Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

Sweden inaugurated a test stretch of electric road on the E16 in Sandviken, thus becoming one of the first countries to conduct tests with electric power for heavy transports on public roads. The test stretch on the E16 is two kilometers long. The technology is similar to light rail, with contact lines 5.4 meters over the roadway. The truck has a pantograph on the roof that feeds 750 VDC to the truck’s hybrid electric system.

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Green Car Reports

JUNE 21, 2016

Sometimes, when tucking in for the evening, you can't help but wonder: did I really make the right choice? Could I have done better? Even now, could I still do better? This is the question I ask myself, each evening, when I park my 2015 Nissan Leaf in the garage next to my wife’s 2006 Toyota Prius. Given that both vehicles are now driven.

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National Green Transportation

JUNE 22, 2016

History was made on Wednesday evening as the Solar Impulse 2, piloted by Bertrand Piccard, completed the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean with a solar powered electric airplane. Piccard left JFK International Airport at 2:30 AM EDT.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

At the 2016 International VDI Congress “Drivetrain for Vehicles” in Friedrichshafen, Germany, John Fuller, Director of Concepts & IP for Torotrak Group, presented and discussed the company’s latest advances to optimize its full-toroidal variator technology for the light vehicle market as applied in continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). Torotrak’s main drive CVTs combine its full toroidal traction drive variator with other conventional transmission components.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 21, 2016

BMW i announced a home stationary energy storage system solution integrating its BMW i3 vehicle battery at EVS 29 in Montréal. The system utilizes BMW i3 high-voltage batteries and can be expanded to incorporate second-life batteries as they become available in the market. This strategy will extend the useful life of the battery for the owner, even beyond in-vehicle use, BMW said.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a novel, flexible, solid-state, ion-conducting membrane based on a 3D ion-conducting ceramic nanofiber network. The researchers said that their work, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), represents a significant breakthrough to enable high performance lithium batteries.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

Sainsbury’s has become the first company to introduce a refrigerated delivery truck cooled by a liquid nitrogen powered engine ( earlier post ), which will eliminate all emissions associated with refrigeration. Supplied by cooling technology specialist Dearman and its partners, the zero-emission cooling unit replaces the traditional diesel engine used to chill the vehicle and will significantly cut emissions.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 21, 2016

PG&E announced a Joint Proposal with labor and leading environmental organizations that would increase investment in energy efficiency, renewables and storage beyond current state mandates while phasing out PG&E’s production of nuclear power in California by 2025 with the retirement of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant—California’s last operating nuclear power generation station.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 18, 2016

NASA will test new propulsion technology using an experimental airplane now designated the X-57 and nicknamed “Maxwell.” The X-57 features 14 electric motors turning propellers, all of them integrated into a uniquely-designed wing. NASA researchers ultimately envision a nine-passenger aircraft with a 500 kW power system in 2019. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden highlighted the agency’s first X-plane designation in a decade during his keynote speech Friday in Washington at the American Institute

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

The Department of Energy (DOE) announced $68.4 million ( DE-FOA-0001584 , DE-FOA-0001450 ) for cost-shared research and development (R&D) projects that will help to secure the safe and permanent storage of CO 2 during carbon capture and storage (CCS) operations. Funding is subject to the availability of appropriations. DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy, under two funding opportunity announcements (FOA), seeks cost-shared projects that will determine the feasibility of developing onshore and/or offsh

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

Chemists from the Universities of Basel and Zurich have reproduced one of the crucial phases of natural photosynthesis using artificial molecules. Their results have been published by the journal Angewandte Chemie (international edition). Green plants are able to temporarily store electric charges after the absorption of sunlight by using a molecular charge accumulator.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

Among the changes in its Model Year 2017 line-up, Volkswagen of America is dropping the Jetta Hybrid. ( Earlier post.) VW sold 227 units of the hybrid in the US from Jan-May of this year, down 0.9% year-on-year, according to figures from hybridcars.com. The decision to drop the model leaves Volkswagen of America without a hybrid offering at present.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that Columbus, OH has been selected as the winner of the US Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge. ( Earlier post.) As winner of the Challenge, Columbus will receive up to $40 million from US DOT and up to $10 million from Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Inc. to supplement the $90 million that the city has already raised from other private partners to carry out its plan.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

German automaker Borgward received Plus X Awards for its BX7 plug-in hybrid series SUV in the categories of Design, High Quality, Ergonomics, and Functionality. The BX7 was also issued a seal of quality as SUV of the Year 2016/2017. The Plus X Award for innovation was presented for the 13 th time in 2016. The award honors manufacturers of products that are exceptionally innovative and forward-looking in terms of technology, sportiness, and lifestyle aspects.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

A team at the University of Maryland have synthesized a mixed conducting nanocomposite sulfur electrode that consists of different nanoparticles with distinct properties of lithium storage capability, mechanical reinforcement, and ionic and electronic conductivities. As described in a paper published in the ACS journal Nano Letters , the new nanocomposite serves as a mechanically robust and mixed conductive (ionic and electronic conductive) sulfur electrode for all-solid-state lithium–sulfur bat

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 24, 2016

With news reports speculating about the final terms of a settlement deal in the Volkswagen clean diesel litigation in the US, Elizabeth Cabraser, Court-appointed Lead Counsel for the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, released a statement regarding the settlement negotiations. This settlement will provide substantial benefits to both consumers and the environment—providing car owners and lessees fair value for their vehicles, while also removing environmentally-harmful vehicles from the road.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

General Motors, the Office of Naval Research and the US Naval Research Laboratory are cooperating to incorporate automotive hydrogen fuel cell systems into the next generation of Navy unmanned undersea vehicles, or UUVs. Under the ONR’s Innovative Naval Prototype program for Large Displacement UUVs (LDUUV), energy is a core technology in the Navy’s goals for vehicles with more than 60-days endurance.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

The Volkswagen Group will begin equipping the Group’s new TSI and TFSI gasoline direct injection engines with gasoline particulate filters (GPF). This initiative, announced by Group CEO Matthias Müller at the Group’s annual general meeting, will begin with the 1.4 liter TSI engine in the new VW Tiguan and the Audi A5 in June 2017. This will reduce particulate emissions from the direct injection gasoline engines by up to 90%.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

Chinese truck and utility vehicle manufacturer Beijing Foton has launched the China Internet Super Truck Global Innovation Alliance and showcased the Auman EST (Energy Super Truck) at an event in Athens, Greece. The Internet super truck project is a collaboration that brings together Foton Motor Group, Cummins, and Daimler AG and aims at building Internet-driven super trucks that are green, efficient, safe, and intelligent through the integration of global resources, the effective use of new ene

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

Toyota has launched the Toyota Biodiversity and Sustainability Learning Center “Cheewa Panavet” at the Toyota Ban Pho Plant in Thailand. Cheewa Panavet is a combination of three Thai words, Cheewa (life), Pana (forest), and Vet (habitat). The learning center represents Toyota’s commitment to the environment as it adds a greater learning element to the Toyota Biotope, a habitat of living organisms spanning over 96,000 square meters.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

Westport Fuel Systems Inc. announced that Volvo Car will launch the BiFuel version of its new V90 station wagon. This vehicle is based on the same engine technology as the Volvo V60 sports wagon which recently won second place in the Best Environmental Car in Sweden - company car category. The engine can run on either compressed natural gas (CNG)/biomethane or gasoline.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Fuel Cell Technologies Office has issued a request for information (RFI) ( DE-FOA-0001555 ) to obtain feedback from stakeholders regarding the construction and benefits of a National Hydrogen Technology Showcase and Training (HyTeST) station. The facility would serve as a tool for research and development, testing, safety and demonstration training, and outreach for community and commercial early adopters, including station developers, owners, code officials

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

Following the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany and Belgium, Norway is the 5 th European country to start selling the fuel cell sedan. Uno-X Hydrogen, a newly established joint-venture that plans to establish a 20-station hydrogen network by 2020 in Norway, is the first customer in that country to take ownership of the Toyota Mirai. Uno-X Hydrogen relies on renewable energy to produce hydrogen.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

The Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia, have collaborated on bioenergy and microbial biotechnology in the past. Now they are formalizing their relationship to enhance their bioenergy research, promote education, and develop industry around and viable bioenergy solutions in their respective countries—with special emphasis on adaptive bioprocesses.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2016

Australia-based Southern Oil and JJ Richards & Sons, joint venture partners in the Northern Oil Refinery at Yarwun, Australia, are building a new $5.3-million dollar biocrude and biofuel laboratory in central Queensland on the site of the recently announced Northern Oil Advanced Biofuels Pilot Plant. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced this week it would provide $2.37 million in funding to help develop and construct the laboratory.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

Despite the well-known dangers of distracted driving, the number of California drivers who use mobile devices while they drive is on the rise. In a study conducted by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) in April 2016, at least 12.8% of California drivers were observed using a mobile device during the day, up from 9.2% in 2015 and eclipsing the previous high of 10.8% in 2013.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced its forecasts for the FY2016 full-year (April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017). The announcement on the FY2016 forecasts were put on hold to assess the future impact from the improper testing of fuel consumption announced in April. ( Earlier post.). On 17 June, MMC submitted a report on the investigation results as well as preventative measures to Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism concerning the improper conduct in fuel economy testin

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

Verizon Communications Inc. signed an agreement to purchase Telogis, Inc. to add best-in-class Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology and services—specifically in the connected vehicle and mobile enterprise management sectors—as well as expanded distribution relationships to its Verizon Telematics subsidiary. Telogis is a global, cloud-based Mobile Enterprise Management (MEM) software company focusing on vehicle telematics.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

ABB will supply ly state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, low-voltage power distribution solutions to COMPAS (Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes), the new car manufacturing facilities of Renault-Nissan and Daimler’s strategic joint venture located in Aguascalientes, Mexico. ABB technology products—low-voltage switchgear, motor-controller, electrical panels and automated lighting systems—will be used to power the factory’s entire electrical system.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced nearly $16 million in funding to help businesses move promising energy technologies from DOE’s National Laboratories to the marketplace. This first Department-wide round of funding through the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) will support 54 projects at 12 national labs involving 52 private-sector partners.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 22, 2016

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected SiiLion, Inc. to receive a $1-million Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) Phase II award. The company is developing high-energy batteries featuring pure silicon anodes and high voltage cathodes—including lithium-manganese-rich and nickel-rich chemistries—enabled using a non-flammable ionic liquid electrolyte.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 21, 2016

Tesla Motora has made an all-stock offer worth approximately $2.8B to acquire all of the outstanding shares of solar energy provider SolarCity. Subject to completing due diligence, Tesla is proposing an exchange ratio of 0.122x to 0.131x shares of Tesla common stock for each share of SolarCity common stock. This proposal represents a value of $26.50 to $28.50 per share, or a premium of approximately 21% to 30% over the recent closing price of SolarCity’s shares.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 21, 2016

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman & CEO Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon unveiled Samsung’s vision for “Human-Centered IoT”, including a strategy to spend $1.2 billion over 4 years for US-based Internet of Things (IoT) R&D and investments. This will be led by the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center, Samsung Global Innovation Center and Samsung Research America. Vice Chairman Kwon delivered this news in a speech at a Samsung-hosted forum in Washington, D.C entitled Internet of Things: Transforming the Future.

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 21, 2016

A coalition led by Johnson Matthey is working to develop the next-generation of automotive fuel cell technology in the three-year, €7-million (US$7.9-million) EU-funded project INSPIRE (Integration Of Novel Stack Components For Performance, Improved Durability And Lower Cost). Consortium members include fuel cell component suppliers, academic institutions and the BMW Group.

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