February, 2017

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7-state Midwest EVOLVE project to promote electric vehicles; Ford, GM, Nissan initial automotive partners

Green Car Congress

The American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest announced the launch of Midwest EVOLVE , a three-year project to promote electric vehicles in seven Midwestern states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota. In partnership with eight Clean Cities coalitions, Midwest EVOLVE (Electric Vehicle Opportunities: Learning, eVents, Experience) will demonstrate the performance and environmental benefits of plug-in electric vehicles through showcases, ride and drives, a

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Electric-car charging station safety: what you need to know

Green Car Reports

Like any consumer product, it's important to consider safety when buying a charging station for an electric car. While plugging the vehicle into a station is straightforward, the large amount of current carried over the cord from the power source to the car makes caution worthwhile. Even safety-conscious consumers may find choosing the best.

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The Grand Tour

Greenways Insurance

Some thoughts on electric motoring. Greenways’ business development executive, Daniel West, has been putting an electric vehicle to the test so he can truly understand his customers’ needs. He has spent a week driving a Nissan Leaf, kindly supplied by Greenhous Nissan in Shrewsbury, using it to commute to work, business and social trips, and then taking it on a longer trip from Shropshire to Blackpool.

Nissan 52
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Alliance AutoGas Announces Live Propane Autogas Conversion

Green Fleet Magazine

Continuing in the spirit of last years’ “Fastest Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion” of the Ford F-150, Alliance AutoGas is taking a live autogas conversion one step further at the 2017 NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

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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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New harsher driving laws: Six points and £200 fine for mobile phone use while driving

Green Cars News

Drivers caught using their mobile phones while driving will face six points, a £200 fine and have no option of an awareness course as of today (1 Marc

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Volvo Cars to introduce 3-cylinder FWD PHEV in 2018, BEVs & 48V mild hybrid in 2019; Modular Electrification Platform

Green Car Congress

Volvo Cars will introduce a front-wheel drive (FWD), 3-cylinder engine variant of its Twin Engine plug-in hybrid electric vehicle system in 2018, followed by its first production battery-electric vehicles and a new 48V mild hybrid system in 2019, according to Mats Anderson, Senior Director of Electric Propulsion Systems. Anderson was speaking at the SAE 2017 Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technologies Symposium in San Diego.

Volvo 248

More Trending

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New ORNL protocol reduces Li-ion battery formation time 6x or more without affecting battery performance

Green Car Congress

A new process developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory could alleviate a bottleneck in battery manufacturing and deliver higher capacity batteries for electric vehicles and consumer devices. ( Earlier post.) The ORNL method, published as an open-access paper in the Journal of Power Sources , also conserves lithium, which improves battery capacity.

Li-ion 239
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Mercedes-Benz starting small series production of heavy-duty Urban eTruck with electric drive this year for customer trials

Green Car Congress

Mercedes-Benz Trucks is bringing its all-electric heavy-duty truck ( earlier post ) to market in a small series this year. Following the presentation of the Urban eTruck with 25 t perm. GVW and a range of up to 200 km at the International Commercial Vehicle Show in 2016, the first vehicles will be delivered to customers this year. The electric truck is based on a three-axle truck, with the entire conventional drivetrain replaced by an electrically driven rear axle with electric motors directly a

Mercedes 261
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Savari selected as major V2X technology provider for USDOT’s connected vehicle roll-out in Tampa

Green Car Congress

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) and the partnering integrator company Brandmotion have selected Savari Inc. to equip the majority of vehicles with its V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) connected car technology for the USDOT connected vehicle roll-out in Tampa. Tampa becomes the first city to feature Savari’s innovative and life-saving connected car technology following the US Department of Transportation’s new rule for car-to-car communications.

Tampa 259
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GKN, SDS begin production of all-wheel drive disconnect system in China; up to 4% improvement in fuel economy

Green Car Congress

GKN Driveline’s Chinese Joint Venture partner SDS has commenced production of its complete all-wheel drive (AWD) Disconnect system for small- to medium-sized vehicles in China. The system will initially feature on the Jeep Renegade built for the Chinese market by GAC Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Co., Ltd. (GAC FCA) in Guangzhou City, southern Guangdong Province.

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

Brief

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Study finds “markedly” high levels of diesel exhaust present in commuter trains powered by locomotives in pull-mode

Green Car Congress

Diesel-powered commuter trains may expose their passengers to elevated levels of certain black carbon and ultrafine particles, especially in the coach directly behind the locomotive, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto. A paper on the study is published in the journal Atmospheric Environment. Professor Greg Evans (ChemE), director of the Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR) and Dr.

Exhaust 209
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Ford researchers to present paper on fast-charging Li-ion batteries at SAE WCX

Green Car Congress

At the upcoming WCX 17: SAE World Congress Experience (the re-imagined SAE World Congress) in April, Xiao Yang and Ted Miller from Ford will present a paper on the fast recharge capability of Li-ion batteries and its effect on capacity degradation. Of note in the abstract: We find out that 5 Ah prismatic Li-ion cells can be fully recharged in 3 minutes under a constant rate of 20C, or in 2 min (25.5C) from 0% to 85% SOC (state of charge) without undue stresses.

Li-ion 223
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POSCO begins lithium production for first time in Korea; domestic supply for Samsung, LG; investing $261M in anode materials by 2020

Green Car Congress

Korea-based steel-maker POSCO has begun commercial production of lithium in Korea for the first time. On 7 February, POSCO held a ceremony for the completion of a PosLX (POSCO Lithium Extraction) plant with an annual capacity of 2,500 tons at its lithium plant at Gwangyang Works. At the opening ceremony—the attendees of which included Ung-beom Lee, president of LG Chem, and Nam-seong Cho, president of Samsung SDI—Jong-joo Kim, the director of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energ

2020 197
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Groupe Renault acquires PVI, a specialist in the electrification of Light Commercial Vehicles

Green Car Congress

Groupe Renault has acquired the French company PVI (Power Vehicle Innovation), which specializes in the conversion of commercial vehicles to electricity or natural gas. PVI has previously worked with Groupe Renault on the development and electrification of the upcoming Renault Master Z.E. This large van, which was unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show in January and which is due to be launched before the end of 2017, will extend the Group’s existing range of electric LCVs. ( Earlier post.).

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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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€8.5M INTEGRAL thermoelectric generator project with focus on vehicles kicks off in Europe

Green Car Congress

The €8.5-million (US$9-million) INTEGRAL project to develop thermoelectric generator technology for application in vehicles and remote sensors has kicked off. INTEGRAL is an Innovation Action project coordinated by CEA within the PILOTS-01-2016 call of the European Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. The European Commission is provided €7 million of the funding.

Europe 218
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Honda R&D partners with new smart mobility innovation center DRIVE in Israel

Green Car Congress

Honda Silicon Valley Lab (HSVL) of Honda R&D Americas, Inc. is partnering with DRIVE, a new smart mobility innovation center that today in Tel Aviv, Israel. Founded by Mayer Group, DRIVE will foster enhanced collaboration between Honda R&D and Israeli transportation innovators. With a booming tech sector in Israel, the DRIVE center is focused on supporting startups and entrepreneurs of all stages, with a startup accelerator, advanced prototyping labs, meeting rooms and shared workspace that enco

Israel 218
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Study links air pollution to heightened risk of Type 2 diabetes in overweight and obese Latino children

Green Car Congress

Latino children who live in areas with higher levels of air pollution have a heightened risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and published in the journal Diabetes. The study, the researchers said, is the first to follow children for years to find a connection between air pollution and diabetes risk in children.

Pollution 195
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The Oil War Is Only Just Getting Started

Green Car Congress

The Oil War Is Only Just Getting Started. by Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com. It’s been a month now that investors and analysts have been closely watching two main drivers for oil prices: how OPEC is doing with the supply-cut deal, and how US shale is responding to fifty-plus-dollar oil with rebounding drilling activity. Those two main factors are largely neutralizing each other, and are putting a floor and a cap to a price range of between $50 and $60.

Oil 195
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Next-Gen Ford Fiesta St with new 200 PS 3-cylinder, 1.5L Ecoboost with 3 drive modes; cylinder deactivation

Green Car Congress

Ford Performance unveiled the next generation Ford Fiesta ST, powered by an all-new three-cylinder, 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine. Shown for the first time ahead of its global public debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, the next generation Fiesta ST will deliver 200 PS, 290 N·m of torque, and anticipated 0-100 km/h (0‑62 mph) acceleration in 6.7 seconds.

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European truck manufacturers call for action to prevent aftermarket manipulation of NOx emissions controls

Green Car Congress

In the wake of a report by the German television station ZDF identifying widespread aftermarket manipulation of NO x emissions control technologies on trucks, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) is calling for government action to preclude such manipulation. The ZDF report , based on research ZDF commissioned at the University of Heidelberg, found that some 20% of trucks operating in eastern Europe have effectively circumvented NO x reduction technology, causing around 14,0

Emissions 207
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New ultrafast camera for self-driving vehicles and drones

Green Car Congress

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed an ultrafast high-contrast camera that could help self-driving cars and drones see better in extreme road conditions and in bad weather. Unlike typical optical cameras, which can be blinded by bright light and unable to make out details in the dark, NTU’s new smart camera can record the slightest movements and objects in real time.

Singapore 207
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Sandia, Lawrence Livermore team improves solid-state H2 storage using nano-confinement; new paradigm for hydrogen storage

Green Car Congress

Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Mahidol University in Thailand and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have leveraged nano-confinement to develop an efficient solid-state hydrogen storage system that could be a boon for hydrogen-powered vehicles. The researchers examined the high-capacity lithium nitride (Li 3 N) hydrogen storage system under nanoconfinement.

Hydrogen 199
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Honda R&D developing high-power dynamic charging system for EVs at speeds up to 96 mph

Green Car Congress

At the upcoming WCX 17: SAE World Congress Experience, a team from Honda R&D will present a paper on their study of a dynamic charging system that uses high power to charge a traveling EV, with the goal of realizing an unlimited vehicle range. Major issues facing EV include range, charging (hassle, time, construction of infrastructure), and reduced driving performance due to increased vehicle weight.

MPH 199
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Strong honeycomb cargo shelf in new Ford EcoSport SUV made of recycled paper; 6lb floorboard holds ~700 lbs of cargo

Green Car Congress

The adjustable cargo floorboard in the all-new 2018 Ford EcoSport is made of high-strength 100% recycled paper honeycomb. Constructed from all-natural paper and water-based glue, the six-pound honeycomb floorboard is both eco-friendly and strong enough to handle nearly 700 pounds of cargo across its 38.5-inch by 25.25-inch surface. Ford introduced the EcoSport for North America in November 2016 (via the first Snapchat reveal).

Ford 199
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USC team uses mixed conduction membranes to suppress polysulfide shuttle in Li-S batteries

Green Car Congress

One of the major issues hobbling the commercialization of high energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries is the “polysulfide shuttle”—the shuttling of polysulfide ions between the cathode and anode. The polysulfide shuttle is a major technical issue that limits the electrical performance and cycle life of this type of battery. Addressing this polysulfide shuttle—which causes self-discharge, low charging efficiencies, and irreversible capacity losses—has been a major focus of rese

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Scania starts trials of battery-electric buses

Green Car Congress

Scania will start its first field tests of coming battery electric buses in the northern Swedish city of Östersund. Three Scania Citywide LF buses will be in operation from the end of 2017 with an additional three buses added in early 2019. Östersund, with its seasonal climate of cold winters and moderately warm summers, is the ideal location for testing performance in actual operations.

Batteries 183
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Global Bioenergies reports first production of ETBE entirely from renewable resources

Green Car Congress

Global Bioenergies announced the production of ETBE—Ethyl tert-butyl ether, an oxygenate additive for gasoline—purely from renewable resources. ETBE features very different and advantageous physical and chemical characteristics, compared to ethanol, when blended into gasoline. These include significantly lower blending volatility; no significant distortion of the distillation curve; better tolerance of wet distribution systems; double the octane increase per “barrel” at equivalent et

Renewable 183
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Startup Embark unveils self-driving truck

Green Car Congress

Embark , a startup developing self-driving technologies for commercial transportation, unveiled its self-driving truck technology. The company—which gained approval by the State of Nevada earlier this year to begin testing its truck on public roads—has created a technology that allows trucks to drive from exit to exit on the freeway without any human input.

Nevada 177
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Siemens reports successful full load tests of additively manufactured CM247 gas turbine blades

Green Car Congress

Siemens has achieved a breakthrough by finishing its first full load engine tests for gas turbine blades completely produced using Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology. The company successfully validated multiple AM printed turbine blades with a conventional blade design at full engine conditions—the components were tested at 13,000 revolutions per minute and temperatures beyond 1,250 degrees Celsius.

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DLR working with Yamaha on thermoelectric generators for vehicles; seeking 3-5% gain in fuel economy

Green Car Congress

The Institute of Vehicle Concepts at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt, DLR) is, together with the Japanese company Yamaha Corporation, developing special vehicle systems based on thermoelectric effects. The aim of the cooperation is to develop prototype thermoelectric generator modules for on-road and rail vehicles.

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FDK and Fujitsu Labs develop high-energy-density lithium cobalt pyrophosphate cathode material for solid-state batteries

Green Car Congress

FDK Corporation and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. have jointly developed lithium cobalt pyrophosphate (Li 2 CoP 2 O 7 ) as a high-energy-density cathode material for all-solid lithium-ion batteries. The new material can operate at charge/discharge voltages of more than 5V, which is beyond the limits of conventional lithium secondary batteries. While there is active progress on improving lithium-ion and other existing batteries, development work is advancing on various types of next-generation batter

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EIA: US produced more petroleum than any other country in 2015

Green Car Congress

According to data from the US Department of Energy (DOE), gathered by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), world petroleum production was 96 million barrels per day (mmbd) in 2015 and the United States produced more than any other country—16% of the global total. In 1980, the United States was the second highest producer in the world with a 17% share of production, just behind the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (19%).

2015 174
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Waymo suing Otto and Uber over autonomous driving technology

Green Car Congress

Waymo, formerly the Google self-driving car project, is suing Otto and its parent company Uber, charging that the two mis-appropriated Waymo trade secrets and infringed Waymo patents. The complaint was filed on Thursday in US District Court, Northern District of California, San Francisco Division. Waymo said that a key element of its self-driving technology is is custom-built LiDAR.

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Auto Alliance urges EPA to withdraw premature Final Determination on light-duty GHG regulations, resume Midterm Evaluation process with NHTSA

Green Car Congress

The Auto Alliance has sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt requesting that the US Environmental Protection Agency withdraw the Final Determination on the Appropriateness of the Model Year 2022-2025 Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards under the Midterm Evaluation which EPA announced on 13 January 2017. ( Earlier post.). It its letter, the Alliance argues that by rushing to issue the Final Determination (which maintains the current GHG standards as defined through 2025

EPA 186