Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2012

The GM/U Mich patent envisages using multiple free-piston engines (240A through 240D in the patent drawing). Click to enlarge. GM Global Technology Operations LLC and the Regents of the University of Michigan recently were awarded a US patent (Nº 8,261,860) for a plug-in series hybrid or range-extended electric vehicle powertrain using multiple free piston linear alternator (FPLA) engines.

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Electric Cars are for Girls

APRIL 13, 2012

Sunday, Sept. 9 2012 at The Pavilions in Toronto. "Fall 2012 marks the fourth EV Fest, a show devoted to showing OEM and Personally converted Electric Vehicles, Hybrids, Plug-in Hybrids, eBikes, Electric Scooters, Trikes, EV components and supplies.

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Green Car Reports

DECEMBER 10, 2012

Two years ago, our first-ever Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy award went to the first modern battery-electric car sold in the U.S. How far we've come. This year, our third annual winner is the 2013 Tesla Model S, a car that takes the all-electric vehicle to a new and far more elevated level. But that's far from the only reason it won. The Tesla.

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National Green Transportation

NOVEMBER 27, 2012

On Tuesday, ahead of the 2012 LA Auto Show, GM unveiled specifications and other details about the 2014 Chevy Spark EV, GM's first all electric car since the now-crushed GM EV1. The Spark EV, first shown.

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Green Cars News

JULY 4, 2012

The hybrid car market is becoming increasingly competitive – as is emphasised by Ford openly boasting that it’s new C-MAX Hybrid (pictured) will topple the Toyota Prius V in terms of fuel economy and will come with a lower price. The Ford C-MAX Hybrid is set to return 47mpg highway, compared to the Toyota Prius [.].

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Green Car Congress

APRIL 14, 2012

Conventional industrial 11 kW induction motor (left) and Hitachi’s new 11kW motor (right). Source: Hitachi. Click to enlarge. Hitachi has developed a high-efficiency 11 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor without using rare earth (neodymium, dysprosium) materials; the work follows on its 2008 announcement of a prototype 150 W motor that used cores made of amorphous metal coupled with ferrite magnet rotors. ( Earlier post.).

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 15, 2012

Average values for WTW GHG emissions for oil sands and other crudes, tight boundary. Source: IHS CERA. Click to enlarge. When the boundary for measuring GHG emissions is placed around crude production and processing facilities, for fuels produced solely from Canadian oil sands the average well-to-wheels (WTW) life-cycle GHG emissions are 11% higher than for the average crude refined in the United States (results range from 4% to 18% higher), according to a new meta-analysis by energy market cons

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. recently was awarded $999,990 for a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) from the US Department of Energy to develop ultra-lightweight hydrogen fuel tanks using carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforcement. This 24-month program has the overall objective significantly to improve the mechanical properties of the carbon fiber/epoxy material used to construct hydrogen fuel tanks with CNT reinforcement.

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Hydrogen Carbon Fiber Fuel Polymer 387

Green Car Congress

MAY 30, 2012

LEAF to Home with EV Power Station. Click to enlarge. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. will launch the “LEAF to Home” V2H (vehicle-to-home) power supply system, which can supply electricity from the 24 kWh Li-ion battery pack in Nissan LEAF electric vehicles (EV) to residential homes when used with the “EV Power Station” unit—which is also a 6 kW charger for charging the LEAF—developed by Nichicon Corporation.

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Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 17, 2012

The 400 kg (curbweight) Aixam quadricycle, with a 400cc two-cylinder diesel, is an example of the size and weight needed in future city vehicles, Meilhan suggests. Click to enlarge. Significant vehicle weight reduction and an accompanying change of enabling regulations and norms is the way forward in the quest to reduce energy consumption and CO 2 emissions, according to Paris-based Frost & Sullivan Senior Consultant, Nicolas Meilhan.

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MPG Tax Gasoline-Electric 2012 385

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 22, 2012

California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project rebates by vehicle type through July 2012. Source: CCSE. Click to enlarge. Californians own more than 12,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), roughly 35% of all plug-in vehicles in the United States. As of July 2012, approximately 1,000 new plug-in vehicles are being sold in the state every month. The more than 12,000 PEVs provide both consumer and environmental benefits, according to a new study by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE).

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Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 18, 2012

Sales of plug-in vehicles (PEVs) in 2013 will continue to outpace the first years of hybrid vehicle sales as more than 210,000 PEVs will be sold globally and more than three dozen PEV models will debut, according to a year-end free whitepaper published by Pike Research, that makes 10 specific predictions about electric vehicles in 2013. More broadly, Pike envisions PEV sales in California—the leading market for such in the US—expanding into smaller urban and suburban regions with mor

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

New Range Rover at the reveal event. Click to enlarge. In an event held at The Royal Ballet School in London, Land Rover introduced the new Range Rover, the fourth generation of the SUV. The new Range Rover features an all-aluminium monocoque body structure which is 39% lighter than the steel body in the outgoing model. The all-aluminium body enables the new vehicle to significantly enhance both performance and efficiency.

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Green Car Congress

JULY 30, 2012

Schematic view of artificial photosynthesis system. Click to enlarge. Panasonic has developed an artificial photosynthesis system using a gallium nitride photoelectrode and a metal catalyst which uses sunlight to convert CO 2 mainly to formic acid (an important intermediate in chemical synthesis) at an efficiency (solar energy to chemical energy) of 0.2%—a comparable level to that of plants.

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 21, 2012

Automated, continuous IH 2 pilot plant, 50 kg/day biomass feed. Source: GTI. Click to enlarge. At the 244 th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Gas Technology Institute (GTI) scientist Dr. Martin Linck provided an update on the progress toward commercializing the GTI Integrated Hydropyrolysis and Hydroconversion (IH 2 ) process, with a presentation of new data on IH 2 developed from a continuous 50 kg/day pilot plant. ( Earlier post.).

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 6, 2012

Bosch’s CRSN3-25 offers injection pressure of up to 2,500 bar. Click to enlarge. As it outlined in 2010, Bosch has increased the maximum injection pressure of its CRSN3-25 injection system for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles to 2,500 bar. The aim is to help meet more stringent emissions standards such as US 10 and Euro VI; higher injection pressures help lower fuel consumption and emissions.

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Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 6, 2012

The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award up to $1 million for up to two projects for 3–4 years to evaluate the most promising technology paths toward achieving $2 to $4 per gallon gasoline equivalent (gge) of hydrogen fuel or less by 2020. The projects selected through this funding opportunity ( DE-FOA-0000748 ) will help identify cost-effective and efficient materials and processes to produce hydrogen from renewable energy sources and natural gas.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Cobra electric supercharger. Click to enlarge. At the 17 th Supercharging conference this week in Dresden, Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) will launch what it says is the first water-cooled electric supercharger developed for “quasi-continuous” boosting of commercial diesel engines, including those developed for off highway applications. The fully integrated electric supercharger includes all control and power electronics.

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Water Engine Commercial Diesel 370

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 10, 2012

The AP reports that GM CEO Dan Akerson told an employee meeting that Li-ion batteries developed by Envia Systems could take a car 100 miles on a single charge within a couple of years, and potentially double that with some luck. Envia Systems is developing large capacity pouch cells based on a novel high-voltage Manganese rich (HCMR) layered-layered Li 2 MnO 3 ·LiMO 2 composite cathode with a Si-carbon anode and proprietary electrolyte. ( Earlier post.).

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Green Car Congress

MAY 26, 2012

Conditions in the atmosphere and the ocean favor a near-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this season, NOAA forecasts. NOAA’s outlook for the Eastern Pacific basin is for a near-normal hurricane season and the Central Pacific basin is expected to have a below-normal season. For the entire six-month season, which begins 1 June, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says there’s a 70% chance of 9 to 15 named storms (with top winds of 39 mph or higher), of which four to eight will strengthen

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

A new study released by BMW i and New York University (NYU) finds that, in the coming years and decades, fundamental changes in the demographic makeup of cities will profoundly alter the way people travel. This report, prepared by the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service with the assistance of Appleseed, a New York City-based consulting firm, examines several aspects of the challenge of urban mobility in the twenty-firs

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 8, 2012

Skeleton Technologies ( earlier post ), has introduced its new SkelCap series ultracapacitor family with devices ranging from 2.47 kW to 12.53 kW. SkelCap cells offer power densities of more than 40 kW/kg and energy densities of up to 10 Wh/kg: about 4x the gravimetric power density and 2x the gravimetric energy density of competitive products. Volumetrically, SkelCap cells offer power densities of around 5x and energy densities of around 2x other products.

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Carbon Energy Powered Power 366

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 24, 2012

Power density. The 6.2L LT1 is almost 40 lbs lighter (and more compact) than the 4.4L BMW Twin Turbo V8, and is expected to deliver more power and comparable torque. Click to enlarge. When the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette arrives late next year, it will be powered by a new 6.2L V-8 delivering an estimated 450 hp (335 kW) and 450 lb-ft (610 N·m ) of torque (610 Nm) and helping to produce 0-60 times of less than four seconds.

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Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 5, 2012

Chevrolet announced that Volt owners collectively have driven more than 100 million all-electric miles since the vehicle went on sale two years ago this month. The average Volt owner travels more than 65% of the time in pure electric mode as the car was designed, only using the gasoline-powered generator for longer trips. By charging regularly, Volt owners drive approximately 900 miles, or a month and a half, between fill-ups.

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Volt All-Electric Miles Sale 362

Green Car Congress

MAY 11, 2012

Audi e-bike Wörthersee. Click to enlarge. One of the highlights on the Audi stand at the 2012 Wörthersee Tour in Austria (an annual gathering of Audi VW, Seat and Skoda enthusiasts) is an electric bicycle technology concept: the Audi e-bike Wörthersee. The prototype cycle—described by Audi as a high-end pedelec made for sport, fun and tricks—combines an electric drive and muscle power.

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Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

The latest Golf BlueMotion. Click to enlarge. At the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris, Volkswagen is unveiling a new Golf BlueMotion concept car. This Golf concept, powered by another new 1.6-liter TDI (turbodiesel) consumes 3.2 l/100 km (73.5 mpg US), equivalent to 85 gCO 2 /km. The 81 kW / 108 hp Golf BlueMotion is a five-seater that is capable of 202 km/h (125 mph).

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MPG Concept 2013 Fuel 359

Green Car Congress

JUNE 28, 2012

The ExxonMobil MTG process flow diagram. Source: EMRE. Click to enlarge. Sundrop Fuels, Inc., a gasification-based drop-in advanced biofuels company, finalized a licensing agreement to use ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company’s methanol-to-gasoline ( MTG ) technology to be incorporated into a “green gasoline” production facility. Located near Alexandria, Louisiana, Sundrop Fuels plans to break ground late this year on its inaugural commercial plant, which will produce up to 50 million gal

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Gasoline Fuel Green Production 360

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 1, 2012

As part of the Energy Datapalooza event in Washington, DC, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced a challenge to to foster new technologies that can. increase fuel efficiency while also addressing distracted driving concerns. The challenge will seek to recognize the best innovative technology solutions that vehicle owners can choose to use with their own private vehicle data.

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Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 4, 2012

SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC Motor) is launching the battery-electric Roewe E50 on the market in China. The company expects to sell 1,000 of them within the first year. The E50 is based on a newly developed electric vehicle platform. Roewe E50. Click to enlarge. With a 47 kW motor and a battery pack from A123 Systems ( earlier post ), the E50 has a range of 180 km (112 miles) and a top speed of up to 120 km/h (75 mph).

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Green Car Congress

JUNE 12, 2012

Cold cranking performance of EXT battery systems, 80 Ah and 60 Ah. 10 sec. crank, 7.0V minimum, 100% SOC. The dots represent the capability of Johnson Control’s current AGM battery at that temperature point. Click to enlarge. A123 Systems introduced Nanophosphate EXT ( EX treme T emperature), a new lithium-ion battery technology capable of operating at extreme temperatures without requiring thermal management.

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Green Car Congress

AUGUST 27, 2012

Aerial photo of Green Crude Farm in November 2011. Click to enlarge. Sapphire Energy, Inc. announced that the first phase of its Green Crude Farm, a commercial demonstration algae-to-energy facility, is now operational. Construction of this first phase, which began on 1 June 2011, was completed on time and on budget. When completed, the facility will produce 1.5 million gallons per year of crude oil and consist of approximately 300 acres of algae cultivation ponds and processing facilities.

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Commercial Energy New Mexico 2011 357

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 28, 2012

Cool Planet’s process relies on three core elements: novel biomass fractionation, advanced catalysis, and a char-to-soil enhancer. Source: Cool Planet. Click to enlarge. Cool Planet Energy Systems projects that using its patented mechanical process and novel scaling approach ( earlier post ), it will be able to produce high-octane carbon-negative (with the use of its bio-char byproduct) renewable gasoline at a cost of $1.50 per gallon, without the need for government subsidies.

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Carbon Production Gasoline-Electric Google 356

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 9, 2012

EV Engineering fit the battery pack in the engine compartment of the Commodore to enable switching. Source: EV Engineering. Click to enlarge. The battery-switchable fully-electric Holden Commodore developed by. EV Engineering in Australia ( earlier post ) recently unofficially broke the distance record for a production electric car, achieving 1,886 (1,172 miles) kilometers of driving over a 24-hour period.

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Battery Batteries Electrical Electric 356

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

Getrag PowerShift Transmission 7DCT300. Click to enlarge. At its fifth biennial Drivetrain Forum in Cologne, Getrag presented the seven-speed dual clutch transmission Getrag Powershift 7DCT300 and a hybrid derivative, the Getrag Hybrid Drive 7HDT300. The company said that the new transmissions complete its product portfolio to provide total coverage in terms of torque output and application size.

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