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MIT team proposes flex-fuel gasoline-alcohol engine PHEV long-haul trucks

Green Car Congress

In a paper being presented at WCX SAE World Congress Experience in Detroit this week, a team from MIT is proposing the use of a flex-fuel gasoline-alcohol engine approach for a series-hybrid powertrain for long-haul Class 8 trucks. We think that the way to enable the use of electricity in these vehicles is with a plug-in hybrid.

MIT 247
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MIT, Ford researchers find lightweight conventional vehicles could have lower lifecycle GHG impact than EVs depending upon location

Green Car Congress

Researchers at MIT and the Ford Motor Company have found that depending on the location, lightweight conventional vehicles could have a lower lifecycle greenhouse gas impact than electric vehicles, at least in the near term. Their paper is published in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology. —Wu et al.

MIT 236
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MIT and IEA reports take different views of the future of natural gas in transportation

Green Car Congress

MIT and the IEA both have newly released reports exploring the potential for and impact of a major expansion in global usage of natural gas, given the current re-evaluation of global supplies. The IEA takes a more conventional approach, assessing the impact on the penetration of vehicles burning gas as their fuel. Earlier post.)

MIT 299
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MIT study concludes V2G-enabled electric commercial trucks could offer lower total operating cost than conventional diesel fleet

Green Car Congress

A new study by researchers at MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL), concludes that electric commercial vehicles can cost 9 to 12% less to operate than trucks powered by diesel engines when used to make deliveries on an everyday basis in big cities and when V2G (vehicle-to-grid) revenue is incorporated.

MIT 284
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Separate MIT, IEA reports both outline major expansion in role of natural gas; caution on climate benefits

Green Car Congress

World primary energy demand by fuel in the IEA high gas scenario. Separately, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its own report exploring the potential for a “golden age” of gas. Both reports also emphasized that although natural gas is the lowest carbon fossil fuel, it is still a fossil fuel. Source: IEA.

MIT 210
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Feature: Are Eco-Friendly Cars Expensive to Own?

Clean Fleet Report

A study conducted by a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) compared the lifetime costs of owning a gas-powered vehicle versus that of owning an eco-friendly vehicle. The motors that electric vehicles use have fewer moving parts than their gasoline-powered counterparts and don’t require oil changes.

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MIT Year End Energy Review touts PHEVs

Plugs and Cars

The MIT Technology Review reports plug-in hybrids a big 2006 energy story: "The plug-in hybrid-vehicle era begins. For years, hobbyists and a few companies have been adding bigger battery packs to hybrid vehicles, which have both battery power and an internal combustion engine, and plugging them into electrical outlets.

MIT 100