin sports car in the grille forms--and high hopes.

Fusion 136

Fusion Aston Martin 2013 Ford 136

Electric Cars are for Girls

JANUARY 20, 2012

KillaJoule is the Killacycle racing team's salute to pure speed at 218 mph.! Interview with Eva Hakannson.

Electric Motorcycles 158

Electric Motorcycles Motorcycles MPH Electrical 158

Green Cars News

JANUARY 16, 2012

From electrifying powertrains, to making vehicles lighter – there are many ways to tackle fuel consumption. However, one of the key factors often overlooked, is reducing friction losses. A joint study by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Argonne National Laboratory in the USA believes that reduction in friction losses could lower fuel consumption [.].

Fuel 88

Fuel Finland USA Vehicles 88

Advertisement

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

Norway

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 20, 2012

The Opel Meriva can now be ordered with the 1.4 liter LPG Turbo ecoFLEX dual fuel engine. Click to enlarge. Opel is expanding and enhancing its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) offer. The Astra 5-door hatchback, the Astra Sports Tourer and the Meriva can now be ordered with the new 1.4 liter LPG Turbo ecoFLEX engine. The dual fuel engine can operate in LPG and gasoline mode and is available in two power versions: 103 kW/140 hp with 200 N·m/148 lb-ft of torque in the Astra 5-door and Sports T

Gasoline-Electric 304

Gasoline-Electric Gasoline Italy Europe 304

Green Car Reports

JANUARY 20, 2012

This is a perfectly serious question. A basic 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 full-size pickup truck starts around $23,000, and the rear-wheel drive XFE model is rated by the EPA at 18 mpg combined. The Silverado Hybrid model, a 1500 twin-cab, starts at around $40,000, and the RWD model is rated at 21 mpg. So how much would you pay for a 100-mpg.

MPG 127

MPG Silverado Chevrolet EPA 127

Green Cars News

JANUARY 16, 2012

With the Detroit Auto Show now open to the public, car fans of all ages have the chance to go sample what the show has to offer. One stand drawing the crowds this week is Ford’s, where the car maker has found a unique and interactive way to show of the performance and environmental credentials [.].

Ford 58

Ford Detroit Auto Cars 58

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 16, 2012

Countries such as China, India and Brazil, which have no Arctic territories, are now seeking admission to the Arctic Council as permanent observers. The issue has divided existing members, with Russia and Canada most strongly opposed. It is among the major questions with which Canada will have to grapple as it prepares to chair the Council next year, notes the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, a Canadian public policy organization.

Climate Change 296

Climate Change Brazil India Japan 296

Green Car Reports

JANUARY 18, 2012

The first BMW ActiveE electric car in North America was just delivered last Friday. Now, with only 600 miles on that car, we've driven it. Our first impressions of BMW's final electric test car, converted from a standard BMW 1-Series two-door sedan, are favorable. It's solid, comfortable, performs well, and feels far more like a production car.

BMW 122

BMW Electric Cars North America Cars 122

Electric Cars are for Girls

JANUARY 17, 2012

My son and I have decided after two overhauls to our Austin Heally 3000 MKIII to convert it to an EV.

Austin 102

Austin Conversion Convert Cars 102

Advertisement

Brief

Connect

Green Cars News

JANUARY 17, 2012

Some critics believe that electric cars simply lack the speed and power to be a match for vehicles with internal combustion engines – however, they may have a whole new perception now that electric cars may receive their own motorsport series. The International Motor Sports Association, the American Le Mans Series and project specialists Quimera, [.].

Electric Cars 56

Electric Cars Cars International Electric 56

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 19, 2012

Gen Y’s strong affinity for hybrid vehicles could make it the “ generation that leads us away from traditional gasoline-powered vehicles ,” reports Craig Giffi, vice chairman and automotive practice leader at Deloitte LLP, after seeing the results of Deloitte’s annual survey of consumers and what they want in an automobile. (Deloitte defines Gen Y consumers as those currently ranging in age from 19 to 31.). 59% of Gen Y respondents surveyed prefer an electrified vehicle over any other type of ca

Hybrid 277

Hybrid Auto Vehicles Automobile 277

Green Car Reports

JANUARY 20, 2012

Think of Presidential state cars, and you’ll probably think of the Cadillac-badged limousine the President Obama uses, a car that many of us know as The Beast. Now an Italian coach-builder has come up with its own take on the Presidential limousine, in the form of an all-electric stretch limousine based on the humble Fiat 500. Enter Castagna.

Obama 122

Obama Cadillac Electric Electrical 122

National Green Transportation

JANUARY 18, 2012

Today the Obama Administration released a statement rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project citing obstructionist Republicans. The announcement was greeted by a chorus of approval from environmental organizations such as the NRDC, the Sierra.

Obama 76

Obama Sierra Industrial Industry 76

Advertisement

Oil

Guyana

Green Cars News

JANUARY 20, 2012

EV naysayers should allow more time for the technology to become established before writing it off, according to a research body. Although 2011 was considered ‘the year of the electric car’ by some (so is 2012 depending on who you want to believe), Frost & Sullivan reckons that developments like the Plugged-In Places project will [.].

2017 55

2017 Charging 2011 2012 55

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 16, 2012

Criegee intermediates (CIs) play a central role in the formation of numerous atmospheric compounds. Welz et al. succeeded in isolating the simplest CI and reported direct kinetic measurements of its reactions with water, NO, NO 2 , and SO 2. Credit: Marston (2012), Photo credit: Daniel Stein/Istockphoto.com.Click to enlarge. Molecules called Criegee intermediates—carbonyl oxides—are important atmospheric reactants, but only indirect knowledge of their reaction kinetics has been avail

Ozone 268

Ozone Climate Change Climate 2012 268

Green Car Reports

JANUARY 16, 2012

Regular readers may recognize the name of Tom Moloughney, who has written several stories on his experiences living with a Mini E electric car for two years. Now Moloughney has moved up in the electric-car world. On Friday, he was the first U.S. customer to take delivery of a BMW ActiveE, the first of a fleet of 700 BMW 1-Series sedans converted.

New Jersey 119

New Jersey BMW Mini E Electric Cars 119

National Green Transportation

JANUARY 18, 2012

Today the Obama Administration released a statement rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project citing obstructionist Republicans. The announcement was greeted by a chorus of approval from environmental organizations such as the NRDC, the Sierra.

Obama 70

Obama Sierra Industrial Industry 70

Green Cars News

JANUARY 15, 2012

In an effort to expand its position in the US market, Volvo has announced that it will focus on a new downsized four-cylinder engine platform and hybrid cars. Speaking in an interview at the North American International Auto Show, John Maloney, the President of Volvo Cars US, highlighted the new Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept [.].

Volvo 54

Volvo Hybrid Market Downsizing 54

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 19, 2012

The global average surface temperature in 2011 was the ninth warmest since 1880, according to NASA scientists; nine of the 10 warmest years in the modern meteorological record have occurred since the year 2000. NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York, which monitors global surface temperatures on an ongoing basis, released an updated analysis that shows temperatures around the globe in 2011 compared to the average global temperature from the mid-20 th century.

2011 257

2011 2000 New York Global 257

Green Car Reports

JANUARY 18, 2012

As anyone who has lived in the Pacific Northwest will tell you, cities like Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon are known for their damp, dreary winter months. This winter, as with many other parts of the U.S., heavy snowfall is taking the place of rain, turning the usually temperate Northwest into a winter wonderland. But what do you do if.

Portland 118

Portland Seattle Oregon Washington 118

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 19, 2012

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) and Saudi Aramco recently signed the joint venture agreement related to the ongoing development of Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (YASREF) Limited, formerly the Red Sea Refining Company. ( Earlier post.). The joint venture agreement follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Saudi Aramco and Sinopec in March 2011.

Saudi Arabia 255

Saudi Arabia Oil Asia Gas 255

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 14, 2012

A better understanding of how algae can be used to make biofuels is the aim of a new joint project between UC Davis and the University of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of four new grants, jointly funded by the US National Science Foundation and the Japan Science and Technology Agency, to develop environment-friendly fuels and reduce pesticide use. The four grants, totaling $12 million (¥960 million), will be divided between the Japanese and US laboratories.

Davis 246

Davis Universal Japan Grant 246

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 16, 2012

The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) has published its report on sustainability indicators for bioenergy. ( Earlier post.) The report represents the first global, government-level consensus on sustainability indicators for bioenergy and is intended as a resource in helping countries assess and develop sustainable production and use of bioenergy for electricity, heat and transport.

Transportation 244

Transportation Global Water Pollution 244

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 15, 2012

Foss Maritime Company and Aspin Kemp & Associates (AKA) with their technology partner XeroPoint Energy, have received US patent protection for their hybrid propulsion and energy management system. ( Earlier post.) Foss, which owns and operates one of the largest tug and barge fleets on the US West Coast, partnered with AKA, a Canadian system integrator and marine engineering company, in developing this technology.

Mariner 239

Mariner Los Angeles Hybrid Energy 239

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 18, 2012

Cutaway of Nissan LEAF battery pack. Click to enlarge. ABB, 4R Energy, Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) and Sumitomo Corporation of America have formed a partnership to evaluate the reuse of lithium-ion battery packs that power the Nissan LEAF. (4R Energy was established in September 2010 as a new joint venture company between Nissan Motor Co. and Sumitomo to conduct research and field tests on the second-life use of lithium-ion batteries that have been used previously in electric vehicles.

North America 236

North America Nissan America Lithium Ion 236

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 18, 2012

In its 2011 year-end report, Road Map to Renewal , the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (Jobs Council) made a number of recommendations to create jobs in the short run and improve US competitiveness over the long term. Very broadly, the report lays out an agenda to “Invest in Our Future” through education and innovation, “Build on Our Strengths” in the critical sectors of energy and manufacturing, and “Play to Win” by making overdue tax and regulatory reforms to stay competitive.

Renewable 236

Renewable Energy Fuel Coal 236

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 17, 2012

Boeing is partnering with Australia’s CSIRO to undertake a comprehensive study to evaluate the potential for growing new feedstocks in northern Australia and turning them into sustainable aviation biofuels. The Sustainable Feedstocks for Aviation Fuels program builds on the recommendations of the Flight Path to Sustainable Aviation roadmap, released in May 2011, and continues the strong research relationship developed between Boeing and CSIRO over more than 20 years.

Industrial 236

Industrial Industry Design Australia 236

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 16, 2012

5-door 208. Click to enlarge. The new Peugeot 208 B-segment supermini, which launches this spring in Europe, will be available in 3- and 5-door bodystyles with a range of gasoline and diesel engines including a new 3-cylinder gasoline engine range and the latest generation of Stop & Start System (e-HDi) diesel engines. The 208 achieves average CO 2 emissions of 34 g/km lower than the 207.

Gasoline 236

Gasoline Diesel Engine France 236

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 15, 2012

OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a technology to extract oil from algae, plans to co-develop an integrated system with the US Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for direct conversion of raw algae into a renewable crude oil that can be used by existing petroleum refineries. OriginOil’s planned Biocrude System will integrate its own harvesting system with biomass processing technology being developed under the recently-announced research agreement with INL, to convert raw alga

Idaho 236

Idaho Oil Conversion Renewable 236

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 18, 2012

The Effenco hydraulic hybrid system can drive the existing hydraulic pump for auxiliary equipment or assist the engine. Source: Effenco. Click to enlarge. Montreal, Canada-based Effenco has developed a hydraulic hybrid system (HEAD, Hydraulic Equipment Assisting Device) specifically targeted to vehicles with high power demand auxiliaries, such as refuse trucks.

Hybrid 231

Hybrid Power Powered Vehicles 231

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 17, 2012

Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL. Click to enlarge. The 100 battery-driven electric Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL vans ( earlier post ) in use in Berlin and Stuttgart have covered 650,000 km (404,000 miles). The two projects, each with 50 Vito E-CELLs, are intended to run over a period of four years. A total of 230 Vito E-CELL vans are now in use in several model regions.

Mercedes 231

Mercedes Fleet Stimulus Package MPH 231

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 17, 2012

The Center for Environmental Research and Technology at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering, has received a $2-million award for a two-year project to build solar arrays, advanced battery storage, vehicle charging stations, an electric trolley, and a grid management system to provide clean energy to clean vehicles efficiently.

Solar 231

Solar California Power Powered 231

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 17, 2012

A survey in the UK by the Bosch Group, a leading global supplier of technology and services, has found that engineering is undervalued and misunderstood by adults in the UK. The research was carried out among 1,347 people aged between 18 to 45 years old and in general shows that many people, particularly younger adults, see engineering as a “back of house’” function in business that is not critical to the UK economy.

Economy 231

Economy Engine Germany 2010 231