Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2014

'Toyota’s FPEG features a hollow step-shaped piston, combustion chamber and gas spring chamber. Click to enlarge. A team at Toyota Central R&D Labs Inc. is developing a prototype 10 kW Free Piston Engine Linear Generator (FPEG) featuring a thin and compact build, high efficiency and high fuel flexibility. Toyota envisions that a pair of such units (20 kW) would enable B/C-segment electric drive vehicles to cruise at 120 km/h (75 mph).

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Toyota Engine 2014 Gas-Electric 419

Creative Greenius

JUNE 24, 2014

'South Bay Gets More Done In 3 Months Than SCE’s Former Flack Got Done in a Dozen As A City Councilman in Gardena. What a unique concept. First admit what a failure you were in your own personal efforts of launching a Community Choice power program where you live. Then i gnore or lie about the progress made by so many outside your community.

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Vietnam Climate Change Climate Environment 340

Green Car Congress

MARCH 5, 2014

'Powertrain of the QUANT. The two 200L (400L, 106 gallons US total) electrolyte tanks are packaged in the rear and central tunnel of the vehicle. Click to enlarge. Liechtenstein-based nanoFLOWCELL unveiled the QUANT e-Sportslimousine, a prototype vehicle equipped with a nanoFLOWCELL flow cell battery powertrain, at the Geneva Motor Show. This flow cell system supports an electric driving range of between 400 to 600 km (249 to 373 miles) in the QUANT e-Sportlimousine prototype, the company claims

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Liechtenstein Battery Batteries Vehicles 407

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

'Audi is active in the development of CO 2 -neutral, synthetic fuels; the company already has projects underway with Joule in the US for the development and testing of synthetic ethanol and synthetic diesel ( earlier post ); has an e-gas project underway in Werlte, Germany ( earlier post ); and has a new partnership with Global Bioenergies on bio-isooctane (bio-gasoline) ( earlier post ).

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Audi Water Diesel Fuel 400

Speaker: tara

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 27, 2014

'The successful first public flight of the electric E-Fan experimental aircraft took place during the E-Aircraft Day in Bordeaux. Click to enlarge. The Airbus Group’s electric E-Fan experimental aircraft made its first public test flight at E-Aircraft Day in Bordeaux, France. The electric E-Fan training aircraft is an innovative technology experimental demonstrator based on an all-composite construction.

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Extended Range Range Polymer Electrical 400

Green Car Congress

MARCH 25, 2014

'The Honda Smart Home US integrates a number of technologies, and is managed by Honda’s Home Energy Management System (HEMS). Click to enlarge. Honda marked the opening of Honda Smart Home US, showcasing technologies that enable zero net energy living and transportation, including Honda’s home energy management system (HEMS), a proprietary hardware and software system that monitors, controls and optimizes electrical generation and consumption throughout the home’s microgrid.

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DC Honda Energy Davis 393

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

'The world’s biggest truck—the more than 800-ton GVW BelAZ 75710 mining truck—is powered by an electric drive system comprising four electric traction motors from Siemens, each with an output of 1,200 kilowatts (approximately 1,800 hp). The electricity is provided by two generators, each of which is driven by a 16-cylinder diesel engine with an output of approximately 1,700 kW.

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All-Electric Motor Motors Motoring 386

Green Car Congress

APRIL 19, 2014

'Audi TT offroad concept. Click to enlarge. Audi is presenting an Audi TT offroad concept at the Beijing International Automobile Exhibition. Like many of the brand''s new production models, the Audi TT offroad concept is also based on the versatile modular transverse matrix (MQB). The TT concept features a plug-in hybrid drive with two electric motors and a system output of 300 kW (408 hp) and 650 N·m (479 lb?

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Audi Plug-in Concept Plug 385

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 10, 2014

'Total US sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs)—battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric—have increased in recent years, but still represent only about 0.7% of new vehicle sales in 2014 so far, up from 0.6% in 2013 and 0.4% in 2012. California is home to almost half of all of the nation’s PEVs, but even in California, only about 5 out of every 1,000 registered vehicles are PEVs, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

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Plug-in California Tax Credit Rhode Island 381

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

'X-ray microscope snapshot of nanoparticles in a battery midway through charging. Particles range from fully charged (green) to intermediate charge (orange/yellow) to drained of charge (red) The scalebar equals 500 nm. (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Click to enlarge. A new study has found that rapid-charging a lithium-ion battery and using it to do high-power, rapidly draining work may not be as damaging as researchers had thought, and that the benefits of slow draining and charging may

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Lithium Ion Li-ion Charging MIT 381

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Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'DENSO Corporation will begin a ten-month field test of its wireless inductive battery charging system in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The field test is intended to identify any potential operational issues and also look at ways to enhance the convenience of wireless charging. The field test will begin on 24Feb. and end in December 2014. Power transmission and power receiver pads.

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Charging Japan Toyota 2014 380

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 31, 2014

'A study by a team from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) shows that state electric vehicle incentives are playing a significant early role in reducing the effective cost of ownership and driving electric vehicle sales. As described in their white paper, “Evaluation of state-level US electric vehicle incentives”, the researchers found that some of the states with the largest electric vehicle incentives—i.e., California, Georgia, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington—h

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Sale District of Columbia PHEV North Dakota 374

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 11, 2014

'Cell schematic. Discharge mode is shown; the arrows are reversed for electrolytic/charge mode. AQDSH 2 refers to the reduced form of AQDS. Huskinson et al. Click to enlarge. Researchers at Harvard have demonstrated a metal-free organic–inorganic aqueous flow battery—a quinone–bromide flow battery (QBFB)—as an example of a class of energy storage materials that exploits the favorable chemical and electrochemical properties of a family of molecules known as quinones.

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Low Cost Grid Battery Batteries 374

Green Car Congress

MAY 14, 2014

'Capacity vs. cycle number. Source: Power Japan Plus. Click to enlarge. Start-up Power Japan Plus announced plans to commercialize a dual-carbon battery technology, which it calls the Ryden dual carbon battery. Power Japan Plus says that its battery currently offers energy density comparable to a lithium-ion battery, but with a much more rapid rate of charge and the ability for full discharge over a much longer functional lifetime with improved safety and cradle-to-cradle sustainability.

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Carbon Commercial Battery Batteries 373

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Green Car Congress

JANUARY 27, 2014

'The 400 hp DIG-T R race engine. Click to enlarge. Nissan unveiled a 400 hp (298 kW) 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine weighing only 40 kg (88 lbs) as the companion internal combustion engine for its electric ZEOD RC which will debut at Le Mans this year. ( Earlier post.). The Nissan ZEOD RC will become the first entry at Le Mans to complete a lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe under nothing but electric power in June.

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Nissan Engine Downsizing Gasoline-Electric 372

Green Car Congress

MARCH 28, 2014

'Walmart showcased its Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience (WAVE) at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Ky. WAVE is a tractor-trailer combination that features leading edge aerodynamics; an advanced turbine-powered range extending series hybrid powertrain; electrified auxiliary components; and control systems. The project aims to demonstrate a wide range of advanced technologies and designs Walmart is considering in an effort to improve the overall fuel efficiency of its fleet a

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Li-ion Peterbilt Range Electric Vehicles 371

Green Car Congress

MAY 5, 2014

'Caterpillar engineers have been exploring a novel 6-stroke compression ignition engine cycle in search of a low-emission system that retains fuel efficiency. In a paper presented at the SAE 2014 World Congress, they reported on their investigations of the 6-stroke cycle for near-stoichiometric and lean operation. The primary difference between the conventional 4-stroke and Caterpillar 6-stroke cycle is the addition of a second compression and combustion stroke immediately following the primary

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Engine Emissions Exhaust 2014 371

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

'EOLAB. Click to enlarge. Renault has presented EOLAB, a new prototype which explores ways to deliver ultra-low fuel consumption. EOLAB delivers NEDC combined cycle fuel consumption of 1 liter/100 km (235 mpg US), equivalent to 22g of CO 2 /km. To achieve such low figures, the designers focused their efforts on three main areas: minimizing weight; leveraging aerodynamics with active systems; and using the “Z.E.

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Plug-in MPG Hybrid Plug 370

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Green Car Congress

MARCH 12, 2014

'US-based Proton OnSite has been chosen to install an on-site hydrogen generator at one of the first hydrogen fuel cell stations in Germany’s new nationwide H 2 Mobility refueling network. Proton OnSite won a competitive application process to install a C-Series proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer in the new station in Hamburg, Germany as part of the overall solution being provided by H 2 Logic.

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Hydrogen Supplies Hawaii Connecticut 370

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 11, 2014

'Tour Engine , the developer of a novel split-cycle engine ( earlier post ), has secured a $2-million investment from Joan and Irwin Jacobs to further the development of the latest generation of the engine, which features a new patent-pending crossover mechanism. Dr. Irwin Jacobs is the co-founder of Qualcomm. The premise of a split-cycle engine is that segregating the intake and compression strokes in one cylinder and the combustion and expansion strokes in another, coupled cylinder, provides a

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Engine Israel Grant Water 370

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 10, 2014

'At the Fuel Cell Seminar and Energy Exposition (FCS&EE) today in Los Angeles (co-sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Toyota and Honda, among others), SAE is providing a short course on “SAE H 2 Fueling Standardization”; the course is presented by Jesse Schneider from BMW and Steve Mathison from Honda, both of whom have been deeply involved in the development of the SAE hydrogen fueling standards. ( Earlier post.

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Standards Hydrogen Fuel Market 368

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 8, 2014

'During the Eurocities conference this week in Munich, the BMW Group presented the prototype of a highly energy efficient street light that is also a charging station for electric vehicles, called “Light and Charge”. The units combine the latest LED technology with a standard connector for EV charging. The charging station, integrated into BMW i''s ChargeNow network, allows the driver to start charging with just one click.

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BMW Charging Light 2015 368

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 27, 2014

'In August, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Ovadan-Depe near the capital of Ashgabad in Turkmenistan to launch the construction of a major plant focused on the conversion of natural gas into synthetic gasoline. The plant will be based on Haldor Topsøe’s TIGAS (Topsøe Improved Gasoline Synthesis) technology (earlier post ) and will become the first full-scale large commercial facility using this technology.

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Turkmenistan Gasoline Gas 2003 367

Green Car Congress

MARCH 13, 2014

'The e-Golf. Click to enlarge. In conjunction with its annual media and investor conference, Volkswagen is staging a two-week (8 - 21 March) e-mobility event at Berlin-Tempelhof. Although the company (both the brand and the larger Volkswagen Group) has been researching electromobility for a number of years; has previously outlined accelerating implementation of electric drive projects (e.g., earlier post ); and currently has two battery-electric passenger cars on the market (e-Up!

Parts 368

Parts Plug-in Gasoline-Electric MPH 368

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 15, 2014

'The e-Golf shown at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January. Click to enlarge. Volkswagen has launched the battery-electric version of the Golf, the e-Golf, in Germany with immediate availability. ( Earlier post.) In launching the new e-Golf, Volkswagen is bringing the most successful European car ever onto the market as a full production electric vehicle.

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Germany Auto Battery Batteries 367

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 26, 2014

'Israel-based NewCO2Fuels (NCF), a subsidiary of GreenEarth Energy Limited in Australia, reported completion of stage 1 testing of its proof-of-concept system for the conversion of CO 2 into fuels using solar energy. NewCO2Fuels was founded in 2011 to commercialize a technology developed by Prof. Jacob Karni’s laboratory at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

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Solar Fuel Companies CO2 366

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 2, 2014

'Ford’s C-MAX Solar Energi concept combines a rooftop solar panel with an off-board solar concentrator—essentially an inexpensive Fresnel lens canopy. The vehicle moves beneath the canopy during the day to maintain maximum concentrated solar irradiance. Click to enlarge. Ford Motor Company announced the C-MAX Solar Energi Concept, a sun-powered hybrid vehicle that can deliver the efficiency of a plug-in hybrid without depending on the electric grid for recharging.

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Solar Recharge Grid Plug-in 366

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 27, 2014

'Graphene 3D Lab Inc., which develops, manufactures, and markets proprietary graphene-based nanocomposite materials for various types of 3D printing, including fused filament fabrication, has developed a 3D printable graphene battery. CEO Daniel Stolyarov, presented the prototype 3D printable graphene battery at the Inside 3D Printing Conference in Santa Clara, CA last week.

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Battery Batteries Carbon Fiber San Diego 362

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 3, 2014

'US sales of BMW’s battery-electric i3 ( earlier post ) have averaged almost 5% (4.93%) of BMW US passenger car sales over the past three months, and 3.85% of all BMW brand sales in that country. Deliveries of the i3 began in May, with 336 units. Sales proceeded approximately at that level for the next two months (June, 358; July, 363), then shot up to 1,025 in August; 1,022 units in September, and 1,159 units in October.

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BMW Sale Cars Light 361

Green Car Congress

MAY 23, 2014

'A study by European researchers has found that two-stroke (2S) scooters, although constituting a small fraction of the fleet, can dominate urban vehicular pollution through organic aerosol and aromatic emission factors up to thousands of times higher than from other vehicle classes. The study by the team led by researchers from the Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland, appears in the journal Nature Communications.

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Pollution Exhaust Emissions Light 362

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 4, 2014

'GC-MS chromatogram of the liquid products obtained after hydrodeoxygenation of angelica lactone dimer. Source: Mascal et al. SI. Click to enlarge. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a process for the production of branched C 7 –C 10 hydrocarbons in the gasoline volatility range from biomass-derived levulinic acid with good yield, operating under relatively mild conditions, with short reaction times.

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Davis Gasoline Range Oil 360

Green Car Congress

MARCH 4, 2014

'e-NV200. Click to enlarge. Nissan introduced the Nissan e-NV200 battery-electric compact commercial van ( earlier post ), the second battery-electric vehicle in its global line-up, joining the Nissan LEAF. The e-NV200’s electric drivetrain, based on that used in the LEAF, is combined with the cargo volume of the NV200 to create a practical and versatile vehicle capable of carrying people or goods.

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Nissan Electrical Electric Re-Charge 358

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

'WiTricity, the MIT spin-off commercializing strongly coupled magnetic resonance wireless charging technology for EVs as well as consumer devices, industrial, medical and military applications ( earlier post ), has work underway to deliver wireless charging systems capable of delivering 10s of kilowatts for plug-ins, compared to the current 3.3 or 6.6 kW, says CEO Alex Gruzen.

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Charging Companies Plug-in Kits 356