Sat.Jun 17, 2017 - Fri.Jun 23, 2017

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Volvo Technology Award for wave piston design

Green Car Congress

The Volvo Group’s new truck engines are more fuel efficient as a result of their new piston design which adds waves to the piston crown to improve the use of oxygen. ( Earlier post.) The engineers (John Gibble, Frank Löfskog, Michael Balthasar, and Jan Eismark) behind the innovation have now received the Volvo Technology Award 2017. The new wave design has now been patented.

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The US Senate once had its own electric cars: two Studebakers that ran underground

Green Car Reports

One advantage of electric cars is that unlike gasoline or steam cars, they have no emissions. More than a century ago, that was why the U.S. Capitol acquired two custom-built electric cars, nicknamed "Tommy" and "Peggy." They were built by Studebaker, an early and hallowed U.S. car brand that finally folded up shop in 1965. DON'T MISS: Electric.

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Sadiq Khan aims to make London zero-emission by 2050

Green Cars News

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has unveiled his radical transport strategy, which includes the ambitious aim for London’s entire transport system to be zero

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ZF showcases mSTARS electric axle system for axle hybrids or fully electric vehicles

Green Car Congress

ZF is using its plug-in Vision Zero concept vehicle to showcase a number of new safety and zero local emissions technologies. The vehicle features a 150 kW electric axle drive system for dynamic acceleration. The entire propulsion system, including the integrated power electronics, is housed in an innovative, space-saving modular ZF rear axle system called mSTARS (modular Semi-Trailing Arm Rear Suspension).

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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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Audi A8 fully active electromechanical suspension powered by 48V electrical system; predictive adjustment using front camera

Green Car Congress

The new Audi A8 will feature a fully active, electromechanical suspension system which drives each wheel individually and adapts to the prevailing road conditions. Each wheel has an electric motor which is powered by the A8’s 48-volt electrical system—used for the first time as the main electrical system. (The Audi SQ7 TDI introduced in 2016 offered a 48V subsystem as well as a 12V system for the alternator.

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CMU study finds SOA levels in cities like LA will remain high despite cleaner cars; nonlinear relationship between SOA and NOx

Green Car Congress

The findings of a study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, with colleagues at UC Berkeley, suggest that changing atmospheric NO x levels over the next two decades will likely significantly reduce the effectiveness of stricter new gasoline vehicle emissions standards in reducing concentrations of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The study is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Cleaner 191

More Trending

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Frost & Sullivan: safety & emission regulations drives top 30 tech features of N. American OEMs

Green Car Congress

Frost & Sullivan’s latest Analysis of Top 30 Features of Mass Market and Luxury OEMs in North America, 2016-2025 , finds that government mandates on emission and safety innovation in automotive technology is driving OEMs to make major investments in technology development across six clusters including powertrain; chassis; safety; comfort; connectivity; and EV technology within the mass and luxury OEMs market in North America.

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Park City Transit deploying six Proterra electric buses; battery-lease financing model

Green Car Congress

Park City Transit has deployed Utah’s first zero-emission, battery-electric mass transit fleet, which will include six Proterra Catalyst FC+ buses. Selected to serve the region’s renowned ski resort community, the Proterra fleet supports Park City’s and Summit County’s transition toward renewable energy and the reduction of its overall carbon footprint.

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Lightning Systems receives California ARB executive order for aftermarket hydraulic hybrid vehicle conversions for Ford E-450s

Green Car Congress

Lightning Systems announced that its LightningHybrids hydraulic hybrid system has received an Executive Order from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) allowing aftermarket conversions of gasoline-powered 2016 model year Ford E-450 vehicles. The LightningHybrids hydraulic system for the Ford E-450 is now available for public or private fleets in California and throughout the United States that operate shuttle and paratransit buses, logistics and delivery trucks, and food and beverage vehicl

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EIA: US refineries running at record-high levels; increased capacity; inventory, product and exports

Green Car Congress

Gross inputs to US petroleum refineries (refinery runs) averaged a record high 17.7 million barrels per day (b/d) for the week ending 26 May, before dropping slightly to 17.5 million b/d for the week ending 2 June and 17.6 million b/d for the week ending 9 June, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Product supplied to the US market as well as inventories and exports are also at relatively high levels.

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

Brief

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California ARB fines two companies $507K for selling illegal aftermarket parts for cars & trucks

Green Car Congress

The California Air Resources Board reached. settlements with Derive Systems, Inc., and Hypertech, Inc. to resolve violations of the California Health and Safety Code related to the advertising and sales of illegal aftermarket performance parts in California, especially tuner products made for diesel pick-up truck engines. Florida-based Derive Systems, Inc., is the parent company of performance part manufacturer Bully Dog Technologies, LLC.

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Waterloo team develops adaptive anti-idling regenerative power system for service vehicles

Green Car Congress

A team at the University of Waterloo in Canada has developed a novel adaptive auxiliary battery-powered anti-idling system for service vehicles (e.g. delivery trucks or public buses); the energy storage system in the regenerative auxiliary power system (RAPS) is able to electrify the vehicle auxiliary systems. Service vehicles generally have pre-determined routes, making it feasible to use a model predictive control strategy to improve fuel economy.

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French electric autonomous vehicle maker NAVYA to build 1st US assembly plant in Michigan; partnership with U Michigan

Green Car Congress

NAVYA, a pioneer in developing and manufacturing autonomous vehicles, will establish its first assembly plant outside of Europe in Southeast Michigan. Beginning last year, the French company partnered with Mcity, a public-private partnership led by the University of Michigan to accelerate advanced mobility vehicles and technologies, to bring the NAVYA ARMA, a 100% driverless, completely electric, Level 5 autonomous shuttle vehicle to Mcity.

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ICCT calculates consumer benefits of increased efficiency in 2025-2030 light-duty vehicles in the US

Green Car Congress

A new report from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) estimates Consumer benefits of increased efficiency in 2025-2030 light-duty vehicles in the US. According to the analysis, under current standards, buyers of model year 2025 vehicles would fully recoup the extra cost for technology in the vehicle in the third year of ownership under a cash-purchase scenario.

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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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DOE to invest $20M in new oil and gas research projects

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of $20 million for cost-shared oil and gas research projects to increase recovery efficiency from unconventional oil and gas wells and to prevent offshore spills and leaks. DE-FOA-0001722 Funded projects will cover three topic areas—two addressing unconventional oil and gas recovery and one focused on offshore oil and gas leak prevention.

Oil 170
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2018 Chevy Equinox drops almost 400 lbs; about 10% of mass

Green Car Congress

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox SUV has dropped nearly 400 pounds (181 kg)—approximately 10% of its mass—compared to its predecessor. Combined with this weight loss, the all-new body was designed and optimized for top safety ratings. The 2018 Equinox’s body structure design was optimized with a mixed-material strategy for strength and low weight.

2018 170
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HELLA and ZF form strategic partnership on sensors for ADAS and autonomous driving; first camera system due in 2020

Green Car Congress

ZF and HELLA are entering into a strategic partnership, with the focus on camera systems, imaging and radar sensor technology for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving. Both automotive suppliers said they will each benefit from this cooperation on sensor technology, particularly for front camera systems, imaging and radar systems.

2020 170
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Audi to begin production of e-tron Sportback in 2019; second new electric model for Brussels

Green Car Congress

Audi will begin production of the Audi e-tron Sportback—Audi’s second production electric car—at Audi Brussels (Belgium) in 2019. The Audi e-tron electric SUV—the first electric model—will drive off the assembly line there as of 2018. The basis for the new e-automobile is the Audi e-tron Sportback concept design study, which the company unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2017. ( Earlier post.).

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Qualcomm makes strategic investment in safe battery technology company Amionx

Green Car Congress

Qualcomm has made a strategic investment in Amionx, a leader in safe battery technology. As part of its investment, Qualcomm President Derek Aberle will join the board of directors of Amionx. Amionx is a spinout from American Lithium Energy (ALE) which was originally founded in 2006 by Dr. Jiang Fan and Dr. Robert Spotnitz—both widely recognized as foremost experts in battery technology.

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Ford to import next-gen Ford Focus for N. America from China; production starting 2H 2019

Green Car Congress

Ford announced a series of global manufacturing actions centered on improving the company’s operational fitness, among them that it would source the next-generation Ford Focus for North America primarily from China, rather than Hermosillo, Mexico. Production of the next-generation Focus begins in the second half of 2019, with models coming from the company’s existing Focus plants globally.

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VTT developing autonomous ship navigation systems; Apilot steers during evasive maneuvers and docking

Green Car Congress

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is developing safe steering for the remote-monitored and controlled autonomous ships of the future. The new technology has been developed for navigation systems and ship autopilots, which steer ships automatically. The ships of the future will largely be controlled by artificial intelligence. However, these autonomous unmanned vessels must be monitored and controlled on demand by land-based professionals.

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Volkswagen Group and Hamburg partner to bid to host 2021 ITS World Congress

Green Car Congress

The Volkswagen Group and its partner city, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, have submitted a bid to host the 2021 ITS World Congress. Under their strategic mobility partnership concluded in 2016 ( earlier post ), the partners have joined forces to shape the urban mobility of the future and to develop the city as a model for forward-looking, sustainable and integrated urban mobility.

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10 years of Neste renewable diesel

Green Car Congress

Neste began production of renewable diesel 10 years ago at the Neste Porvoo refinery in Finland. ( Earlier post.) Neste has since become the leading circular economy company in biofuels and reduced GHG emissions from traffic by more than 33 million tons, based on production of the renewable bio-hydrocarbon fuel. The figure is almost equal to the total annual GHG emissions from road transport in Finland and Sweden.

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Massachusetts approves testing of Optimus Ride Level 4 autonomous vehicles in Boston

Green Car Congress

Optimus Ride, a MIT spinoff company developing self-driving technology, recently received approval from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to test highly automated vehicles in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In addition, the company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MassDOT along with the City of Boston to enable testing of self-driving vehicles on roads and public property in the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, beginning in Raymon

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Peugeot returns to the pick-up market in Africa; 2.5L diesel

Green Car Congress

Peugeot has unveiled the new Peugeot Pick Up. This signals the return of Peugeot to the pick-up market within the African continent to accelerate the internationalization of the brand. The new Peugeot Pick Up goes on sale in September. With a length of 5.08m, the new Peugeot Pick Up is part of the double cab compact pick-up segment. This segment represents 10% of the target market, including the North African and West Sub-Saharan African countries, which is a volume of about 56,000 units a year.

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Shenzhen Wuzhoulong Motors unveils 12m electric bus for China market; UQM PowerPhase DT drive system

Green Car Congress

Shenzhen Wuzhoulong Motors, a new energy bus manufacturer, recently unveiled an electric 12-meter bus for the China market, powered by the UQM electric drive system. Wuzhoulong Motors announced this bus at the Shenzhen International Electric Tradeshow as the Wuzhoulong F2 Felicity 12-meter fast charge high performance bus. The bus uses the UQM PowerPhase DT HD250 propulsion system with the UQM 2-speed Eaton transmission.

China 150
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USDOT releases integrated ITS Reference Architecture with connected vehicle capabilities

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office has released of the first version of the ITS National Reference Architecture to fully incorporate connected vehicle capabilities in detail. Version 8.0 of the Architecture Reference for Cooperative and Intelligent Transportation (ARC-IT) and its accompanying software tools are available at no cost from www.arc-it.net.

Connect 150
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Roland Berger and fka Index: China to dominate EV market and industry in foreseeable future

Green Car Congress

In the latest E-Mobility Index report (2Q/2017), consultancy Roland Berger and partner Forschungsgesellschaft Kraftfahrwesen Aachen (fka) find that China has for the first time moved into the pole position. The consultancy says that China will dominate both the market and the industry in the foreseeable future. France, however, has moved past Germany to take the lead in technology, according to the index.

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Renault introduces new Kangoo Z.E.; longer range and faster charging

Green Car Congress

Renault’s new Kangoo Z.E. electric van delivers more than 50% range—270 km (168 miles) NEDC, equivalent to 200 km (124 miles) real use in the summer, compared to 170 km previously. A new 33 kWh battery mated to a new motor and the new incorporation of a heat pump combine to produce the best driving range in the electric LCV (light commercial vehicle) market.

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ElectriPlast’s conductive plastic selected by European electric car maker

Green Car Congress

ElectriPlast Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Integral Technologies, Inc., has been chosen by a leading European electric luxury SUV maker to provide conductive plastic material for use in a high-voltage connector. ElectriPlast has been engaged with a North American automotive Tier 1 for the past year in bringing this application to market. The electric SUV is expected to make its European debut in late 2017.

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Rolls-Royce and Svitzer demo world’s first remotely operated commercial vessel; testing autonomous operation

Green Car Congress

Rolls-Royce and global towage operator Svitzer have successfully demonstrated the world’s first remotely operated commercial vessel in Copenhagen harbour, Denmark. Earlier this year, one of Svitzer’s tugs, the 28m Svitzer Hermod , safely conducted a number of remotely controlled maneuvers. From the quayside in Copenhagen harbour the vessel’s captain, stationed at the vessel’s remote base at Svitzer headquarters, berthed the vessel alongside the quay, undocked, turned 360°, and piloted it to the

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EIA: growing octane needs widen price difference between regular and premium in US

Green Car Congress

The difference between US average retail prices for premium and regular gasoline reached $0.50/gallon in late 2016 and it has remained near that level so far in 2017. This price difference, or spread, has been generally increasing since 2000. Many factors on both the supply and demand sides are influencing this trend, according to a new brief prepared by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Price 150
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Toyota’s new conventional and hybrid powertrains for 2018 Camry deliver significant boost in efficiency

Green Car Congress

The 2018 Toyota Camry, the new eighth-generation of the most popular mid-size sedan in the world and the best-selling car in America for the past 15 years, will be going on sale in the US in late summer. Toyota unveiled the 2018 Camry at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January. ( Earlier post.). The new Camry is based on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) ( earlier post ), manifested with the use of the GA-K platform.

2018 150
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Airbus Helicopters unveils Racer high-speed demonstrator configuration; in-flight “start-and-stop”

Green Car Congress

At the Paris air show, Airbus Helicopters unveiled the aerodynamic configuration of the high speed demonstrator it is developing as part of the Clean Sky 2 European research program. Codenamed Racer (Rapid And Cost-Effective Rotorcraft), this demonstrator will incorporate a number of innovative features and will be optimized for a cruise speed of more than 400 km/h (249 mph).

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