March, 2017

article thumbnail

Germany now has 7,407 public charging points; 14,531 filling stations

Green Car Congress

A survey by Germany’s BDEW (Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft), an association of energy and water companies, found that the number of public charge points in the country has grown to 7,407 as of the end of 2016. 890 new charging points have been added to since mid-2016—an increase of almost 12%. 292 of the new points are DC fast charging.

Germany 273
article thumbnail

Tesla's battery farm on Kauai opens, large-scale solar energy for Hawaii

Green Car Reports

Even before Elon Musk engineered Tesla's acquisition of SolarCity, the two companies were collaborating. SolarCity was already controlled by Musk, who believes its solar-energy business can be reinforced and complemented by Tesla's energy-storage business. Last year, Tesla announced a joint project with SolarCity to install a large battery farm.

Hawaii 151
article thumbnail

2017 CAR in Pictures

Green Fleet Magazine

CAR was highlighted by discussions addressing trends that will affect the future of the remarketing industry. The conference was held March 1 to 2 at the Paris hotel in Las Vegas and was held in partnership with the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance (IARA) and the National Auto Auction Association (NAAA). Photos by Steve Reed and Andy Lundin.

article thumbnail

Jaguar I-Pace concept teased ahead of reveal

Green Cars News

Though a production-ready variant isn’t due to hit the road until next year, Jaguar couldn’t help but show off its I-Pace electric concept car in a gl

Concept 40
article thumbnail

How serious is Norway about climate change? So much that its streetlights self-dim

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

article thumbnail

Scientists suggest quantum control of atoms may make fusion energy production more efficient

Green Car Congress

Scientists at Rice University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chile are proposing that quantum-controlled motion of nuclei, starting from the nanometer-size ground state of a molecule, can potentially overcome some of the difficulties of thermonuclear fusion by compression of a fuel pellet or in a bulk plasma. Their report on quantum-controlled fusion suggests that rather than heating atoms to temperatures found inside the sun or smashing them in a collider,

Fusion 224
article thumbnail

CDP Technologies offering new gaseous fuels aftermarket cylinder head package for GM 6.0L engines

Green Car Congress

CDP Technologies, the OEM sales division of Crazy Diamond Performance Inc., will offer a new aftermarket gaseous fuels-prepped cylinder head package for GM 6.0L engines. The new CDP cylinder head will be available for the popular GM engines that have been, or are slated to be, converted to a gaseous alternative fuel engine. One of the components in Crazy Diamond Performance’s upcoming CDP TorqueDrive (TD) engine, CDP’s new cylinder head has been engineered to incorporate higher airflow, strength

GM 260

More Trending

article thumbnail

Air Products’ California fueling stations offering hydrogen below $10 per kg

Green Car Congress

Air Products, a leader in hydrogen fueling and infrastructure worldwide, has achieved a pricing milestone at several California fueling stations, which are now offering hydrogen to fuel cell electric vehicle customers at less than $10 per kilogram. Advancements in fueling technology and a greater volume of vehicles now using the stations were important factors in allowing the pricing move to less than $10 per hydrogen kilogram ($9.99/kg).

Hydrogen 253
article thumbnail

Ricardo Energy & Environment launches real-world vehicle emissions monitoring service with individual vehicle identification in the UK

Green Car Congress

In the UK, increasing pressure to reduce the impact of pollution from vehicles has led to growing interest in the introduction of Clean Air Zones and Low Emission Zones. However, such mitigation measures are expensive to design and implement and, while street level air quality monitoring can highlight the problem in the form of the local hot spots at which exceedances occur, it does not provide information on which of the passing vehicles are the most polluting.

article thumbnail

Successful first test run of Alstom Coradia iLint fuel cell train; signed letters of intent for 60 trains

Green Car Congress

Alstom successfully performed the first test run at 80 km/h (50 mph) of the fuel cell passenger train Coradia iLint ( earlier post ) on its own test track in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony (Germany). An extensive test campaign will be conducted in Germany and Czech Republic in the coming months before the Coradia iLint performs its first passenger test runs on the Buxtehude–Bremervörde–Bremerhaven–Cuxhaven (Germany) route beginning of 2018.

article thumbnail

Magna and Ford developing prototype carbon fiber composite subframe; mass reduction of 34%

Green Car Congress

In pursuit of lower vehicle weight to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency, Magna International Inc., in cooperation with Ford Motor Company, developed a prototype carbon fiber composite subframe which reduces mass by 34% compared to making a stamped steel equivalent. The subframe is a key part of a vehicle’s structure, typically providing a place to attach the engine and wheels while also contributing rigidity and crash management.

article thumbnail

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

Brief

article thumbnail

First of 27 BYD electric trucks arriving in Southern California freight and rail yards; $19.2M project

Green Car Congress

The State of California, San Bernardino Council of Governments (SBCOG) and partners Daylight Transport and BYD Motors celebrated the arrival of the first of 27 electric yard and service trucks for freight and rail yards in three disadvantaged communities in San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Fontana. The demonstration truck project is funded by $9 million from the State’s climate change-fighting cap-and-trade program and another $10.2 million in cash and in-kind matching funds.

article thumbnail

California ARB receives VW’s 1st $200M, 30-month ZEV investment plan

Green Car Congress

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has received Volkswagen’s (VW) first 30-month Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Investment Plan. This Plan is The Plan, required by California’s partial settlement with VW over the use of illegal defeat devices, describes how VW is proposing to spend the first $200 million in California on ZEV fueling infrastructure (including the development and maintenance of ZEV charging stations), public awareness, increasing ZEV access, and a green city demonstration.

article thumbnail

Cambridge team demonstrates light-driven photoreforming of unprocessed biomass to H2 at room temperature

Green Car Congress

A team of scientists at the University of Cambridge has reported the light-driven photoreforming of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin to H 2 using semiconducting cadmium sulfide quantum dots in alkaline aqueous solution. The system operates under visible light, is stable beyond six days and is even able to reform unprocessed lignocellulose, such as wood and paper, under solar irradiation at room temperature, presenting an inexpensive route to drive aqueous proton reduction to H 2 through waste

Light 236
article thumbnail

Argonne team develops new fluorinated sulfone electrolytes for high-voltage, high-energy Li-ion batteries

Green Car Congress

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have synthesized a new class of fluorinated sulfone electrolytes to enable high-voltage, high-energy Li-ion batteries. A paper on their work is published in the RSC journal Energy & Environmental Science. The Argonne researchers evaluated the physical and electrochemical properties of the new sulfone-based electrolytes in a high voltage LiN i0.5 Mn 0.3 Co 0.2 O 2 / graphite cell cycled at 4.6 V.

Li-ion 231
article thumbnail

ExxonMobil announces 6th oil discovery offshore Guyana with Ranger-1; Guyana may move from non-producer to regional powerhouse

Oil

article thumbnail

Danish Parker project developing universal definition for EV integration with electric grid for V2G services

Green Car Congress

Nissan, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, PSA Groupe, NUVVE, Frederiksberg Forsyning, Enel, Insero and DTU (Technical University of Denmark) Electrical Engineering (PowerLabDK) are partnering in the Danish project Parker to develop a universal definition for grid integration for electric vehicles. Parker’s objective is to validate that series-produced electric vehicles—as part of an operational vehicle fleet—can support the power grid by becoming a vertically int

Grid 231
article thumbnail

London Taxi opens £300M plant for range-extended EV taxis; announces second model, an LCV

Green Car Congress

The London Taxi Company (LTC) officially opened the UK’s first car plant dedicated solely to the production of range-extended electric vehicles. The new vehicle plant in Ansty, Coventry, will build the world’s first purpose-built, mass-market electric taxi. LTC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Geely, has invested more than £300-million (US$374-million) in the new site and the next-generation London taxi, which will be produced at the plant and exported around the world.

Taxi 218
article thumbnail

Co-Optima stakeholder listening day report to be available to public later this year

Green Car Congress

On 19-20 January, the US Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), and national laboratories hosted a stakeholder listening day for the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative in Livermore, California. ( Earlier post.) Co-Optima is a broad, joint effort to co-optimize the development of efficient engines and low greenhouse-gas fuels for on-road vehicles with the goal of reducing petroleum consumption by 30% by 2030 beyond wh

Available 195
article thumbnail

Audi to acquire Silvercar, expand digital mobility technology and service offerings

Green Car Congress

Audi intends to acquire fully Silvercar Inc., a shared mobility company, to expand its digital mobility solutions and services. The two companies have worked together since 2012, developing and delivering innovative consumer mobility offerings under the Audi mobility, Silvercar and Dealerware brands. In 2015, Audi led in a $28 million Series C investment in Silvercar. ( Earlier post.).

Audi 190
article thumbnail

Volkswagen Group’s Škoda to unveil 500 km Vision E electric concept at Shanghai show; leveraging MEB for electromobility

Green Car Congress

ŠKODA will stage the world premiere of the VISION E electric concept vehicle at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show 2017 (19 – 28 April). The five-door SUV coupé can travel up to 500 km (311 miles) on purely electric power and meets the level 3 requirements for autonomous driving. ŠKODA, a member of the Volkswagen Group, is intensively pursuing the electrification of its model range, and will be offering five purely electric models in various segments by 2025.

article thumbnail

ICCT: incremental technology can cut vehicle CO2 by half and increase fuel economy >60% through 2030 with ~5% increase in price

Green Car Congress

With the EPA re-opening its Mid-Term Review of GHG standards for 2022-2025 for light-duty vehicles ( earlier post ), and with NHTSA yet to weigh in on its Mid-Term evaluation of fuel economy standards for the same period, a team from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has published a report analyzing emerging vehicle efficiency technologies; their ability to achieve lower emission levels; and their costs in the 2025–2030 timeframe.

article thumbnail

DOE: new vehicle fuel economy improved 33% from 1980-2016

Green Car Congress

According to data gathered by the US Department of Energy (DOE) from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), new vehicle fuel economy in the US has improved 33% from 1980-2016, despite a 120% increase in horsepower and 47% improvement in acceleration (measured by time to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph). The data are based on sales-weighted averages.

article thumbnail

Volvo Cars expanding connected services; refreshed Sensus interface in the new XC60

Green Car Congress

Volvo Cars announced a range of updates to its global connected services program and its Sensus in-car user interface, starting with the new XC60 and the company’s existing and new 90 Series cars. First, Volvo Cars is expanding its In-car Delivery service, a part of the Volvo On Call smartphone app, which launched in 2015 and allows one-time digital access for deliveries to a car, to five additional countries during 2017.

Volvo 207
article thumbnail

Porsche unveils 2017 version of 919 Hybrid Le Mans prototype

Green Car Congress

Porsche unveiled the new 919 Hybrid at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza (IT). The Le Mans prototype, with a system output of around 900 PS (662 kW), was comprehensively reworked. The 2017 model of the Porsche 919 Hybrid deploys a range of new innovations, particularly in the vehicle’s aerodynamics, the chassis and the combustion engine. Team Principal Andreas Seidl, who continues to serve as acting technical director, said that for the 2017 season, 60 to 70 percent of the vehicle is newly develo

Porsche 183
article thumbnail

DOE: 11% of motor vehicles jobs focus on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles

Green Car Congress

According to figures gathered by the US Department of Energy (DOE), 11% of the 2.3 million jobs supported by the motor vehicles and component parts industry for the first quarter of 2016 were related to alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. The majority of employment (82%) was related to gasoline and diesel vehicles, while 7% was classified as “other.

article thumbnail

GWU team demonstrates one-pot process for optimized synthesis of controlled CNTs from CO2; coupling cement and C2CNT

Green Car Congress

Researchers at George Washington University led by Dr. Stuart Licht ( earlier post ) have developed a new process that transforms CO 2 into a controlled selection of nanotubes (CNTs) via molten electrolysis; they call the process C2CNT (CO2 into carbon nanotubes). This synthesis consumes only CO 2 and electricity, and is constrained only by the cost of electricity.

CO2 183
article thumbnail

California ARB moves forward with climate and air quality actions

Green Car Congress

On the first day of a two-day board meeting—the second day of which (Friday 24 March) will consider the Advanced Clean Cars Midterm Review—the California Air Resources Board (ARB) took a number of climate and air quality actions. CARB approved the State Strategy for the State Implementation Plan ( State SIP Strategy ), which describes CARB’s commitment for further reducing vehicle emissions needed to meet federal air quality standards over the next 15 years.

Climate 199
article thumbnail

IRENA, IEA study concludes meeting 2?C scenario possible with net positive economics

Green Car Congress

Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by 70% by 2050 and completely phased-out by 2060 with a net positive economic outlook, according to new findings released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). Perspectives for the Energy Transition: Investment Needs for a Low-Carbon Energy Transition —a joint study by IRENA and the IEA—launched on the occasion of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue, presents the

Renewable 199
article thumbnail

IEA finds CO2 emissions flat for third straight year even as global economy grew in 2016

Green Car Congress

Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions were flat for a third straight year in 2016 even as the global economy grew, according to the International Energy Agency. The data signal a continuing decoupling of emissions and economic activity. This was the result of growing renewable power generation, switches from coal to natural gas, improvements in energy efficiency, as well as structural changes in the global economy.

Economy 199
article thumbnail

Lucid Motors pricing base Lucid Air luxury EV at $52,500 after Fed tax credits; fully loaded above $100K

Green Car Congress

Lucid Motors, a Silicon Valley-based electric vehicle company, announced that the base version of its first vehicle, the Lucid Air luxury sedan ( earlier post ), will have a starting price of $52,500 after federal tax credits. Customers can place a $2,500 deposit to reserve a car at lucidmotors.com/car/reserve. Above the base Lucid Air, a number of upgrades will be available.

article thumbnail

2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid on sale in April; 3-motor sport hybrid system

Green Car Congress

Acura’s first hybrid SUV, the 2017 MDX Sport Hybrid ( earlier post ), will arrive at showrooms in early April with more than 30 additional horsepower and a 45 percent higher EPA city fuel economy rating as compared to the conventionally-powered MDX SH-AWD. With a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $51,9601, a premium of $1,500 over the conventional MDX SH-AWD, the MDX Sport Hybrid applies Acura’s innovative three-motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling-All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) syst

Acura 199
article thumbnail

Detroit Electric signs joint venture with China’s Far East Smarter Energy Group; $1.8B investment

Green Car Congress

Detroit Electric has signed a joint venture deal with Far East Smarter Energy Group of China, which has helped secure a total investment of $1.8 billion dollars for the development and production of a range of electric vehicles over the next three years. The joint venture will invest US$370 million into Detroit Electric’s European operations over the next four years.

Detroit 199
article thumbnail

PNNL team finds electrolyte additive enables fast charging, stable cycling Li-metal batteries

Green Car Congress

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have found that adding a small, optimal amount (0.05M) of LiPF 6 (lithium hexafluorophosphate) as an additive in LiTFSI–LiBOB dual-salt/carbonate-solvent-based electrolytes significantly enhances the charging capability and cycling stability of Li metal batteries. A paper on their work is published in the journal Nature Energy.

Li-ion 183
article thumbnail

3D printing with high-performance carbon fiber

Green Car Congress

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have become the first to 3D-print aerospace-grade carbon fiber composites, opening the door to greater control and optimization of the lightweight, yet stronger than steel material. The research, published by the journal Nature Scientific Reports , represents a “significant advance” in the development of micro-extrusion 3D printing techniques for carbon fiber, the authors said.

article thumbnail

GM China opening battery assembly plant in China to support growth of new energy vehicle line-up

Green Car Congress

GM China will open a battery assembly plant in Shanghai later this year to support the growth of its new energy vehicle line-up. From 2017 through 2020, two-thirds of new energy vehicles launched by GM in China will be dedicated new energy vehicles. An example is the recently announced Velite 5 from Buick, which is the brand’s first extended range electric vehicle (EREV).

GM 177