Sat.Dec 03, 2016 - Fri.Dec 09, 2016

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First UPS US delivery eBike debuts in Portland, Oregon

Green Car Congress

UPS has introduced its first eBike in the US. This new electrically-assisted tricycle began delivering packages in Portland, Oregon, on 21 November 21. UPS anticipates this eBike prototype could become a component of its delivery capabilities in some other cities across the country. UPS eBike with UPS Chairman and CEO David Abney. Click to enlarge. The deployment of the eBike is part of UPS’s ongoing commitment to reduce carbon emissions as city populations and e-commerce grow, and traffic, nois

Portland 281
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Modern electric cars at 20: from EV1 to Bolt EV, where are we now?

Green Car Reports

Twenty years ago today, the very first GM EV1 electric cars were delivered to 40 lessees in California in a blaze of publicity. Since then, plug-in electric vehicles have seen more than their share of ups and downs. That first EV1 was a high-tech two-seater created specifically to meet California's then-current zero-emission vehicle rules.

EV1 177
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First drive review: Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain

Green Cars News

The Mercedes E350d All-Terrain has one clear mission and that’s to dismount the Audi A6 Allroad from its position as the one and only premium soft-roa.

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Canada invests $1.9M to support Nano One advanced battery production technology

Green Car Congress

The Government of Canada is investing up to $1.9 million from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) in Vancouver-based Nano One to support the development of advanced battery technology for electric vehicles. Nano One produces low-cost high-performance energy storage materials for batteries as well as a wide range of advanced nanostructured composite materials.

Canada 273
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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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CNG Fuels launches renewable biomethane in UK; heavy-duty fleet operators committing to use

Green Car Congress

In the UK, CNG Fuels launched its renewable biomethane fuel, the most cost-effective and lowest-carbon alternative to diesel for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). The fuel is 35%-40% cheaper than diesel, and emits 70% less CO 2 on a well-to-wheel basis. It therefore offers fleet operators the chance to significantly reduce running costs and emissions. Retailers Waitrose, John Lewis and Argos, as well as hauler Brit European, have already committed to using the new biomethane fuel for their long-dista

Renewable 243
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DOE to issue funding opportunity for integrated biorefinery optimization

Green Car Congress

DOE to issue funding opportunity for integrated biorefinery optimization The US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a funding opportunity announcement (DE-FOA-0001689) entitled, “Integrated Biorefinery Optimization.”.

Waste 240

More Trending

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Consortium proposes large-scale industrial cultivation of marine microalgae (ICCM) as solution to global energy, food, and climate issues

Green Car Congress

Members of the Marine Algae Industrialization Consortium (MAGIC), led by Duke University in North Carolina, have published an open-access paper in the journal Oceanography presenting the large-scale industrial cultivation of marine microalgae (ICMM) as an answer to pressing global energy, food and climate security issues. Underpinned by numerous prior research papers through MAGIC’s predecessor, the Cornell Marine Algae Biofuels Consortium, the ICMM approach delivers a series of co-products: liq

Mariner 237
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Audi launches Traffic Light Information V2I service in the US starting in Las Vegas

Green Car Congress

Audi is the first manufacturer to launch Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) technology in the US, with the deployment of Traffic Light Information in select 2017 Audi A4, Q7 and allroad models in Las Vegas. ( Earlier post.). “The launch of this technology is another in a long list of firsts for Audi that have positioned us as the industry leader in connectivity solutions V2I applications and services like Traffic Light Information are essential components as we continue to move toward an autonomous

Las Vegas 225
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Study finds renewable natural gas could meet ~85% of current natural gas use in transport in California by 2020s; much higher volumes possible with right policies

Green Car Congress

A study by a team from UC Davis for the California Air Resources Board (ARB) has found that the state could produce 14 bcf (billion cubic feet) per year of renewable natural gas (RNG) (biomethane) by the 2020s, meeting roughly 85% of current natural gas use in transport California at LCFS (Low Carbon Fuel Standard) credits of $120 per metric ton of CO 2.

Gas 224
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New Renault KANGOO Z.E. electric van to add 50% more range

Green Car Congress

Renault Pro+ will present the all-electric New KANGOO Z.E. on 13 January at the 2017 European Motor Show in Brussels, Belgium. Renault Pro+ will equip the latest KANGOO Z.E. with a new motor/battery package that will increase the model’s driving range by more than 50%, from 170 km to 270 km (106 miles to 168 miles) NEDC. That is equivalent of 200 km (124 miles) in real conditions, Renault said.

Range 221
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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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UT Austin team uses polypyrrole-MnO2 coaxial nanotubes as sulfur host to improve performance of Li?sulfur battery

Green Car Congress

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a novel electrode for lithium-sulfur batteries that improves cyclic stability and rate capability significantly. In a paper published in the ACS journal Nano Letters , they report using polypyrrole-MnO 2 coaxial nanotubes to encapsulate sulfur. MnO 2 restrains the shuttle effect of polysulfides greatly through chemisorption and the polypyrrole serves as conductive frameworks.

Austin 221
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New Lexus LC 500h with Multi Stage Hybrid System

Green Car Congress

Following the world premiere of the V8-powered LC 500 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January 2016, Lexus introduced its hybrid variant, the new LC 500h. ( Earlier post.) The LC is a new flagship 2+2 performance coupe for Lexus’ global model range, and will go on sale in the US in Spring 2017. The LC 500h is the first model to feature the new Multi Stage Hybrid system. ( Earlier post.

Lexus 220
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Honeywell Transportation Systems Forecast: turbocharged vehicles to account for 48% of annual global sales by 2021; electric boosting emerges

Green Car Congress

Honeywell’s Transportation Systems Forecast projects that turbocharged vehicles will acount for 48% of annual global sales by 2021, up 9 percentage points from 2016. This annual sales estimate, combining both passenger and commercial vehicles, would add more than 232 million turbocharged vehicles globally between 2017 and 2021—an increase of 35% from today.

Global 218
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Volkswagen Group launches standalone mobility services company MOIA; initial focus on ride-hailing

Green Car Congress

The Volkswagen Group officially launched its new mobility services company MOIA. Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller previewed the formation of the new business unit during a presentation of the Group’s new strategic plan—TOGETHER - Strategy 2025—in Wolfsburg in June. ( Earlier post.). “MOIA will help us gain a deeper understanding of new forms of mobility and how to make them even more attractive in future, to offer a much broader scope than at present and to tailor these services to suit very

Companies 218
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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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Toyota unveils new TNGA-based engines and transmissions and improved hybrid systems; deployment begins in 2017

Green Car Congress

In Japan, Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled new advanced engines and transmissions and further evolved hybrid systems based on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). Toyota intends to deploy these new powertrain units in a rapidly broadening range of vehicle models, starting in 2017. The new units will feature in 60% or more of vehicles sold annually in Japan, United States, Europe and China in 2021, reducing CO 2 emissions in those markets by 15% or more.

Toyota 214
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smart introducing new mobility service in Europe: “smart ready to rent”

Green Car Congress

Following “smart ready to park+” and “smart ready to drop”, “smart ready to rent” is the next mobility service from Daimler’s smart brand intended to make urban life easier and meet the mobility requirements of town-dwellers. With “smart ready to rent”, the full smart model range—and next year also the new smart electric drive models—can be flexibly rented from dealers.

Europe 207
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New Continental AdBlue dosing system helps diesels meet new RDE values

Green Car Congress

Continental has developed a new AdBlue dosing system for selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment that the company says will help diesels meet real driving emissions (RDE) testing. The main components of the AdBlue system are the injector, a tank flange module, which includes the pump, as well as its own electronic control unit. This electronic control unit, which is coupled with the engine control unit, not only controls the injector, but also regulates the pump pressure and diagnoses the f

Diesel 207
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WiTricity announces Tunable Matching Network technology; optimization of power transfer between ground and vehicle

Green Car Congress

Wireless power transfer company WiTricity announced Tunable Matching Network (TMN) technology, which allows the wireless charging system automatically to optimize energy transfer between the ground and vehicle in a wide range of real-world operating conditions including parking misalignment, differing vehicle ground clearance and varying battery voltage conditions.

Power 207
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Dongfeng Honda to invest US$436M and build 3rd plant in China; accommodation for electrified vehicles

Green Car Congress

Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd., a Honda automobile production and sales joint venture in China, plans to build a third automobile production plant to meet increasing demand from the continuously growing automobile market in China. Dongfeng Honda plans to build the third plant on a 1.2 million-square-meter plot acquired by the company, located approximately 8 km southeast of the company’s first plant within Wuhan Economic & Technological Development District.

Honda 204
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BP approves revamped $9B Mad Dog Phase 2 project in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico; down from original $20B cost

Green Car Congress

BP has sanctioned the $9-billion Mad Dog Phase 2 project in the United States, despite the current low oil price environment. Mad Dog Phase 2 will develop resources in the central area of the giant Mad Dog field through a subsea development linked to a new floating production platform with the capacity to produce up to 140,000 gross barrels of crude oil per day from up to 14 production wells.

Mexico 204
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First Honda Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles arrive in Europe as part of HyFIVE demo

Green Car Congress

The first Honda Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles arrived in Europe last week. The first six vehicles will be based with customers in London and Copenhagen as part of the Hydrogen for Innovative Vehicles ( HyFIVE ) demonstration project, partly funded by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking ( FCHJU ). Honda has always been one of the leaders in the field of hydrogen fuel cell technology, with over 30 years of research and development behind us.

Honda 204
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Global Automakers calls on EPA to withdraw proposed determination on MY 2022-2025 GHG standards, get back in alignment with NHTSA, provide more time

Green Car Congress

Global Automakers, the trade association representing the US divisions of 12 international automakers (Aston Martin, Ferrari, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Maserati, McLaren, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota), has called on the EPA either to withdraw its proposed determination on MY 2022-2025 light duty vehicle greenhouse gas standards or to extend the comment period.

EPA 203
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FCA Windsor Assembly Plant begins production of plug-in 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

Green Car Congress

The first 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid ( earlier post ) rolled off the line at the FCA US Windsor Assembly Plant (Ont.) on 1 December. The launch of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid marks another milestone for the Windsor plant as it is the first electric vehicle to be built on its assembly line. The nearly 5,900 employees at Windsor Assembly are bringing more than 33 years of minivan production knowledge and expertise to the launch of the Pacifica Hybrid.

Chrysler 203
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UMTRI: average US new vehicle fuel economy in November unchanged from October

Green Car Congress

The average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of new vehicles sold in the US in November was 24.9 mpg (9.44 l/100 km)—unchanged from the revised value for October, according to the monthly report from Dr. Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle at University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). The value for November 2016 is up by 4.8 mpg since October 2007 (the first month of their monitoring), but down 0.6 mpg from the revised peak of 25.5 mpg reached in August of 2014.

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Daimler joining MIT CSAIL Alliance Program for AI work; cognitive vehicles

Green Car Congress

Daimler is becoming a new member of the MIT CSAIL Alliance Program. MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory ( CSAIL ) is the largest research laboratory at MIT and one of the world’s most important centers of information technology research. With 1,000 members and more than 100 principal investigators coming from eight departments, CSAIL includes approximately 50 research groups organized into three focus areas: artificial intelligence, systems and theory.

MIT 200
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Toyota teams with 5 Japanese power companies on PHV Connected Power Service to encourage more electric driving in Prius PHV

Green Car Congress

Toyota Motor Corporation will partner with five Japanese power companies—Tohoku Electric Power Co., Ltd.; TEPCO Energy Partner, Inc.; Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.; Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.; and Shikoku Electric Power Company, Inc. to offer the new PHV Connected Power Service. This service will provide customers of the new Prius PHV with various benefits depending on the distance driven in EV-mode as well as the amount of home charging.

Prius 200
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New crosslinked gel electrolytes could create high energy density supercapacitors rivaling batteries

Green Car Congress

Researchers from Augmented Optics Ltd. and the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Bristol, have developed new, crosslinked gel-matrix polymer electrolytes exhibiting measured capacitance values more than 100 times those of conventional electrolytes. The new gel electrolytes are compatible with all normal production electrodes.

Energy 197
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Honda to show EV concept with AI emotion engine from joint project with Softbank

Green Car Congress

At CES 2017, Honda will showcase what it calls a future technology path toward a redefined mobility experience. The exhibit will include the NeuV, a concept automated EV commuter vehicle equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) called the “emotion engine” that creates new possibilities for human interaction and new value for customers. The emotion engine is the focus of a joint research project with Softbank Corporation that Honda announced in July 2016 to apply the AI technology in mobility p

Honda 197
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Toyota piloting all-hybrid car-sharing scheme in Europe: YUKÕ

Green Car Congress

Toyota Europe is piloting a new full hybrid car sharing program—named YUKÕ – Japanese for ‘Let’s go’—in two European cities: Dublin, Ireland and Forlì, Italy. Vehicles in the program range from the B-segment Toyota Yaris Hybrid to its iconic Prius and will eventually also include its latest crossover, the Toyota C-HR Hybrid. Toyota selected the pilot cities based on a set of criteria such as state of the local car sharing economy, demographics, infrastructure and congestion levels.

Toyota 196
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Michigan governor signs legislation package allowing operation of autonomous vehicles on state roadways; enabling platooning

Green Car Congress

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of legislation putting autonomous vehicles onto Michigan’s roads. The core is Senate Bill 995 , which allows operation of autonomous vehicles on Michigan roads where before only testing of these vehicles by manufacturers was permitted. All safety requirements that pertain to the testing of autonomous vehicles will apply to autonomous vehicle operation.

Michigan 195
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Hyundai Motor accelerating development of its connected car operating system

Green Car Congress

Hyundai Motor is accelerating development of its advanced ccOS (connected car Operating System), the core platform technology for its future connected cars. The software will optimize the high-speed transmission and reception of data within the vehicle to support increasingly complex features that will lead the connected car market. Hyundai outlined the development of ccOS in November, and has established an Infotainment Software Development Team in its Namyang Research and Development Center de

Connect 195
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California ARB awards $9.5M to Porterville to deploy 10 GreenPower electric buses and charging infrastructure

Green Car Congress

GreenPower Motor Company Inc. announced that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has awarded $9.5 million to the City of Porterville to deploy 10 GreenPower EV350 40-foot zero-emission all-electric transit buses on all nine Porterville Transit routes, and to install the charging infrastructure including 11 charging stations. The EV350 40-ft bus has a 320 kWh LiFePO 4 battery pack providing some 185 miles of range (300 km); the two 85 kW drive motors are from Siemens.

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Toyota launches TOYOTA NEXT Open Innovation Program in Japan

Green Car Congress

In Japan, Toyota Motor Corporation has launched the TOYOTA NEXT open innovation program. The program is intended to promote joint development of new services by utilizing new ideas, technologies, and solutions held by various companies and R&D organizations regardless of scale, as well as by businesses that have already launched services, which departs from Toyota’s usual practices of trying to be self-sufficient in terms of development.

Japan 195
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GM selects AeroVironment EVSE-RS as official home charging station for 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Green Car Congress

General Motors Company has named AeroVironment, Inc.’s EVSE-RS as the official charging station accessory for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. As an official accessory, AeroVironment’s 32A (a slight boost up from the 30A models in the rest of the EVSE-RS range ) charging station will be labeled with its own GM part number and will be available through Chevrolet dealerships.

Chevrolet 195