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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. emissions are reduced by around 25% relative to the use of gasoline for the same engine efficiency. Earlier post.)

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MIT study finds shift to green energy sources could mean crunch in supply of key rare earth elements

Green Car Congress

The study by researchers at MIT also points out that production of the two metals has been increasing by only a few percentage points per year.the availability of REEs appears to be at risk based on a number of factors. Comparison of demand projections for REE (total summed). Credit: ACS, Alonso et al. Click to enlarge.

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Former Commerce and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta urges technology neutral policies in reaching proposed CAFE standards

Green Car Congress

Washington, DC’s current focus is electric vehicles (EVs) and electric technology. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to employ outdated mileage formulas (55 city 45 highway) that do not accurately represent consumers driving habits and dramatically tilts manufacturers into producing electric-vehicle solutions.

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Behind the Wheel, Under the Hood of Rivian's R1T

Cars That Think

The world’s first-to-market electric pickup truck, it turns out, isn’t from Ford, General Motors, or a late-to-market Tesla Cybertruck. Scaringe—a bespectacled mechanical engineer with a PhD from MIT—a billionaire by the age of 38. Instead, it’s the Rivian R1T, from the California start-up that’s already made founder R.J.

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Technology Review: First Plug-in Hybrid to Be Sold in the United States

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

After that, an onboard gasoline generator kicks on to recharge the battery, extending the range by 250 miles between fill-ups. Two 150-kilowatt electric motors together deliver 403 horsepower--enough to accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 5.8 To go with its performance, the car carries a hefty price tag of $87,000.

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MIT Energy Initiative report on transforming the US transportation system by 2050 to address climate challenges

Green Car Congress

Values normalized to standard naturally-aspirated gasoline engine vehicle. Progress will be made by both steadily improving each propulsion system and by shifting increasing fractions of the sales mix each year to the more efficient alternatives. Evolving US new LDV market: percent sales by powertrain type out to 2050.

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How Carmakers Are Responding to the Plug-In Hybrid Opportunity

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

GM has announced plans for public sales in 2010, and almost every carmaker now says it will sell PHEVs or highway-speed battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sometime after 2010. Shifted earlier focus to all-electric Focus in 2011 with Magna. Company says its focusing on gasoline and hydrogen. Plans Saturn Vue PHEV-10.

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